Theatre 241: StageCraft
Sample Questions: Third Little Quiz

  1. List three (of the four) functions and three (of the four) qualities (or properties) of light.

  2. List, by gel number, the three light primaries and the three light secondaries.

  3. List the gel numbers for 2 pinks, 2 lavenders and 4 blues which you believe your theatre should stock.

  4. List, by gel number, what one color you would use for...

    1. _____a candle flame

    2. _____daylight

    3. _____a rising sun

    4. _____an Arizona sun

    5. _____a Minnesota sun

    6. _____a warm, romantic moon

    7. _____an evil, sinister moon

    8. _____the dark of night

  5. List three of the JFAC MainStage front-of-house mounting positions.

  6. How many electric pipes are on the Johnson MainStage?

  7. List three of the five standard directions of light, and briefly describe (or sketch) the effect each produces.

  8. List two positions where side lights can be mounted.

  9. What is a boom? A light ladder?

  10. What is the difference in beam angle (fixed or variable) and edge quality (soft or hard) between an Ellipsoidal, Fresnel and ParCan spotlight?

  11. Where, in a proscenium theatre, are Ellipsoidals traditionally mounted? Fresnels?

  12. If an ETC Source 4 36° produces a 25' pool of light with a 40' throw, what will be the size of the pool of light with a 20' throw?

  13. The multiplication factor of an ETC Source 4 26° is 0.45. What will be the size of pool of light with a 40 foot throw?

  14. Which Ellipsoidal should be used for the longer throw: a 36° or a 26°?

  15. If the intenstiy of a unit is 100 foot candles with a 40' throw, what would be the intensity of the light with a 20' throw?

  16. Indicate which lighting instrument--an Ellipsoidal, Fresnel, PAR-64/WFL or Scoop--you would use to...

    1. _____create a strong shaft of sun light,

    2. _____light the front edge of the stage from the cove,

    3. _____light the sky cyc,

    4. _____create moon light streaming through a window,

    5. _____create a soft edged pool of light around the cafe table,

    6. _____project a cloud pattern on the cyc,

    7. _____provide a broad wash of color over the entire stage,

    8. _____back light the center stage plane from the third electric,

    9. _____create a hard edged box of light around the door?

  17. Where should the lighting control console be located? Why?

  18. Why should the stage manager call the lighting cues?

  19. What is the difference between a dimmer and a channel?

  20. What is the minimum number of control channels needed to light a small musical?

  21. What is a submaster? A split cross-fader?

  22. What is the major advantage of computer assisted control board? The major disadvantage?

  23. What is meant by "programming the board?"

  24. Briefly describe how a two scene preset can be used to light a small production of a play or musical.

  25. What is the standard voltage in the United States?

  26. What is the mathamatical relationship between watts, volts and amps?

  27. What is the capacity, in amps, of a #12/3 stage cable? A #14/3 cable?

  28. What is the difference between a line connector and a load connector?

  29. What is a "two-fer?"

  30. How many 575 watt ETC Source 4 Ellipsoidals can be ganged together on one 20 amp circuit?

  31. Who was Stanley McCandless? With what university was he associated?

  32. What are the four "layers" in the McCandless method to stage lighting?

  33. How many acting (lighting) areas are normally used to light a small (24' x16') production?

  34. Where are they (the acting areas) traditionally located?

  35. What is the minimum number of lamps needed to light each area?

  36. Where should they be located?

  37. Why are toning lights needed?

  38. Why should a fixture, or practical, be controlled through the lighting control board?

  39. There are four 3x5 windows in the backwall of the set. How many "SunSpots" will you need?

  40. Using the above "light plot", how many instruments are...

    1. ________Fresnels?

    2. ________PARCans?

    3. ________Ellipsoidal ("Leko")?

    4. ________Scoops?

  41. What is the minimum number of electrical circuits you will need to feed this pipe? The maximum number?

  42. Which instruments (unit numbers) are controlled by channel 4?

  43. List all the colors you will need to pull for this pipe.

  44. Develop an equipment list for the above plot.

  45. What is the difference between a hook-up chart and an instrument schedule?

  46. What information should be included on a cue ("Q") sheet?

  47. What are the three basic type of cues?

  48. Describe a small theatrical lighting system whch can be assembled from readily available parts.

    1. What type of lamps would you use?

    2. What type of dimmers?

    3. How would you distribute the power from the dimmers to the instruments?

    4. What device would you use to gang two or three lamps together?

  49. What is the difference between sound reinforcement and sound reproduction?

  50. How is pre-recorded sound used in the production of a play?

  51. Where in the theatre are speakers located for sound reinforcement? Sound reproduction?

  52. Where should the mixing console be placed?
StageCraft Home Page
E-mail questions and comments to Larry Wild at wildl@northern.edu.
Posted: December 6, 2002; Revised: November 30, 2005
Copyrighted © 2002-2005 by Larry Wild, Northern State University