Courses
Basic Lighting for Drama Teachers
by Claire Broome
Join drama teacher Claire Broome and explore the basics of lighting, including lighting systems and instruments, lighting plots, how to record a lighting cue, and alternative sources of lighting. You’ll learn some practical, hands-on ways of using lighting in your classroom or theatre, whether you have a lighting system or not.
This course is packed with hands-on examples, activities for your students, and videos to develop your students’ understanding. Find out why lighting is such an important character in a production.
Units
Lighting
by Josh Hatt
This is an introductory mini-unit to lighting that can be achieved whether or not you have a lighting system. Students will work toward being able to demonstrate their knowledge of lighting effectiveness.
The questions of the unit include: How can light affect a scene? How can lighting affect the audience? What is the mood of the scene? How does lighting play a part in creating mood? How can you use shadows onstage? How does color impact the scene?
Pre-Lighting Design
by Kerry Hishon
The exercises within this unit are meant for students to explore the concept of lighting for theatre without the need for extensive tech or even a theatrical lighting grid.
This unit is useful for students with no prior experience with lighting or students who may be intimidated by the idea of theatre technology.
Each exercise is meant to build upon the previous one, as students grow in their confidence with thinking about lighting in different ways.
Lesson Plans
Creating Ambiance
by Holly Beardsley
To create ambiance is to define the feel, mood, and tone of a play. Light and sound can change ambiance drastically. A castle in dark shadows will look gloomy and mysterious, while a castle in bright light will appear magical. In this lesson, students will analyze the use of sound to create and change the ambiance of a production.
Introduction to Lighting
by Josh Hatt
Students are introduced to lighting through video demonstration, discuss the impact of lighting on a scene, address lighting safety and complete a vocabulary activity.
Colour and Angles
by Josh Hatt
Students will explore how lighting can affect a scene through colour and angles. Questions include: What is mood? How do shadows affect a scene? Students are given a lighting assignment to apply colour and angles by drawing a simple light plot.
Lighting Effectiveness
by Josh Hatt
Students continue to work on their lighting assignment. They will rehearse their scenes, continue to discuss lighting effectiveness and reflect on their work in class.
Tech Rehearsal and Performance
by Josh Hatt
Students are given time for a tech rehearsal and then perform their scenes. The emphasis is on the groups demonstrating a knowledge of lighting effectiveness.
Reflection
by Josh Hatt
Students watch the scenes from the previous class and reflect as a group on the process.
Lighting and Sound
by Karen Loftus
The lighting and sound you use for The Production Classroom will depend on what resources are available to you. This unit will explore how your lighting and sound designers can prepare and execute their designs to help support the script of your show.
Introduction and Exercise 1
by Kerry Hishon
The exercises within this unit are meant for students to explore the concept of lighting for theatre without the need for extensive tech or even a theatrical lighting grid. Each exercise is meant to build upon the previous one, as students grow in their confidence with thinking about lighting in different ways.
Exercise 2: Concept Creation
by Kerry Hishon
Students work in groups of 2 or 3 for this exercise on concept creation.
Exercise 3: Found Lighting Sources
by Kerry Hishon
In this exercise, students are given the opportunity to explore different methods of creating lighting effects using items and resources found around them.
Exercise 4: Shadow Puppetry
by Kerry Hishon
In this exercise, students will create a short shadow puppetry scene behind a sheet that is backlit.
Exercise 5: Notating and Communicating Your Concept
by Kerry Hishon
This exercise takes the concept creation ideas explored in a previous exercise and has students notate their lighting plans on a script.
Optional Video Exercise
by Kerry Hishon
Use this optional exercise to show students a video about the role of a lighting designer in a professional setting.
Unit Reflection & Rubric
by Kerry Hishon
A reflection and rubric is included for final assessment of the work completed in this unit.
Resources
Lighting Exercise
Have students brainstorm alternative lighting options for a scene when you can’t use a traditional lighting rig. What do they come up with? How can they experiment with existing lighting sources? (For example: flashlights) Sometimes their options will be the best options.
Tech Hacks and Exercises
How do you teach tech, or use tech in your productions when you don’t have the expertise or the equipment? How do you make it work? How do you problem solve? Topics include Lighting, Set Design, Costumes, and Sound.