Hanging Lights

• 1). Learn the physical condition of the theater. The stagelightingprimer.com website suggests knowing the electrical outlets that are available, and where there are pipes or protrusions to hang lights from. Find out if there will be other productions or groups using the same venue during the run of the show; if there are, you may have to take down the lights and reinstall them before the play closes.
  
  
• 2). Study the lighting plan. The lighting designer will draw up a plan that lists all the effects and the lights and equipment needed to make it work, and that will determine where the lights go. If you are not the designer, consult with one about the state of the theater: If the wiring makes it impossible to hang a light in a particular spot, the design needs to factor that in.
  
  
• 3). Install the lights. Some lights may be installed at floor level; for the others, a catwalk or ladder will be necessary to find and mark the position for each light on the ledge, pipe or whatever will support it. Use tape measures to make sure the space between the marks matches the lighting design. Position the lights so they highlight the parts of the stage indicated in the design, then fasten them---stagelightingstore.com recommends C-clamps---and make sure each one is secure. Attach the lighting cables to link the lights to a power source and the theater's lighting control board. If any of the lights need colored gels for a particular scene, install those too.
  
  
• 4). Test the results. Stage shows always undergo a technical rehearsal before opening to the public, to see how the lights, sound and props work in practice. With lighting, theaters often do a "cue to cue" rehearsal, cutting out everything except the lines of dialog or events in the story that cue the lighting director to cut the lights or dim one set of lights while bringing up another. If the results are not right, for example, if part of the stage is too dark, or the lights bleach out the actors, the director may be able to fix it by adjusting the settings on the control board. If not, it may be necessary to reposition the lights, or swap one light out for a stronger or weaker one.