#Theater light color moods skin#

When placed in front of a beam of light, the patterned Gobo projects the design onto the stage.Ĭolors of lights and/or gels, and the effects they will have on skin tones, make up and costumes:īlack light, UV, or Ultra Violet light, this is a bluish- purple light used for theatrical effects, and will highlight white or fluorescent-colored costumes and props, such as hula hoops or juggling clubs.īlack light is often used for psychedelic effects at parties and nightclubs. Nowadays, gels are commonly made of plastic, but “back in the day” they were originally made of gelatin (from animal tissue) hence the name.Ī Gobo is a generic term for any sort of opaque object placed in front of a light to block a portion of the beam, or the entire beam of light.Ī Gobo with any sort of design cut into the surface. Whenever possible, have a stage hand or the lighting tech make a separate mark on the floor for you if you are beginning in place on stage anywhere other than center.Ī “wash” refers to the mix of lights being used onstage at any given time.Ī gel is the thin sheet set across the front of light to alter the color of the light. There should ideally be a small mark on the floor done in glow-tape or fluorescent paint at center stage, so it can be seen it in the dark and help performers get their bearings as they step into place. Many performances begin and end in a black out, while the cast members walk on and off stage. This term refers to a total absence of lighting on stage. Accent lighting may be done with colors or with intensity- a spotlight is basically an accent light. The type of lighting used to accent a person or a place on stage, to make it stand out. A pin spot directs a very narrow beam of light onto a person or place on stage.įill lights and side fills are supplementary lights, usually used to lighten up the shadows cast across the performer’s features. A follow spot is mounted on a moveable base, so it can literally follow a performer around the stage, continuously illuminating the individual. There are many different varieties of spotlights, but they all have one thing in common: they focus an intense beam of light directly onto a performer or place on the stage. Work lights refer to the lights that are on ( both onstage and in the house) for the cast and crew to work by during a rehearsal or tech-check, while the theatrical lights for the performance are being set up. House lights are often controlled by the theater’s lighting designer, and can be dimmed or brought up before and after the performance, as well as during intermission. The house lights illuminate the entire audience area, and can include everything from chandeliers to sconces on the walls, and the runner lights on the floor that illuminate the walk ways and aisles. These refer to the lights in the actual theater, not the lights on the stage. While this is by no stretch of the imagination any sort of complete guide, it’s a quick 'n' dirty, easily memorized guide to the basics of theatrical lighting.

With a little bit of know how, you will be able to decide exactly what sort of lighting you would like for your dance piece, lighting that will enhance your performance and make you look beautiful…or menacing, innocent, young, old, remote, friendly and accessible or even as grotesque as you want! Question: “What kind of lighting would you like for your piece?”

Have you ever experienced this all-too-familiar exchange? While not all dancers regularly perform in a proper theater with state-of-the-art lighting, it is still a good idea to be familiar with some working knowledge of theatrical lighting. Lighting technicians used to change the moods onstage manually, but nowadays, many theaters are equipped with computerized lighting boards that can be programmed to change in a split second. Lighting can make or break a performance, turning an average piece into something special, or even turning a beautiful and technically perfect dance piece into something mundane- or worse, something that cannot even be seen! Through the use of colors and intensity, good lighting can set a mood, it directs attention to-or away from- a certain performer or place on the stage, it can take the place of scenery, mark the passing of time, or even be used to enhance the action onstage, or move a plot along. Theatrical lighting enhances stage performances in many different ways.

Theater light color moods