IN THE QUIRKS continued
attributes of stage lighting: color; distribution; and intensity. Serlio recognized that by altering and enhancing these three lighting ele- Undoubtedly, other stage directors over the millennia understood
it is possible to suggest, season, place, and time. However, Serlio was
Britannica.com summarizes the importance of theatrical lighting: As the light’s technological improvements rose, stage design-
ers gravitated to the opportunities of light. In 1628, Germany’s - tion of stage lighting in Architectura Civilis: These included:
• Footlights – the row of lights across the front of the stage. • Borderlights – a long horizontal row of lights used as the general lighting of the stage from above.
• Striplights – a row of lights, usually mounted in a trough portions of the stage or setting.
In 1638, an exciting technological advance was suggested by Nicola Sabbatini – who proposed placing metal cylinders over can- dles to create a system of dimmers. Although inventive, it was very labor intensive. A multitude of stagehands were needed to control the amount of light by hand-turning all of the dimmers. Due to the amount of laborr involved, this technique was typically used spar- ingly.
In England, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre open-air theatre relied upon sunlight. Plays took place usually at high noon, in good weath- er. In 1608, Shakespeare’s company, The King’s Men, saw their season extended with the construction of the Blackfriars Playhouse. Here, candles still were the preeminent source of lighting, with bright scenes often following dark scenes – giving the stagehands an opportunity to relight the candles. 1783 was the year kerosene lamps arrived in theatres. The cylin-
– creating a whiter, brighter, and also a cleaner light source. With
adjustable wicks, many theatres moved away from candles. The kero- sene lamps allowed for greater lighting control, but they also needed constant maintenance. First of all, the burning kerosene smelled un- pleasant and produced irritating smoke. Secondly, the light produced risk as candles. London’s Haymarket Theatre used oil lamps that had green and
white glass chimneys controlled by levers, so that by lowering and rais- ing the chimneys, light would change. Alas, it was reported that the changes did not actually change the light quality, but instead made the actors less or more visible to the audience. The 1800’s saw the next evolution in theatre lighting, with the in-
troduction of coal gas lighting. In 1816, Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street gas generator to supply the fuel (city-wide gas lines did not come into employed gas lighting, were webbed with gas lines and elaborate con- trol systems. Main regulator, branch mains, secondary regulators, and valves, were constructed into circuits and displayed on the “gas table.” This was the gas equivalent of the electrical control panels now used in today’s theatres. or oil lamps. Plus, the lighting designer could adjust the light’s intensity through control valves from the central point – smoothly decreasing or increasing the amount of light, and at variable speeds. However, gas light did have its drawbacks. It was hot, its vapors
soon stipulated the use of guards, screens, and glass chimneys, to help mitigate the risk. The creation of electric light bulbs in 1880’s transformed theatres.
light (incandescence). They marked the beginning of the modern (and safer) era of stage lighting. electrical lighting, including motion pictures and computers, leading to today’s digital lighting technology. But all of the lighting techniques seen today glow from the traditions initialized in the Greek ampithe- FM
Did You Know? “The limelight” is not just a colloquial expression. In the early 1800’s, it was discovered that a spotlight could be created by heating a block of lime with hydrogen and oxygen gases. As the tiny area of lime burns, it becomes incandescent and emits a brilliant white
embraced to showcase performers on stage. Today, these gas-powered spotlights are no longer used, but the praise-worthy term persists.
IAVM 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
