The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-20
THEATER L III
HOW ELECTRIC LIGHTS FOR STAGE
PURPOSES ARE USED.

Primary Colors.
Samuel B. vanranst, an electrical engi-
neer connected with the United Electric
Light and Power company of this city,
sailed for Europe on the Chester to take
charge of the construction of the electrical
equipment of Augustin Daly's new theater
In Leicester square, London. Mr. Vanranst
has had charge of the lighting of Mr. Days
theater in this city since electric lights were
used in it, and has been identified also in
other theaters with the application of cleo
tricity as an accessory to the scenic art.
He IS the originator of some of the best
systems of stage lighting now in use and
has perhaps had more experience than any
other man in this particular field. His
views on the subject therefore are of pecul-
lar value and interest not only to scenic art
lists and managers, but also to the public,
to whom the results are ultimately sub
mttted. They apply directly to amateur
theatricals and tableauX and are not with
out suggestion in the way of artistic light
ing in the home.
Electric lighting for stage purposes"
said Mr.. Vanranst to the writer few days
before his departure, has been developed
within the last 10 years. The principal
theaters of New York and other large cities
now use electricity almost exclusively. OF
besides, and most of the new ones are sup
piled with both means of lighting The
scenic artists and managers as rule op-
posed the introduction of electricity on the
stage, and many still oppose it, saying that
they can get better effects with gas
Il do not agree with them, OF course, but
am not surprised at their opposition, for
the electric lights have been and still are
more often msused than used properly.
and misused they are an utter failure The
principal trouble has been, believe that
scenic artists have tried to use electric lights
in the same way that they were accustomed
to use gas lights. This cannot be done, as
the two are of different color and change
differently when turned up or down.
For full stage equipment from 500 to
200 lights are required. 1t is absolutely
necessary that these be arranged in small
sections, each controlled separately. In
this way you can get as much or little light
as you please ut any particular point When
gas was used. the border lights and foot
lights played the principal part. Colored
globes were used with the footlights to give
changes of color, and frame filled with
gelatin paper was lowered i'll front of the
border lights, the color of the paper being
thus thrown upon the stage This arrange
ment was cumbersome, and it was not man.
ageable enough to permit the finer tints and
tones of color to be produced
The electric lights are put in three col
Ors cverywhere-rcd, white and blue, the
colors of the globes. Turn down white
electric light, and it becomes yellow. You
have then the three primary coors, and by
combining them properly you may get
any color you wish or may graduate the
light through all the colors. To illustrate,
take the first scene in the third act. of a
Midsummer Nights Dream The curtain
rises upon dark stage. 1t is night. The
blue light burns low. Gradually little
yellow light is thrown on, producing the
cold blush gray of early dawn. The yell
low is raised trifle, and the red is grad
ually brought up as the sunbeams flaming
up into the morning sky proclaim the ris-
ing sun. The blue is then taken off, and
the white supplants the red rs the world
plunges into full daylight. In sunset
scene the operation is reversed
Following the white daylight come the
orange tints; then deeper orange. 4 little
blue of various shades added brings out all
the glorious purple tnts of sunset, and
tinallyfas the orange is withdrawn and the
blue burns low, the night has come and
starlight reigns The effect produced in this
sunrise scene of a Midsummer Nights
Dream was one of the most beautiful
have ever seen. There was no action on
the stage for 10 or - minutes after the cur
tain went up, the whole interest being
conferred in the representation of the dawn
ing day. The orchestratou followed the
changes in lighting, beginning with noe
turne and ending, L think, with 'Lo, Hear
the Gentle Lark
in using colorcd lights the prevailing
colors of the scenery and costumes should
be taken into consideration. In Il moon
light scene, for instance the predominating
color probably is green. You may use the
blues and colder colors freely, but the rel
light must he used sparngly or you will
produce an ashy gray color which will
drown all the finer tints In daylight
scene the warmer colors, the reds and
browns, are prominent. There the blues
must be used sparingly. The same con-
siderations hold with regard to costumes.
The great advantages of electric light in
producing these effects are that you can get
any shade or any tone OF color you wish by
properly blending the primary colors, and
you can use exactly the quantity of light
that You require. 1t is, / believe, largely
because scenic artists and managers, and
perhaps electricians, have not understood
how to use the electric lights that they
have been opposed AS rule too much
light has been used, giving flashy, gaudy
eiiect, repulSlNe 10 Soou taste. linen the
art of blending the colors properly. of grad
uating from one effect TO another almost
impcrccptibly, of constantly changing the
tints and revealing new beauties. has. not
been half exploited.
1T must be kept constantly in mind that
the lighting is only an accessory-not the
principal part of the performance. The eff
fects produced by the lighting should not
he SO striking as to draw attention from
the action. The most artistic lighting is
one of which the audience takes no note
being made to forget that artificial lights
nrp being used