Lighting design– The concept that a designer creates to provide light on stage to support the mood or atmosphere of the play.

Light Plot– The map that shows where all your lighting instruments are placed and where they will be lighting.

Lighting grid– Up above the stage, it is the systems of bars and electric that power the lights.

Lighting board– The control panel that power lights; when they turn on and off and at what intensity.

Cyclorama– The large white ‘sheet’ at the beak of the stage that can be lit or projected on.

Backlight– Lighting from the back

Sidelight– Lighting from the side

Top light– Lighting from above

Front light– Lighting from the front

Footlight– Lighting that is placed on the floor in the front

Spotlight– A single source of light focused on a single object

Fill light– Light sources that add lighting in and around set/scenery/ stage- they ‘fill in’.

Wash– A large group of lighting that can ‘wash’ the stage in light that you can bring up at once together.

Lighting angle– The angle of the lighting instrument in relation to the subject; usually 45 degrees.

Gobo (or pattern)– A pattern that blocks light to give you a shape onstage.

Gel (or color gel)– The color that you want the instrument to throw onstage (or light onstage).