May 5, 2006 8:00 AM

James (left) and Geoff Shearing

“You would be hard-pressed to find a more robust 70-year-old,” remarks Masque Sound co-principal and third-generation-co-owner Geoff Shearing on the occasion of the company’s anniversary. “The past few years have found us expanding our services into a variety of related fields, including live performance, technology development/installation and DVD production. Our 2004 move to a new 70,000-square-foot facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey, triggered a burst of activity, which continues to generate a steady flow of challenging new projects.”

Among the company's new growth areas is the Masque Live Division. Spearheaded by company co-principal James Shearing and live concert veterans Lucas “Rico” Corrubia and Mitch “Bubbles” Keller, Masque Live has been on the road almost constantly with Hilary Duff, Jesse McCartney, Celtic Woman, Oasis and film star Kevin Spacey’s Beyond the Sea concert tour.

Founded in 1936 by a trio of Broadway stagehands, Masque Sound rapidly evolved into one of New York City’s successful theatrical sound reinforcement and design companies, including such work on Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Rent to the anticipated Disney/Phil Collins theatrical production of Tarzan.

“Our new building has the room to support a workforce of over 100 tech support, networking and wireless system design/fabrication audio pros. We’ve got the space and heavy-duty power drops to create full-scale ‘Show Zone,’ audio installs for live concert and theatrical productions,” Shearing adds. “This enables us to ensure everything works perfectly before it leaves the shop.” In addition to concert tours, Masque Sound also services the TV broadcast, Industrial and houses of worship markets.

Professional Wireless Services (PWS), the company’s Orlando-based division headed by James Stoffo, has built an equally formidable reputation for wireless system design/installation, with credits ranging from ABC’s recent Super Bowl broadcast to a major technology upgrade for QVC’s Pennsylvania-based production center. “Innovative products like our new GX8D amplifier/combiner and HA-8089 Helical Antenna distribution system for in-ear monitors, wireless microphones and intercom installations contribute immeasurably to our cutting-edge profile,” Stoffo says.

Shearing points to the early success of the recently formed Masque Entertainment DVD production division as another example of well-planned expansion. “Our award-winning DVD director/producer/special effects expert Gerard Schmidt has attracted such diverse performance productions as Miles Copeland’s Bellydance Superstars troop and Live As We Roll, a two-and-a-half-hour epic for Canadian rocker Jonas, which recently went Platinum. Schmidt has also begun an ambitious new DVD project for Telemundo.”

Shearing concludes, “My brother Geoff and I are committed to keeping our 70-year-old company as robust and relevant today as it was in our grandfather’s time. The opportunities for new technology innovation and implementation, and the continuing introduction of new venues and applications have greatly broadened our horizon. We’ve developed a terrific team of highly qualified audio specialists, and we can’t conceive of a project that wouldn’t benefit from our experience and enthusiasm.”

For more information, visit www.masquesound.com.

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