Lighting Design

Most of the audiences attention should be drawn towards the acting and performance and not as much the spectacle. The costuming should be the only stand out aspect in terms of design but that is to help identify characters and assist the action as a whole. Lighting is not as important in Commedia Dell'Arte. As a result, the lighting design should be very minimalistic. Blank, bright washes to show the action should be the majority of the design. The basic's should still come into play in terms of shadows and some color, with as few black outs as possible. Part of the humor of Commedia Dell'Arte is the fast pace of the show. Blackouts only slow down the pace, therefore, should be limited to top of show, intermission, and end of show. Some colors may be used, still in a general wash, in association with a certain character, event, or mood that is shown overall in a scene. Overall, keep lighting to a minimum: it should only be used to assist the action and actors.







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