Designers

Lights and Sound

Lighting Design

Chicago

Chorus Line

Greek Theatre

Light Source: The Sun

Chestnut Street Theatre

Philadelphia

1818- First theatre lit with gas light

Gas Table

First lighting control system

Iroquois Theatre Fire

Chicago, IL (1903)

Nations worst theatre fire. 602 die

After the Fire

Thomas Edison

1879- Creates the first practical light bulb

Savoy Theatre

London

1881- First theatre lit with electric lights

Metropolitan Opera House

1913

An early lighting system

Early lighting equipment

Kliegl, 1913

1000w spot lights

Dimmers

Flood light

The Functions of Light1. To see

2. To focus the audience’s attention

3. To reveal the actor’s form

4. To give information

5. To establish a mood

The Properties of Light

1. Intensity – amount of electricity reaching

the lamp

2. Color – The color of the gel

3. Direction – Where the light is placed

4. Distribution – Where the light is pointed

5. Movement – A change in any of the 4

above properties, a cue (Q)

Colored light

Color Media - Gel

Direction of Light

Where the light is hung

Jean Rosenthal

(1912-1969)

The Magic of Light

“A Photo Essay on Light”

Front Light

Hi Side Light from SL and SR

Pools of Down Light

Back Light

Up Light from SL

Hi Side Light SR & Up Light SL

Spotlights light the actor

“Area” light Follow Spot

Flood Lights light the scenery

“Scoop” or Cyc light

Strip light

Lighting Control on Broadway

Strand Light Palette

1990

“Piano” Boards

Pre1975

An Old Light Board

Fox Theatre, Atlanta

View from the light booth in the

back of the theatre

Responsibilities of Lighting

Designer

1. Develop the cue list

2. Determine the type of instrument, colorand focus for each light in the design

3. Draft the Light Plot and Hook Up chart

4. Supervise the hang

5. Focus the lights

6. Create compositions, “looks”

7. Supervise the tech and dress rehearsals

Cue List

Light Plot

Light Plot: Detail

Type of spotlights

6” Source 4

Ellipsoidal8” Fresnel

Hook Up Chart

Cue Sheet

Sound Design on Broadway

• First designer to receive credit: Jack Mann

• Show: Show Girl (w/ Carol Channing)

• Eugene O’Neill Theatre

• Year: 1961 (100 performances)

Sound Reinforcement

• The amplification of the performer’s voice

• Used primarily in large musicals

• Why? To help the singers project over the

orchestra

• Type of mikes used: (1) Foot mikes and

(2) wireless body mikes

• Speaker placement: Center cluster hung

above the orchestra pit

Speaker Location

Palace Theatre, Cleveland, OH

Sound Reproduction

• Reproduction of recorded music and

sound effects

• Source: CD, MiniDisc or Computer

• Speaker placement: Back stage

Sound in a Play

Music:

• Pre Show, Scene change, Intermission,

Underscoreing

• Tends to reflect the period and mood of

the play

Sound effects: Thunder, Wind, Rain, Off

stage gunshots, A passing train

17th Century Sound

Wind Machine

Sound in the 19th Century

Thunder run

20th Century Sound

Thunder Sheet

Sound Designer’s Responsibilities

1. Develop a cue list

2. Locate the required music and sound

effects

3. Specify type of equipment

4. Determine mike and speaker placement

5. Record the master tape or CD

6. Supervise mounting of equipment and

rehearsals

Placement of Sound Board• Back of the house. Often behind the last row of

seats

• Why? So the board operator hears the same

show as the audience