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Student Spotlight: Charlotte Laffely ‘26 — Penobscot Theatre Company Sound Designer

Published on: October 10, 2025

A young woman in glasses looks at the camera. She is seated at a board with sliding controls and a lit stage is in the background.

Husson University Live Sound student Charlotte Laffely ‘26 is already using her classroom learning in a professional setting working in sound design for the Penobscot Theatre Company.

Most recently she was the lead sound designer for the company’s production of “Steel Magnolias” at the Bangor Opera House in September. She began working on Penobscot Theatre productions in 2023, when she was hired for a summer position after her first year at Husson. Her advisor, Eric Ferguson, assisted with the application process. 

A young woman wearing glasses smiles at the camera.
A young woman wearing glasses works at a sound board.

“She’s very talented,” said Eric Ferguson, assistant professor in audio engineering and live sound. “In her classes, she’s worked in music, learned audio engineering classes and done a lot of sound effects for movies and TV. That’s definitely helped her in the theater to have that background in sound design. She’s pretty capable in all things audio.”

Laffely began as a sound mixer for the Dramatic Academy program, a theatrical education program for kids and teens, making sure the audio ran smoothly during productions. Since then, she has worked on eight DA productions, and expects to be a sound mixer for at least two more this fall.

Now a sound designer for the company, she plans out the full audio for shows from speaker volumes to microphone placements to sound effects. 

“At Husson, we learn the hands-on of how to use different consoles, and what microphones to use, and how to do more of a ‘tour sound,’” said Laffely. “Working with a theater, you get to be more creative. It’s very similar to how the actors get to express themselves on stage, you just get to do your thing. It’s a very different kind of live sound."

This is a close up of hands on a board with sliding adjusters.

Audio engineering students are encouraged to do internships and work in jobs with local organizations including the Cross Insurance Center, Collins Center for the Arts, and Waterfront Concerts, which let them put their classroom learning into action. 

“Theater was not the reason that I started college. That’s not even a direction I saw myself going after graduating,” said Laffely. “But after spending all of my college years in theater, it really has been fun. It’s definitely something that I think I want to continue doing, whether that’s at Penobscot Theatre or somewhere else.”

Laffely will design the sound for PTC’s holiday production of “Cinderella” alongside Ferguson. The show will run from December 4 to December 28.

— Rin Gately