Photo Gallery Archive THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS 2017 through 2018 Lighted By RICHARD BONNER

(Reverse chronological order is employed so that photos
of the most recent events will be displayed first.)

Death and the Maiden
Theatre Arts Guild
Halifax, NS
2018, June

(All lights are 500 watts unless otherwise noted.
All Fresnels are 150mm and have Barndoors.
All Ellipsoidals are 115mm, 575 watts except where noted.)

The set and lighting basics have commenced. This rehearsal photo shows a terrace at the left, a driveway beyond the right-side door and window, and a living room in between. Functioning, home lighting fixtures are used as part of this set. Shining from above the outside terrace door is a yellow "bug" light housed in an unseen, old-style hanging reflector from a warehouse. The central chandelier is aglow but the actual light is from two front-of-house fresnels in a Gold colour. Outside night lighting is done by fresnels in a Medium Blue.

A lower angle than the above. The single fixture chosen to light the terrace is positioned to allow the overhead joists to cast dramatic, slanting shadows. Its Blue colour is the basis of additional lighting to be added later. Wall sconce fixtures will be hung above the background set pieces. The lighting for the pieces will actually be provided by single fresnels hung directly over top of each one, as already seen here and in the previous photo.

The set is painted and dressed, and the sconce effect complete. By positioning the overhead fresnels to stream light down the wall and to cast sconce shadows, the illusion is that the wall fixtures are providing all the up and down lighting in these two areas. Plastic foliage lining the terrace joists casts shadows onto Paulina's face and the wall behind. To strengthen this look, foliage images are projected onto the terrace floor and the shelving unit by two 50-degree ellipsoidals from the upper left in a Colour Correction Blue. This suggests moonlight through leaves and branches. All of this is layered on top of the Medium Blue colour as viewed in the first two photos. Notice how the lighting for the terrace and living room is kept well separated even though the wall common to both is transparent.

This earlier shot is without the foliage shadows but it well displays the dramatic shadowing effect of the joists.

Lack of curtaining on the window and door in this early photo shows the effect of the Blue night lighting. One fresnel each shines toward the door and window from just off set, both at steep angles. In addition, to give the effect of a car as it approaches and turns into the driveway, then turns and departs, a non-gelled 26-degree ellipsoidal is used to represent one of the car's headlights. It can be seen at the left outside the window, while light from it is cast onto a wall outside the door at the right. The fixture turns on a swivel mount. In operation, the light brightens as the car approaches and is then swept horizontally by a stage hand to represent the car turning. The beam is actually designed to rake across part of the audience, but will eventually become softened after shear curtains go onto the window and door. The illusion is completed with recorded car sounds.

Here, three 1000-watt, 26-degree, 150mm ellipsoidals project little white spots onto the entire living room set via thin, perforated steel plates. The actor is dimly lit by a single 26-degree ellipsoidal above and to the left, and with no gel.

The director felt that it was difficult to see what went on in this scene, so the light dots were defocused. Eventually as seen here, a Cold Blue would colour them.

The chandelier is dimmed well down, and an ungelled, solitary 26-degree ellipsoidal from a nearly-vertical angle is lighting the table and actor.

A night look with no room lighting on. The driveway is awash in Blue light, as is the terrace along with its foliage lighting and shadows, and its yellow bug light -- all as already described. Also seen here are additional foliage projections scattering moonlight through leaves onto the living room floor. Two 37-degree ellipsoidals in Colour Correction Blue above the terrace/living-room wall continue the same effect inside as seen outside. This can just be discerned in the sixth photo back, but is purposely washed out there by the room lighting.

Much of the lighting described previously is seen in this image. This look is used while the audience awaits the start of the performance. The visible fixtures above the set will be masked by a border curtain before the show's three-week run.