> Far easier to swap a battery than swap the entire pack integrated into her costume and sound systems
How do you get to the pack to change the battery if integrated into her costume? Backstage doesn't work on stage unless it's a quick handoff. Cinderella had to step off stage and manipulate her wardrobe to give access. But she stepped off upstage right. So the audience could see if they had been looking there. So I gave her the "follow me" wave and walked from the wings upstage to the wings downstage, where nothing could be seen from the house. I turned to work, and she wasn't there. She didn't see me give the "follow me" sign. She had her back to the audience and was bent over with her dress over her head in an attempt to give access to the transmitter and battery pack which was in a pouch in a harness she wore, basically it was secured in the small of her back. I checked the audience and they somehow hadn't yet noticed what Cinderella was doing (which was probably illegal given her age) and, in a stage whisper, I screamed her name to get her attention, then gave the sign again. She saw and came over, and was apologizing while I replaced the entire transmitter, batteries and all, without messing with the mic and cord. Funny girl, if she knew I doubt she cared about the peep show she gave as much as concern she had upset me somehow (which is absurd)
It's really only the cord that is difficult to replace, the mics and transmitter/battery packs swap faster than trying to muck around with loose batteries. Even so, it's an off stage operation. If it occurs in the middle of a number, I've walked out to hand a wireless mic to a singer.
Any interaction with the stage during a show means a sprint from the sound booth, under the house, and up to the back stage, and then back afterwards. It's nice when there's a small sound crew, but the audio engineer is expected to deal with it regardless.