Design and Technical Aspects, Part 6

Question 1: Discuss the following terms relating to stage lighting: lighting structure, flat front light, key lights, fill lights, and side light.

Answer 1: Lighting structure refers to the manner in which lights are set up to fall upon the stage and actors. Lighting structures can include side lights, top lights, and back lights. Flat front light is a lighting technique in which a beam is focused directly on an actor’s face. Flat front light is often used to correct the effects of key lighting. Key lighting can decrease the visibility of an actor’s eyes, but using flat front light can correct this, thereby making the actor’s eyes more visible. Flat lighting can also be cast at a 45 degree angle for a more flattering look. Key lighting refers to the main source of lighting in a particular scene. Key lighting often creates unintentional areas of shadow which are lit by fill lights. Side lighting involves lights that are set up on the sides of the stage above the actors’ heads. Side light allows the actors to be seen when they face the sides of the stage.

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Question 2: Discuss the following terms relating to stage lighting: back light, top light, and bottom light.

Answer 2: Back light, top light, and bottom light are all basic lighting structures. Back lights are positioned to shine down upon an actor or scene from above and from behind the subject. Back light is used to separate the actor from the background, as it creates an intense halo around the head and shoulders of the actor. Because back lights do not alter the faces of the actors, various colored back lights can easily be used to create a mood on the stage. Top lights are also called down lights. They are positioned directly above the subject. Top light hits protruding facial and body features, providing high contrast. Bottom light is also called up light. Up lights are positioned in front of and beneath the subject. This is a rare technique because it is a very unnatural lighting angle. Footlights are considered types of up lights that can provide a very eerie effect. This effect can be illustrated by imagining what it looks like when someone shines a flashlight up from their chin—a common technique while telling ghost stories around a campfire.

Question 3: Students in grades 9-12 can be either proficient or advanced in theatre. Provide some of the indicators an instructor can look for in advanced students.

Answer 3: Advanced theatre students should demonstrate the creative ability to develop characters from a variety of dramatic texts, both realistic and fictional. They should have the skills to research, reflect, and revise their acting choices for various characters. Advanced students should be able to use dialogue to advance action when writing a script. They should also be able to use basic dramatic structure while writing a script, as well as have the skills to develop complex characters within the drama. In regard to understanding the historical aspects of theatre, advanced students should be able to research and perform a particular historical or cultural piece while using the appropriate dialect and mannerisms throughout the performance. Advanced students should understand the way that theatre has impacted and continues to impact society and culture. Students should also be capable of designing, performing, and directing plays that are representative of specific theatrical styles. Furthermore, advanced students should be able to use the appropriate vocabulary terms to discuss their aesthetic judgments of dramatic works.

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