Stage lighting an important, oft-forgotten theatrical aspect
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lighting is a necessary, yet often overlooked element of a theatrical production.
In the weeks before a play, lighting crews work for up to 13 hours a day to make sure the lights are shining brightly, in the right places, and at the right time.
 "No one really understands the time it takes to make it work and make it work well," said Sara Phillips, the student master electrician of "Amadeus," the University of Rhode Island Theater Department's production opening today.
The Robert E. Will Theater in the Fine Arts Center, in which "Amadeus" will show, has 500 lighting fixtures, many of which need to be adjusted, Phillips said. The adjusting process involves climbing up a ladder about 50 feet high and moving units to light specific spots on stage where actors will be standing.
But the heights don't bother the student master electrician.
"I do it because I love doing it," Phillips said. "I love the heights. Some people are scared because it does wobble the higher you get." For safety reasons, Phillips said the adjusters hook their leg through the ladder.
Phillips said some of the toughest obstacles are finding enough circuits for the lights, not having enough cable and "some lights just don't want to work."
Other problems arise when the cables need to be repaired due to wear and tear, or simply age, Phillips said. The repairing process could involve fixing the cable, which has three wires including a ground wire and two electrical wires. The ground wire helps prevent electrocution, Phillips said.
After the lights are adjusted, a computer program is used to synchronize the timing of the lights with how and when they are needed on stage said Renee Surprenant, a student light board technician. The total process can take up to 240 hours, Phillips said.
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