ABSTRACT
This chapter presents information related to lighting more traditional forms of entertainment. These performance events have pretty much been around since the inception of theatrical lighting—in most cases even before—and include drama, dance, opera, and musical theatre. Drama accounts for the majority of traditional entertainment and is most commonly associated with plays. Dance is unique in that the entire body of the performer is used to communicate a message to an audience, and dialogue plays a minor role in a performance. Musical theatre is the single largest contribution that the United States has made to the world theatre scene. It is the form of entertainment that has become most often associated with Broadway theatres in New York. Musical theatre can represent a significant challenge for a lighting designer because of the complexity that these shows bring to the theatre.
