The Power of Light

We all know the power of light. We have all been stuck in the dark due to a power outage. We have all been blinded by bright lights. Most of us who go to concerts have seen cool light shows.

I wanted to blog about theater lighting and the power of it. I spent the weekend watching shows at the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) and the lighting stuck in mind. The lighting was designed by some of the best in the business D.M. Wood, Traci Klainer Polimeni, and John Ambrosone. I was impressed how they all made the theaters go dark before right before the shows started. The stage area was almost pitch black. It had such power in this action. The chit chat ended, the audience silenced, and all eyes were directed to the stage. A simple action but an action with such power.

The lights were used that way during intermission which as an audience member I found helpful. It made me mentally ready for the show to continue. Of course when the house lights come on at the end of a concert or show letting you know the production is over.

Obviously in theater the lighting helps set up the scenes, directs the audience attention, and plays a vital role in the production. I just noticed a little thing at the theater that had so much power!