This podcast was recorded on the show floor of USITT22 at Studio USITT in partnership with AKG by Harman.

On this week’s episode we sat down with sound designer and 2022 Distinguished Achievement Award for Sound winner, Michael Hooker. We chatted with Michael about his long legacy and involvement with USITT, themed entertainment work, his experience as an educator, and much more.

Michael K. Hooker has proudly been involved with USITT since attending his first conference in 1995. He has served as Sound Commissioner, chaired dozens of sessions and helped program the sound sessions for five Conferences. He was also part of the development and steering committee for the inaugural 2012 USITT Sound Lab along with the subsequent 2014, 2016 and 2018 Sound Labs.

Michael’s educational service spans 30 years. He is currently Professor of Sound Design and Composition for Theatre at the University of California, Irvine where he heads their sound design MFA program. Prior to UCI, he was Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he created their MFA and BFA programs in sound design. Prior to CCM he developed and headed the sound design program at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). He also served as faculty at the University of Arizona, School of Theatre.

Michael has designed sound and/or composed music for more than 125 productions. He designed Looped for its Broadway run and subsequent national tour. His regional theatrical designs have been heard at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Kirk Douglas Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, South Coast Repertory, Arena Stage, Pasadena Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. In Los Angeles, he has designed at the Echo Theatre, Mainstreet Theatre, Colony Theatre, Strasberg/Marilyn Monroe Theatre, Mark Taper Forum New Works Festival/Taper, Too, and the Hayworth. Internationally, he has designed at the Gdansk Shakespeare Festival (Poland), Sibiu International Theatre Festival and National Theatre Festival in Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam Fringe Festival, the Divadlo DISK Theatre (Prague), Accademia Dell'Arte (Italy), and the Hanmadang Theatre Festival (Seoul).

As a commercial sound designer and composer, Michael has designed sound and/or produced music for themed entertainment productions all over the world. He recently composed music for the Quest theme park in Doha, Qatar. He designed Tarzan, Call of the Jungle at Shanghai Disneyland and music for the Enchanted Art attractions aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship. He composed the score for the Griffith Park Observatory planetarium show First Light and he has worked as sound editor for Buena Vista Interactive, Way Forward Technologies, and Sonic Desktop Software.

Michael spent six years as Senior Media Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) where he produced sound and music for Disney theme parks worldwide - including Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea and Walt Disney Studios - Paris. Some of his major attractions designed while at WDI are Aladdin's Magic Lamp Theatre at Tokyo DisneySea and Cinemagique at Walt Disney Studios. He was area lead media designer for Adventureland at Hong Kong Disneyland and Mermaid Lagoon at Tokyo DisneySea. Smaller attractions include two popular holiday overlay shows: it's a small world very merry holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday both at Tokyo Disneyland.

Michael received a BFA from the University of Arizona and an MFA from the CalArts School of Theatre. He is also a member of United Scenic Artists/IATSE local 829.

TECHnically Speaking is a public service of USITT, which seeks to have a broad conversation on topics of interest to its members, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of Institute policy. The views expressed on this podcast by guests are their own and their appearance herein does not imply an endorsement of them or of any entity they may represent. Reference to any specific product or idea does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Views, opinions, recommendations or use cases expressed on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of USITT, its Board members or employees.