We want to keep things simple. Here are our top three suggestions for mic and earphone setups. Chances are, you'll be able to use one of these setups using technology you already own.
Best quality: USB microphone and any earphones
Intermediate option: A USB headset (has a microphone and headphones combined in one unit)
Basic option: Apple or Android earbuds (these have a mic built-in to the cable). This is the lowest-quality option but uses equipment you are likely to have on-hand.
You should setup and test your microphone well before your show in case you need to iron out any issues on your end. Once you've plugged in your microphone and earphones, you can setup your computer to recognize the microphone.
Once you have your microphone set up and plugged in you'll need to set up your computer to use the mic. This will allow Direct Connect to access your mic as well.
Selecting Your Mic On A Mac
Go to your system preferences
Go to the Sound preference pane
Select the "Input" tab
Select your microphone from the list of options
Selecting Your Mic On Windows
Open your windows menu
Search for "audio" in the system search
Open the "Manage Audio Devices" control panel
Select the "Recording" tab
Select your microphone from the list of options