Working in the Theatre: Lighting Design

This episode of Working in the Theatre was featured in our new book, "American Theatre Wing, an oral history: 100 Years, 100 Voices, 100 Million Miracles." Learn more about the book at a.co/d/9A5qc9a.
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A technician, an artist, a magician... What does a Lighting Designer do in the theatre? We dive deep with Tony Awards​-winning Lighting Designers Natasha Katz and Howell Binkley, as we explore the assortment of creative and technical goals in developing a story through lights on stage. Learn about the history of the field, the equipment, and the artistry of design as Natasha Katz and Howell Binkley show us their work at the PRG: Live​ showroom and onstage at Hamilton: An American Musical​ and Aladdin - The Musical​.
Learn more about Aladdin the Musical at www.aladdinthem....
Learn more about Hamilton the Musical at www.hamiltonbro....
Learn more about PRG at www.prg.com.
American Theatre Wing’s Working in the Theatre documentary series features the most fascinating people on the stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. From Tony Awards® and Obie Awards® winning artists to the next generation of theatre makers, we capture theatre’s inner-workings, industry luminaries, and unique stories that surround important work.
American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards® and home of and the Obie Awards®: for more information visit americantheatr....
#WorkingInTheTheatre #Season38
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[@abigailhuchko6546]

There are so little videos of technical theatre it is refreshing to see such amazing videos being produced

[@AmericanTheatreWing]

Thanks Abigail!!

[@mariselasaenz4796]

and it was so elegant too! Made it feel like such a professional documentary. Loved this.

[@L34dF4rm3r]

American Theatre Wing how do i get into this field?

[@abigailhuchko6546]

@@L34dF4rm3r Join Facebook groups!! Technical Theatre Facebook groups are a great way to learn and find others that can give you information . Look at colleges and schools! My degree from Clarion University is a BFA in Technical theatre with a concentration in Stage Management. Also, find out what IASTE union is closest to you! mine is Pittsburgh Local 3 :) I do load in and load outs and that can help you get started into the industry!

[@abbybeermanphotography6865]

Does anyone have to do this for online school?

[@masterevan1031]

yup

[@brillbilly8527]

oh hey buddies :)

[@Hughlynn2006]

yup

[@heylol4450]

yes lmao

[@bethanylewis4491]

yup

[@Anteroization]

i learned about lightning and glow because hurracaine maria left puerto rico 5 months without electricity. living with candles gave me another sense of how magical you can make a room glow with a lamp, color and a mirror.

[@DustinSmith796]

I remember watching this freshman year in tech class before Covid hit. Now I’m a senior, prepared to go to College for Theatre next semester 🔥🔥🔥

[@sjnolan4995]

I LOVE this. I'm a lighting technician, and this all is exactly what I want to be doing with my life. Thanks for the good feels that this episode gave me.

[@alejandroacosta6082]

Do you make good money off this career? I’m seriously considering it.

[@MistyLunaLotus]

@@alejandroacosta6082 I mean I was hired by my school as a Student Stage Technician and I made about $528 in 5 days of work in 2018

[@hagencarter8834]

This makes me feel so priveleged to have been able to do lighting for my school this year. Lighting design is beautiful

[@JSPetey]

Well, I'm still stuck in my highschool with those traditional lights and gels

[@AliciaTheUnstoppable]

You can still do some amazing things with incandescent light fixtures! It's all about layering and including textrure (like Gobos)

[@firstname3430]

Write a grant.

[@lazar7880]

no LEDs??😳😳 you could still make it awesome doe

[@cass_3]

I miss working with traditional lights and gels in high school. I loved working with the lights and the effects they produced. Even with gels, filters and gobos you can create custom colors and beautiful texture.

[@g0bo_4typ1c3]

it's still better than a few cheap DJ lights in a church teenager service ;)

[@checkers221]

One thing I really enjoyed about this video was the part where they showed how the lights were designed, as well as the scene in the factory. It was really interesting to see where the lights were stored and designed, as well as the process of getting them from the storage to the stage so the light designers can use them. All the technology they use is fascinating.

[@joel.engelhardt]

This is the best-made video I have ever seen that discusses lighting design in such comprehensive fashion. I'm excited to see more of this!

[@billmoran3812]

Natasha Katz is what I dreamed I could be as a lighting designer when I was in High School in the 1960’s I had the privilege of learning about theatrical lighting while in school doing lighting for several musicals, ballets, and other shows. My school was equipped with what at the time was a state of the art non-direct dimming system donated by Century lighting, as well as a full complement of theatrical lighting fixtures from Cycs, to Leo’s, to Fresnels from 500W to 10K’s. Because of the technology, I was often asked to demonstrate the equipment to visiting directors from Broadway, and learned a lot from them in return. I really thought about pursuing a career in the theater. Later in life, I worked in a large municipal arena, and as part of my duties, I was tasked with purchasing theatrical lighting equipment. My career took me away from the theater, but watching Natasha on this video, I do realize that I could have enjoyed a fulfilling career in the theater doing what she does. I’m so glad that I had a taste of that.

[@pjmcbroom]

Man, those moving lights look amazing. I do lighting design at the only community theatre in a small town in California, and we have 26 fresnels from the 1950s, 6 lekos, and 6 par cans. It's a DMX-512 dimming setup, and we only have 40 circuits to use. Although it is a hell of a challenge trying to add nuance and subtlety to a stage that's 24 feet wide and 16 feet deep (with a ceiling that's 20 feet above the stage, hanging the lights from the trusses, and a lack of stage wings), I deal with the limitations and make it work. I love lighting design, and although it's not what I want to do as a career (I'm 19, going to college for a degree in film production), I want to do it as much as I can, even if it's unpaid volunteer work like I'm doing now

[@fintanbeirne7261]

Hey hope your career is going well

[@anxiety_disaster]

I love theatre and everything to do with performing. Dance, singing, acting, lights, sound, crew, everything. I love the whole works of it, and this video is so inspiring

[@firstname3430]

hailey g , same minus the on stage part

[@Believer1597]

I love how you have a control to change and create emotions and also how you can look at the scene and exactly know how to change/fix it!

[@dayira1836]

what i appreciate about the video is they take it very serious throughout. They worked together and gave each other ideas to make it better.

[@bashaut6051]

Well, Broadway is waaaay ahead of us, comparing to the lighting design scene in Europe. The vast majority of theatre and theatre productions use traditional projector, first of all because it's waaaay cheaper but also more democratised in the industry. As a lighting designer, I personally think that the colour temperature of an automatic will never give the same feeling than a traditional lamp. But I agree with the fact that automatics are very convenient and versatiles.

[@stupot295]

what do you mean? more expensive automated lights usually have an option for colour temperature correction

[@nathanleblancq4217]

Stuart Williamson there are some phenomenal intelligents these days that I feel can achieve that warmth. Even LED systems are advanced to the point of sublime fading.

[@TazioN]

It isn't that Broadway is ahead it's just that it is large budget commercial shows. The West End in London is the exact same. American rep theatre works in a much more limited way than Europe with a lot of theatres having large fixed rigs of lights that you aren't allowed to move positions. In Europe we are more liberal and change the rig relevant to each production coming into or being produced in the theatre. I do agree with the colour temperature point if you are using discharge lamp movers, however if it is an issue it is easy to specify tungsten units to get "true" colour.

[@gregkrouse9015]

What a nice treat. I’ve been in theatrical college for several semesters doing lighting and this is such a recap of the possibilities. It’s the pot at the end of the rainbow. Thank you for this wonderful gift of production.

[@switch1690]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎭 A lighting designer's role is to use various lights to create a visual atmosphere on stage, providing cues for the audience about time, mood, and location, and enhancing the storytelling. 01:57 🌟 The actor is the central focus in lighting design, and lighting designers aim to highlight and emphasize them, making them stand out from the set and creating a foreground-background contrast. 03:04 🖌️ Lighting designers are both sculptors and painters, shaping the bodies of actors with light and painting backgrounds to create a three-dimensional visual experience. 05:03 📚 The process of lighting design involves collaborating with the director, set designer, and other creative professionals to ensure that the lighting complements and enhances the director's vision for the production. 18:41 💡 Advancements in lighting technology, such as moving lights and remote-controlled fixtures, have significantly changed the field, making it more efficient and versatile for lighting designers. Made with HARPA AI

[@maisyjaneminton5062]

I absolutely adore these videos. I am taking a Technical Theatre class, and my teacher gives us these videos to watch for assignments. They keep me so involved with the video, and I makes me enjoy watching these videos. I wish more teachers would show their students videos like these.

[@comareja4]

please make more of this.

[@AmericanTheatreWing]

We have a whole series! Some of our best ones about design/tech are Costumes - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6m9mJ-Phrh9abM, Projection Design - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGOtkp6HbcmNeJo, & Scenic Design - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qom8iWiPjc-Ml6M.

[@Brandoreed90]

Would love to see one about sound design if possible. Specifically working with someone like Lindsay Jones, Fitz Patton, Matt Tierney, Josh Schmidt, or Victoria Deiorio. Sound Design is one of the most important elements of theatre and would love to see more in depth work of some of its masters.

[@AaronQuickDesign]

Nevin would so be down with this. Though, considering the ATW/Tony Committee's non-recognition of sound as an artistic discipline, I don't see this happening soon. #TonyCanYouHearMe

[@Brandoreed90]

Would love to see Nevin's thoughts as well. I realize the Tony Committee's decision myself as a fellow sound designer. I believe I made this comment in a slight tone sarcasm, but also hopeful-ness. #TonyCanYouHearMe

[@benjaminsimmons6061]

It’s interesting how the lighting can change the whole perspective of the story being portrayed on the stage

[@lamisere8337]

It may seem obvious but I just love that in theatre a show begins with complete darkness. Everything that comes after that is because of the lighting designer. The sets and the actors would be nothing without the lighting designer. The only benefit then would be to hear a live performance. But we see not just a lit up stage but a carefully calibrated work in distinct shades and colors and intensities thanks to the artistry of the lighting designer.

[@ImeldaLeonard-l8z]

Very extraordinary, really like this method of performance, the lighting on the stage is spirit. Thank you very much. Can you share?

[@gianniskritikos695]

As a stage manager i will always remember how many hours we could work on just a cue trying to find the perfect light!!!!

[@mithurshon.coonghe98]

I am Studying Drama and theatre in Sri Lanka. I like to become a lighting designer in Theatre career. This video gives more information for my knowledge. I love to study lighting designing in abroad.

[@famousstarr12]

Thank you for making such an informative and also visually beautiful video!!! Awesome job!!

[@prettyoddvices4306]

This is super interesting!! I'd love to go into the lighting department of technical theatre :)

[@firstname3430]

PrettyOddVices look on your community theater website there are often lighting classes and such to try and have people have those skills to volunteer

[@DanteNelson31]

Fantastic video. I'll have my lighting team look at this.

[@Computerman7878]

RIP Howell (and Daren). Both men were leaders in the industry.

[@gabianderton996]

What happened

[@Chaogardenx]

Great video! And amazing music selection

[@cracky_energy5594]

I do a lot of lighting design in my school, I want to do it in the future but I don’t know exactly where to start, my teacher offered me to do a internship though

[@theaterdesigner8086]

Take a look at your local college and their theater program. Volunteer at a local staging, lighting, or rigging company.

[@cracky_energy5594]

Theater Designer I sure will thank you for the advice :)

[@descrisleuthy]

This is such a great video, I learnt a lot! Thanks guys!!

[@sophieflynn9815]

It is interesting how actors read their script without thinking about lighting the rereading and talking about the lighting for the scene.

[@hannahthrasher3524]

Great interviews and wonderful content! I did find that the background music overpowered the speakers sometimes, though. But other than that, great!

[@alexanderclausen9250]

This make me happy

[@stephanie6029]

My school has a stupid (nowhere near as sophisticated) version of the same software. We only have LED's, Lekos, and a non-moving lighted cyc, so no amazing moving lights with patterns and everything you see here. The person who installed it told us that the 1TB hard drive that's in all of the consoles (even in every Broadway theater) has never been maxed out. If we, a high school that only got this console in August of 2015 and has only done 9 shows, were to max it out, we'd be the first to ever do so. And for some reason, they gave us 3 extra 32GB hard drives thinking we'd max the console 😂😂😂

[@theonly5001]

Are importing videos into your show. I've got more than 100 shows on my 16 GB Usb Stick. And there is still room for a few hundred more....

[@clairebear9501]

These helped me learn more about lighting design ☺

[@dennispatel6639]

12:07 how did that do that? The wash on the backdrop. so even and nicely blended.

[@samkphx]

Dennis Patel They probably back-lit the cyc by the top cyc fixtures set to an orange color and the cyc fixtures on the deck of the stage set to a yellow.

[@dennispatel6639]

@@samkphx Ahhhh that makes a lot of sense. Thank you, I appreciate that.

[@eduardovargas1133]

Does anyone know the name for the time when the two spotlights dance around each other on the curtains when they are closed?

[@eduardovargas1133]

thanks, i texted my theatre groupchat like 5 minutes after posting this comment and they told me.

[@mitchbelectronics]

How good are those Vari Lites 😍

[@julescrtr]

One of this about audio-music design, please??

[@MrCommercialGuys]

Really wish I knew which Youthfaire song is used for the end credits. I like it a lot and would like to listen to it again!

[@JonahHache]

thanks for the inspiration!

[@javiervazquez24]

I love lighting design it's ashamed that the lighting company has patents for their products. There's no way for a person to create a business due to monopoly. Anyways lighting design is critical to theatre it gives life to the set.

[@Superbustr]

What is the name of the lighting warehouse company? I want to look up some of their lights.

[@mitchbelectronics]

PRG

[@heathw.7243]

Is the music in the beginning an actual song ? Not the intro

[@whynotgio]

what music is playing in the background at the beginning? Also, super cool and informative video

[@mjsedik]

I want to study on the hand of that people is that possible they mad workshops or something like that for lights Designer ?

[@meeragurung1903]

this is so helpful

[@leanex4761]

What is it called when the area of the face that light reflects off of called

[@ramellje]

with the implementation of 3D cadding, one could now create shows in a visual space. it doesn't look exactly the same, but it get pretty darn close

[@a.j.phillips282]

Great episode!!!!

[@matthewwalsh7831]

How do you light the cyc so perfectly??

[@eidenfrench4494]

Matthew Walsh Very expensive and high tech Gobos

[@clearx6182]

They are using one fixture for that cyc, the PRG BestBoy has a crazy output and can hit those wide focal lengths

[@saurabhmystery]

Thanks for the upload ATW. Extremely insightful. Cheers! :)

[@hopefulstarfish7559]

That was amazing!

[@focuslights7956]

Good job

[@shipmaster_caine]

You lucky yanks, us brits only have tungsten bulbs and a pint of beer. Either way this is a well made video.

[@fintanbeirne7261]

You're looking in the Wrong places mate.

[@sivawright]

Keep doing these please...

[@kevinwildberger3407]

Incredibly done!

[@i.t.577]

Rest in peace, Howell!🙏😔 Gone too soon

[@gabianderton996]

What happened?

[@i.t.577]

@@gabianderton996 Howell died due to lung cancer complications on August 14, 2020 ....all just a few weeks after participating in an amazing zoom webinar about Hamilton's lighting design, where he looked and sounded healthy. The webinar is available on ETC Lighting's KZbin page. Very few people knew about his cancer, and his passing took us all by surprise.

[@jamiegibsonlx]

RIP ❤️

[@AidanMcLeodProductions]

OMG HOWELL BINKLEY! He is the LD for Jersey boys

[@nealtver]

what is the console?

[@CarlowLittleTheatre]

Great video

[@zhurijoseph4105]

Bruh way is this video so long 🤣 I love it through

[@simpdark4973]

Still in quarantine

[@bobblew7135]

Can a lighting designer also work a lights board?

[@MikeA15206]

Depends if it is a union house.

[@dementievvv]

A self esteemed designer should know how it works at least. But you should know that there are different boards with different interfaces. Light designer and operator are jobs witch can be combined.

[@Licht-und-planungDe]

Wow, thank you...

[@fotodekacom]

admin twitter @mysamarinda dan @mahakamadotco nonton ini kagak ye?

[@rakarizky1234]

thank you.

[@ajaymankenapalli2499]

Superb useful information young theatre people's , tq ❤ ❤

[@vasuban20]

amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@raehah4651]

I just watched in class

[@DavidHeguy]

Great video :D really inspirational

[@gayathrikumari4058]

wowza ! so interesting! thank you

[@MuhammadAli-kl2qk]

wo this is great work

[@tatyanarenee4266]

Same

[@Nina-ki4ye]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@gregsmith1719]

Narcissism discussing it's feelings about being itself and all the wondrous things about itself.

[@mjsedik]

The lady in the video (Natasha Katz ) can she do that ?

[@HenryKhiev]

Very inspirational!

[@callumdoherty7204]

Rest In Peace Howell Binkley

[@christianbronner3779]

Whos here for Duke Ellington

[@starrush303]

who's here bc of Mr. Eitrheim?

[@nataliescarlet7915]

Great video! I am a creator as well and I enjoy your content. :)

[@yuehao7]

wow

[@arianaramnarine7311]

Hi

[@emmamathura4599]

Hi

[@hailey.ragbir]

Hiiii

[@arianaramnarine7311]

@@hailey.ragbir heyyy haileyyy

[@hailey.ragbir]

@@arianaramnarine7311 hey ari how r u?

[@rangglemitten5863]

hey class

[@florianstefanmandl6381]

I my opinion this video was just a PRG promo video. Nothing important has been said. There are lots of things shown horribly wrong.

[@TheStagelighter]

hahaha. Ein Licht-Designer AUF der Bühne..... wirkt mehr als nur gestaged

[@apexn00b85]

Who’s here because of Jontz😂😘

[@apexn00b85]

yall better like this stage gang

[@danielstartek9729]

Are you affiliated with "Chicken Wing"?

[@leonsantos316]

Anyone else set this for drama homework?

[@chiefkeefgaming2005]

ye

[@Sandra-hc4vo]

[@yungsta4031]

she got her left and right mixed up at the end

[@argybarg]

No. Get her stage right, pushed stage left. That’s correct.

[@darylalmanza6239]

anyone else hate yellow floors?

[@SisigBitch]

Yo who got the answers for mr Thomas worksheet

[@wuh8963]

On godd, these questions are annoying

[@gavinmackendrick7224]

Who else is watching this for class? I hate theater kids.

[@tuna2873]

better than band kids

[@GoofballChimp78]

@@tuna2873 Ouch Im both

[@oliviasullivan1963]

@@GoofballChimp78 I'm also both ..

[@GoofballChimp78]

@@oliviasullivan1963 oof

[@oliviasullivan1963]

@@GoofballChimp78 yo what instrument do you play

[@gabex2331]

Online school anyone?

[@jajatsudrajat359]

Nice good

[@mikhaillinberg9568]

((((( Great video for TV, not acceptable for KZbin.

[@Artlightmaster]

Приборы хорошие, дизайн посредственный. Задник съел объëм, спалил воши. С дождëм неплохо.