Reds, Greens, and Blues

Stage Lights.  They can make or break the mood of any play or musical.  When you go to watch a show and it's a night scene, the stage is dark, yet has enough light to see.  The lighting is what creates unity and harmony within the play and like most other things, requires balance on the stage.  Due to the technical difficulties of a show, a lighting director is needed, preferably one who has worked with a lighting board previously.

Lighting boards can vary in size, complexity, control and effects.  Many standard lighting boards are manual but we are moving towards a more computerized lighting board which demands that the lighting director and lighting crew have training in specific computer programs dealing with lighting.

A lighting director takes into account the space, the director's vision, the script and the actors.  Each play requires different lighting and different lighting techniques for effect, however, each space the play or musical will not be designed or have the capabilities the show requires.  The lighting director also must know about basics about manipulating light to do what the play requires.

Now for some lighting background.  The primary colors of light are red, green, and blue. This differs from print colors and colors because print primary colors are cyan, magenta and yellow while primary colors are red, blue and yellow.  Mixing the primary colors of any of the three basic types will give you different colors. For light, the primary colors will give you white light and mixing print primary colors will give you black.

Lighting is an essential part of productions.  Without it and lighting directors fulfilling the directors dream for the show, show would not have the same impact or feel on its audience.