Picture this: a crackling radio in a Brooklyn parlor, the soothing hum of a muted trumpet, and the unmistakable swing of “Bye Bye Blackbird” transporting you back to 1939, except, it isn’t just a vintage recording. These sounds were curated by a group of Field students who decided that finding the right 1930s sound for the upper school production of Arsenic & Old Lace meant creating it themselves.
When Finn ’28 and Sammy ’28 signed on as sound managers for the show, they immediately asked: how can we incorporate authentic 1930s jazz into this production? Their solution was to join forces with Aidan '26 and recruit a student ensemble to record several selections. Their first task: find a trumpet player to capture that “older feel” for the music. Alex ’28 joined the group and after that Carolina ’28 stepped in as keyboardist, Hayden ’27 on violin, and Henry ’27 on drums. Aidan, who also plays guitar, is managing the ensemble, officially known as The Arsenic Jazz Ensemble. He selected songs that are authentic to the time period but also recognizable: “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Minor Swing,” and “Mood Indigo." “I wanted to do popular stuff because maybe people will recognize the songs,” he said.
Coordinating a jazz ensemble while acting in a show and managing tech responsibilities creates several logistical challenges. Finn, who plays Mortimer Brewster, Sammy (Officer Klein), and Carolina (Jonathan Brewster), all have significant stage time, making the balancing act even more complicated. In true Field fashion, these students went all in, demonstrating their tenacity, their desire to learn, and willingness to take on new leadership opportunities. Rather than just finding a playlist from the 1930s to satisfy the music requirement for the show, they challenged themselves to be innovative and think outside the box.
“There are a lot of moving parts to the whole operation, especially since me and Carolina are on stage a lot. Sammy’s been very kind and taken the brunt of a lot of this, for managing stuff and getting sound cues. He also works on the sound script,” Finn explained.
The technical approach to creating the music and sounds is just as thoughtful as the music selection. “Because it is an older play, we're taking a new approach on the speaker system and how we want to play music,” Sammy explained. Instead of playing music through overhead speakers, the team will place a speaker behind an old radio on stage and then Chase ’26, who works in the music production club, will add the finishing touches–the quintessential crackle and static of a 1930s broadcast. 
For Sammy, Aidan, and Finn this project has been about more than getting the job done. “You can put so much into it and you can really transform a show with the music and the sound effects that you choose,” Sammy said. He says this experience has also taught him about team management: “I think it has been a really solid learning process and I can put that into bands in the future or anything with a team.”
Aidan sees this production as an opportunity to push the boundaries for what is possible for sound design at The Field School. “I mean I think it is cool to do more sound design stuff, more complex sound design. That’s what they’re kind of working more into now, I think you guys are the future of sound at The Field School,” he tells Sammy and Finn.
Aidan is planning to take his talents as a leader and a musician to college, where he will pursue music composition.
You can experience the sounds of The Arsenic Jazz Ensemble November 13-16, with performances at 7:00 PM on November 13, 14, and 15, and a 2:00 PM matinee on November 16. Click here to buy tickets. To see more photos from their rehearsal, click here.
