Editing Stage lighting (section)

== History ==
{{Globalize section|England|date=December 2023}}
The earliest known form of stage lighting was during the early Grecian (and later the Roman) theaters. They would build their theatres facing east to west so that in the afternoon they could perform plays and have the natural sunlight hit the actors, but not those seated in the orchestra. Natural light continued to be utilized when playhouses were built with a large circular opening at the top of the theater. Early Modern English theaters were roofless, allowing natural light to be utilized for lighting the stage. As theaters moved indoors, artificial lighting using candles and oil lamps supplemented the use of natural light via windows and shutters. Key developments in lighting technologies and practices were developed alongside the scenic stage in Italian Court Theatres by architect designers such as [[Bastiano da Sangallo]] (1481-1551), [[Sebastiano Serlio]] (1475-1554), [[Leone di Somi]] (1527-1592) and Angelo Ingegneri (1550-1613). Renaissance lighting techniques (including the use of darkness) were developed across Europe and detailed clearly in the writings of two architects, the Italian (Nicoló)[[Nicola Sabbattini]] (1574-1654) and the German [[Joseph Furttenbach]] (1591-1667).<ref name="Palmer 2013">Palmer, Scott (2013) Light: Readings in Theatre Practice https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/light-9780230551909/ Bloomsbury Methuen ISBN 9780230551909 </ref>

In England following the Civil War all stage production was suspended in 1642 and no advancements were made to English theaters. During this theatrical famine, great developments were being made in theaters on the European mainland. Charles II, who would later become [[Charles II of England|King Charles II]] witnessed Italian theatrical methods and brought them back to England when he came to power. New playhouses were built in England and their large sizes called for more elaborate lighting. After the refurbishing of the theaters, it was found that the "main source of light in Restoration theaters to be chandeliers" which were "concentrated toward the front of the house, and especially over the forestage".<ref name="Penzel 1978">{{cite book | last = Penzel | first = Frederick | title = Theatre Lighting Before Electricity | url = https://archive.org/details/theatrelightingb0000penz | url-access = registration | publisher = Wesleyan UP U| year = 1978 | location = Middletown, CT | isbn = 9780819550217 }}</ref> English theatres during this time used [[dipped candle]]s to light chandeliers and [[sconce (light fixture)|sconce]]s. Dipped candles were made by dipping a wick into hot wax repeatedly to create a cylindrical candle. Candles needed frequent trimming and relighting regardless of what was happening on-stage because "they dripped hot grease on both the audience and actors".<ref name="Penzel 1978"/>  Chandeliers also blocked the view of some patrons.

[[File:Shakedown 01 (31797512165).jpg|thumb|An example of stage lighting, trusses and LED walls are used during a ''[[WWE SmackDown|WWE SmackDown Live]]'' televised [[professional wrestling]] show.]]

There were two different types of Restoration theaters in England: Restoration commercial theaters and Restoration court theaters. Commercial theaters tended to be more "conservative in their lighting, for economic reasons" and therefore used "candle-burning chandeliers" primarily. Court theatres could afford to "use most of the Continental innovations" in their productions.<ref name="Penzel 1978"/> Theaters such as the Drury Lane Theatre and the Covent Garden Theatre were lit by a large central chandelier and had a varying number of smaller stage chandeliers and candle sconces around the walls of the theaters.<ref name="Penzel 1978"/> Two main court theaters, built between 1660 and 1665, were the Cockpit Theatre and the Hall Theatre. Chandeliers and sconces seemed to be the primary lighting sources here but other developments were being made, especially at the Hall. By the 1670s, the Hall Theatre started using footlights, and between 1670 and 1689 they used candles or lamps. It can be noted that by the end of the 17th century, "French and English stages were fairly similar".<ref name="Penzel 1978"/> There is not much written on theatrical lighting in England at the end of the 17th century and from the little information historians do have, not much changed by the middle of the 18th century. Gas lighting hit the English stage in the early 1800s beginning with the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theaters.  In the 1820s, a new type of artificial illumination was developed.  In this type of illumination, a gas flame is used to heat a cylinder of quicklime (calcium oxide).  Upon reaching a certain temperature, the quicklime would begin to incandesce.  This illumination could then be directed by reflectors and lenses. It took some time from the development of this new [[Limelight]] before it found its way into theatrical use, which started around 1837.   Limelight became popular in the 1860s and beyond, until it was displaced by electrical lighting.   Lighting advances made in English theaters during this time frame paved the way for the many lighting advances in the modern theatrical world.