Lighting Workshops

The Colonial Players is pleased to offer a 5-part series of training workshops in the area of Lighting! Details are below:

Workshop Details

• Location: The Colonial Players Theatre, 108 East Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
• Parking: Free parking is available at the Calvert Street Garage, 19 St Johns St, Annapolis, MD 21401. This garage is about an 8 minute walk from the theatre.
• Refreshments: Coffee, Juice, Donuts, and Bagels will be provided by The Colonial Players for each workshop.
• Workshop Cost: Free. Workshop attendance requires participation in the lighting strike and repertory plot hang, which are intergrated as labs with Workshops #1 and #3.
• Recommended Reading: In support of the material being taught during this workshop, the below-listed book is recommended for participants. This text will be referenced during the workshops, and will provide participants with additional valuable reference material for the lighting concepts being discussed.
  • Stage Lighting Second Edition: The Fundamentals, Richard E. Durham, Nov. 18, 2018
  • Available on Amazon.
• Registration: Click here to register!

Training Workshop #1: Introduction to Lighting Part 1

• Date: Saturday, July 24, 2021
• Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
• Workshop Description: This introductory session provides a hands-on description of the equipment that is commonly used in theatrical lighting and how it is installed safely in the lighting grid system. Completing this course will prepare participants to assist with the light strike the following day.
• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of hand tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers.
• Instruction Topics:
  • Instrument Types
    • Pars
    • Fresnels
    • Lekos
    • Spots/Pinspots
    • Followspots
    • Gels
    • LED PARs
    • LED Strips
    • LED Movers
  • Colonial Players Lighting Environment
    • Unistrut Grid System
    • C-Clamps
    • Dimmable Lighting System
    • Non-dimmable Lighting System
    • DMX Universes and Addresses
    • Colonial Players Lighting Inventory
    • Gels (finding, cutting, marking)
    • Cable and other lighting storage
    • Safety (gloves, ladders, scaffolding, electricity)
• Workshop Lab:
  • Date: Sunday, July 25, 2021
  • Time: 5:00pm
  • Description: Lighting Instrument Strike

Training Workshop #2: Introduction to Lighting Part 2

• Date: Saturday, July 31, 2021
• Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
• Workshop Description: This session will provide the participants with an understanding of the theory and general principles of theatrical lighting. Subjects such as basic electricity and optics will be covered without becoming too technical or requiring advanced academic knowledge. A history of theatrical lighting will be provided as well as design basics for various theater environments. Completing this workshop will provide the theory background for effective lighting design.
• Prerequisites: Participation in Training Workshop #1. This session will also draw on basic high school geometry concepts and review basic high school electricity and optics.
• Instruction Topics:
  • Basic Theory
    • Lenses and working with light
    • Lux/Lumens and All That Jazz
    • Voltage/Amps/Watts/Dimmers/Breakers
    • Color Theory
    • Lighting Techniques
  • History of Lighting
  • Lighting the Performance Space
    • Proscenium
    • Thrust
    • In-the-Round
    • Outdoor Spaces
• Workshop Lab:
  • Date: Saturday, July 31, 2021
  • Time: 1:00pm
  • Description: Lighting Instrument and Cable Inventory, Inspection, and Labeling 

Training Workshop #3: The Colonial Players Repertory Plot

• Date: Saturday, August 7, 2021
• Time: 9:00am - 10:00am
• Workshop Description: This session will focus on the Colonial Players Repertory Plot. The workshop will provide an introduction to the repertory plot, a brief discussion on how it is used for lighting shows at Colonial Players, as well as cover the Colonial Players DMX distribution network which supports our lighting equipment. Completing this workshop will enable the student to participate in the hang of the repertory plot the afternoon following the workshop and over the next week.
• Prerequisites: Participation in Training Workshop #1 and #2. 
• Topics:
  • Introduction to the Colonial Players Repertory Plot
    • What is the Repertory Plot?
    • Stage Areas
    • Magic Sheet
    • Overview of Use in Lighting Design
  • The Colonial Players Environment
    • Dimmable Electrical Connections
    • Non-dim Electrical Connections
    • DMX Connections
• Workshop Lab:
  • Date: Saturday August 7 and Sunday, August 8, 2021
  • Time: 10:00am
  • Description: Repertory Plot Light Hang

Training Workshop #4: Lighting at The Colonial Players

• Date: Saturday, August 14, 2021
• Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
• Workshop Description: This workshop will cover all aspects necessary to hang lights in the Colonial Players space. While the repertory plot provides for 90% of actor illumination, this workshop will provide the necessary knowledge to hang specials and make temporary modifications to the rep plot. It also covers the sequential process of integrating lighting into the overall production. Completing this workshop will ensure the student can hang and focus lights for a show at Colonial Players.
• Prerequisites: Participation in Session #1 through #3. Students will need to bring a laptop (Windows or Mac) on which ETC Nomad can be installed.
• Topics:
  • The Colonial Players Lighting Environment
    • System Startup and Shutdown Procedures
    • DMX Universe and Address Deep Dive
    • Using the Light Board on the Stage
    • iPad Control of the Light Board
  • How to Use the Colonial Players Repertory Plot
    • Stage Areas
    • Magic Sheet
    • Temporary Modification to the Repertory Plot
  • Lighting Design Process
    • Rehearsal Attendance
    • Working with the Director
    • Paper Tech
    • Dry Tech
    • Cue-to-Cue
    • Technical Rehearsals
    • Performance Support
    • Strike
  • The Colonial Players Tech Environment
    • Overview of Tech Booth Equipment and Connections
    • Intro to QLab
    • Preshow System Checks
    • Running a Show
    • Performance Report
    • Download NOMAD
  • Live Streaming Overview
• Workshop Lab: Installing ETC Nomad on workshop participant laptops in preparation for Training Workshop #5.

Training Workshop #5: Lighting Programming with ETC Eos

• Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021
• Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
• Workshop Description: This workshop will focus on basic ETC Ion lighting board commands and using those skills for designing shows at Colonial Players. Programming elements such as patching and tracking will be covered. Advanced programming (Effects, Palettes, etc.) concepts may be covered in a future training workshop. Completing this workshop will enable the student to patch lights, develop cues, and control intensity, color, and focus.
• Prerequisites: Participation in Session #1 through #4.
• Topics:
  • Intensity control
  • Color Control of LEDs
  • Pan/Tilt/Zoom Control of Movers
  • Creating Cues
    • Tracking and Blocking
    • Recording a Cue
    • Changing a Cue
    • Updating a Cue
    • Palettes (Intensity, Color, Focus)
  • Live vs. Blind Mode
  • Patching
  • Creating, Loading, and Saving Show Files
• Workshop Lab: Integrated with Workshop