Lighting is a critical aspect of theatre production that sets the mood and atmosphere of the play. Each lighting technique has its own unique strengths and can be used to create different emotions and experiences. From the dramatic spotlight to the soothing wash, and the playful gobo to the energetic strobe, the possibilities are endless.

Lighting helps the audience receive context clues about the scenes and the plot line of a play or musical. Abnormal color changes can indicate hallucinations, dreams, and past encounters. What the light focuses on draws attention, like an important character in a scene. Intensity in lighting can provide scenic context.

Acting as the main source of illumination, the key light plays a crucial role in casting shadows across the actor's face or any objects present on the stage. On the other hand, the fill light, which is typically softer and less intense, serves to diminish these shadows, resulting in a harmonious and well-rounded visual aesthetic.

Lighting helps in creating a meaningful theatrical stage to set the real-world environment, grasp the audience’s attention, convey actors’ emotions, and make the performance a total success. A sparkly stage only dims the performance of the actors, while too many brightened actors dim the background.

Lighting is more than a few lamps projected onto the stage. They can obviously include color, different arrays of light density, and timing of various light effects. On top of this ‘main rig’ the LD can use scenic lighting to create a mood or a trigger to change from scene to scene. Imagine an actor turning on a desk lamp.