Clear-Com’s Gen-IC Virtual Intercom Delivers Fast, Flexible Communications for Teen-Led Production of “Next to Normal”
ALAMEDA, USA – December 2, 2025 – Clear-Com® announced that its award-winning Gen-IC® virtual intercom platform played a central role in powering communications for a teen-directed production of “Next to Normal” at the Bendheim Performing Arts Center in Mid-Westchester, New York. The production demonstrated how Gen-IC enables rapid deployment of professional-grade communications without traditional hardware, making it a practical option for schools, community theatres and organizations with limited resources.
With the venue lacking a built-in comms system and only a short load-in window, seasoned Broadway stage manager and educator Matt Stern needed a solution that required minimal setup and no additional equipment rentals. Using Gen-IC and Clear-Com’s Agent-IC® mobile app, Stern was able to establish a fully operational intercom network in minutes.
“Gen-IC absolutely saved the day,” Stern said. “The setup was incredibly fast, about five minutes, and suddenly my entire team had reliable comms on their own devices. No beltpacks, no antennas, no batteries. For a show with teenagers constantly moving backstage, the flexibility was invaluable.”
Crew members used their personal mobile phones to access the Gen-IC system, allowing them to communicate wirelessly throughout the venue for scene changes, lighting cues and backstage coordination. The production reported zero comms issues during its run.
“For small theater programs and community productions, Gen-IC feels like a no-brainer,” Stern said. “It removes the cost and complexity barriers that often put high-quality communications out of reach.”
The production used Gen-IC’s cloud-managed channels to support cueing, scene-shift communication and backstage mobility. The system ran continuously over the venue’s network and the crew’s personal devices, which mixed audio locally using Clear-Com’s I.V. Core IP technology to maintain low latency and reliable duplex communication even as students moved throughout the multi-level set.
“Matt’s experience is exactly the kind of workflow Gen-IC was built to support,” said James Schaller, Regional Sales Manager at Clear-Com. “When productions face tight budgets, limited space or fast turnaround times, Gen-IC gives them the performance of a professional intercom system without the infrastructure requirements.”
The production, directed by a 15-year-old student and benefiting the National LGBT Cancer Network, included a multi-level set, full band and fully student-run backstage crew, all supported by Gen-IC virtual intercom.