By: Briana Hale
Many different things go into setting up a theater performance. There are costumes to design, choreography to learn, and lines to remember. But a side of theater that many people don’t think about is how the show is lit. Senior lighting design major Kathryn Burke is designing the light for her first musical, Fun Home. (Quote 0:13-:25). Though many people might not notice the lights as much as other elements of the show, Burke believes lighting is a more important element than people realize. (Quote ~0:51-1:16 [cut out a few spaces]. There’s also a lot of consideration that goes into how the lights are placed. You have to think about where the actors are standing, as well as how the set is created and the space being used. There’s also an element Burke must consider that most people would find surprising. (Quote ~2:44-2:58?). All of the elements, including the lighting, come together to create a story. Burke says the show will definitely make an impact. (Quote 4:03-4:10). The show will be held in Strother Theater on Ball State University’s campus. (Quote 4:13-4:16).
When asked about their favorite part of a show, most people might say the acting, costumes or musical numbers. Few people would mention the lighting. But for Ball State senior lighting design major Kathryn Burke, lighting is the majority of what she thinks about.
“It adds an extra dimension to the storytelling of it,” she said. “Adding lighting to it adds this whole other sense of mood, movement and really just general feeling to the show.”
Though she has designed the light for shows in the past, this is her first musical. Because every show is different, she must take into consideration different aspects of the show when she designs.
“It really depends on the acting areas and where the actors are in a space the most,” Burke said. “So you start putting your lights around the most popular areas of where they’re directed to go and where the blocking is of the show.”
Though one might consider designing light for theater a creative outlet, there’s actually a lot of technicality to it that one might not realize.
“It’s a lot of really specific math, so that can get kind of tricky, especially when you’re in a space like Strother,” she said. “Because it’s such a small space, you’re going to get a lot of weird angles with light, like how the actors are being lit and trying not to cast a lot of shadows.”
Because the show features a character coming to terms with not only her dad’s sexuality, but also her own, Burke believes the story will have a great impact on the LGBT+ community. However, that doesn’t mean the story is not relatable in other ways.
“It’s a lot of emotion, for sure,” she said. “I think it can resonate with a lot of people. It’s a story that a lot of people will be able to find their own story in.”
The show opens Oct. 19th at the Strother Theatre at Ball State University.
Photo caption: A poster for Fun Home hangs on the University Theater building on Oct. 15 at Ball State University. Fun Home opens on Oct. 19 in the Strother Theater.
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