Children's Theatre

[lighttechie5948]

Hello.
I am the Lighting Designer for the Children's Theatre shows at a Community Theatre this season. I am the Ld for The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella.

I was wondering if you had any ideas or things i sould know when designing for children's theatre.


**The Theatre I work for does not allow the light plot to be changed for children's Theatre Productions, But We can Add lights**


Thanks,
Joseph J Naftal
Children's Theatre Lighting Designer
CM Performing Arts Center

[Van]

It's funny, some childrens theatres your objective as an LD is " make sure Timmy is seen by his parents." in others its no different than that of any other LD I've done both. It's sounds like with your limitations you might aiming for the prior rather than the latter.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by Van

It's funny, some childrens theatres your objective as an LD is " make sure Timmy is seen by his parents." in others its no different than that of any other LD I've done both. It's sounds like with your limitations you might aiming for the prior rather than the latter.

As Van said.... Is it children's theatre as in "go get everyone out of the second grade and get them on stage" or "a bunch of 15-30 year olds trying to make little kids in the audience laughing". If it is the former, make sure you get those faces lit first and foremost, it it is the later, just make it look good. With little kids you can use the cheapest tricks possible and they will love it.

[Thomas]

What kind of children's theatre are you doing- by adults for children, in a professional capacity, or by children for their parents? What sort of scale are you looking at? Big sets and lavish costumes, or three flats and some face paint? With the latter I'd say rig a minstrous general and make sure all the little kids are highly visible- mommy and daddy want to capture this moment on camera, and the brighter the light the better their image. If it's the former, create beauty.

[lighttechie5948]

The Children's Theatre that the theater I work for puts on in performed by professinal actors. The marketing range for these productions is aimming at children 5-8 and we get most of our birthday parties through children's theatre.