The History of LightingFrom Genesis all the way to Revelations

(in a non-Biblical sense)

In the Beginning…Light has always been an important part of

theatre, and life as well. The first action in the Bible was the creation of light.

Plays by Man, lights by NatureEarly lighting for plays was plain and simple.

From the Greeks to Medieval times, the only light source was the sun.

She lit up a candle and she showed me the way…Candles began to be used extensively in

1508, with the opening of the Teatro Olimpico.

Oil’s well that ends wellC. 1780 - Aime Argand develops the oil lamp.Oil lamps became commonly used in

households and theatres.

Most oil lamps of the periodUsed whale oil.

Cookin’ with gas1803 – Gaslight was developed by William

Murdoch1816 – First gaslight system installed in the

Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia1840’s – the gas table invented to control

gaslights

The universal dream1816 – Charles Drummond invents a light

powered by calcium oxideThe light is used as the first spotlight in

historyThe greenish glow of the chemical reaction

leads to the term “limelight”

How a limelight works

1. A pilot light is used to provide a ready flame.2. Bottled oxygen and hydrogen is pumped in to light a flame3. The flame burns a cylinder of calcium oxide (2572° Celsius)4. A screw is used to raise and lower the cylinder, depending on the desired light level

FIRE!Artificial lighting until the late 19th century

utilized flames in some form or anotherThis led to many fires, and countless theatres

burning down

It’s electric! (boogie-oogie-oogie-oogie)1879 – Thomas Edison

invents the incandescent light bulb.

1881 – The Savoy Theatre in London installs the first electric lighting system.

By the 1890’s, most theatre houses had switched from gaslight to electrics.

Twentieth Century Lights1903 – The Kliegel brothers invent dimmers

to control electric lights

Spot on!1904 – Louis Hartmann invents the electric

spotlight for use in a play by David Belasco

Pronounced freh-NEL1929 – The Kliegl brothers invent the fresnel

light

Not ‘less you think round’s funny…1933 – The Kliegls invent the ellipsoidal

reflector spotlight.

Klieglight Leko Light

The Source is with you1992 – ETC introduces the world to the

Source4 ERS, a highly energy efficient and flexible lighting instrument.

Lighting todayLighting in theatre today is almost

exclusively electricOpen or closed flames are only used as

practical lighting

The FutureLED lights offer bright illumination using less

electricity than incandescent lampsWithin 10-15 years, LED fresnels will begin to

be the standard for stage lighting