what makes a stage space

Lighting

Theatre lighting is very important part of production. Lighting can be used to help the audience see the actors clearly, to concentrate attention to one part of the stage, to create a particular atmosphere and to create special effects (for instance lightening) There are many different types of theatre lights that can be used.

A Fresnel Spotlight, for instance can create a pool of light which the actor can stand in. Fresnels can produce a soft edge pool of light and are good for lighting the stage.

A Profile Spotlight has adjustable shutters and is best used to light a particular place of the stage.

Floodlights, unlike the previous lights, can not be focused and are best used for lighting scenery, not for acting areas.

Follow spots are large adjustable and movable lights that are good for concentrating attention to one person as they move around the stage. They are manually operated and are designed to follow the actor around the stage. The light pool can be made tight (around the actors face or body) or wide, to encompass another person.

The stage lighting controls are located in the Lighting Box which can be situated to the side of the stage or to the back of the theatre. This is a small room where a lighting technician will sit and operate the lights. The lights must be carefully planned as to when there may be a Blackout (which is no lighting, usually at the end of a scene) or a Flood (all the lights on the stage at once to create a bright atmosphere) or somewhere in between, depending on the requirements of the scene.