If you are reading this, chances are you either work backstage or want to work backstage.
If you do work backstage, you know just how dark it can get in the wings. Without an effective backstage light, it would be almost impossible to find the costumes, let alone actually do your job as a dresser.
Personal backstage lighting instruments are a tool of which most dressers have a strong opinion. In addition to personal lights, there are also environmental lights. These are often taken care of by Stage Management or the Electrics Department. However, sometimes, you may need to ask for one in a specific place.
All of this is to say, in this post, we will go over the different lights one can use backstage.
Although every dresser has a strong preference for their favorite light source, no personal backstage light is really “better” or “worse” than the others. The type of lighting instrument you use backstage can even vary from show to show! For example, you might like how controllable the beam of a bite light can be for one show, then for the next show, you might need to be able to talk during your changes, and therefore opt for a different lighting source.
Because of this, we felt it was appropriate to lay out all the options that are out there and let you be the judge!
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Why Do You Need a Backstage Light?
During a performance, the wings can be DARK. The wings are also oftentimes where your fastest changes will happen. If you have never been involved in a quick change before, much of what a dresser will do during that process is focused on closures. Often these closures can be tricky to see in low light. Therefore, we will often bring our own personal lights to the change so we can see small zippers or hooks and eyes.
Even if you think you can see just fine backstage, it is still a good idea to keep a light with you, just in case. With the unpredictable nature of wardrobe, you never know if a zipper is going to get jammed, or if your actor will accidentally drop an earring. In instances where you want to be ready to jump into action and assist, you don’t want to be stuck in the dark.
Personal Backstage Lighting Instruments
Personal lights are often used to see costume pieces and closures details during quick changes. These lights typically don’t stay on for long periods of time. Typical backstage etiquette in regards to personal lights is that the dresser will turn them on, perform their change, and fairly quickly turn them back off again. This helps prevent accidental light spill onto the stage– particularly for transitions and other darkly lit moments.
Typical backstage etiquette in regards to personal lights is that the dresser will turn them on, perform their change, and fairly quickly turn them back off again. This helps prevent accidental light spill onto the stage– particularly for transitions and other darkly lit moments.
Head Lamps
Headlamps can be worn around the head, or for less focused light, they can be worn around the neck. They are a fairly durable option. One could easily drop a headlamp on the floor and it probably would not break.
Our Favorite:
We like the Petzl Tikka specifically for a couple of features that make it suited well for backstage use:
- It is lightweight. The band is super simple, so it can be worn around the head or neck. The Light is also on the smaller side for a headlamp, so it doesn’t get in the way.
- It can run by charging or batteries!
- It can turn off quickly and easily– you don’t have to page through every mode when you want to turn off your light. Some headlamps have a “red light” or “SOS mode” you have to page through, which can be annoying when you are trying to move quickly.
- The head of the light does have a small hinge, so you can control the lighting direction a little.
Ear Light/ Glasses light
These lights are a lot smaller. Smaller also means lighter weight, which can be nice if you are otherwise carrying a lot of weight in your apron. The light is a lot more controlled and really focused on where you are looking. They can also easily store in your apron. They are, however, less durable than the headlamp.
Our Favorites
Neck lamp
Probably the most popular option on Broadway right now. It is a double light one wears around their neck. For an active musical, the charge on these will last you about a week before they need to be plugged in (these take a couple of hours plugged into the wall to recharge). You get control over 2 different beams of light, so there’s a lot of flexibility. The ” neck” of the lamp is also flexible, so you can mold it to wherever you need it to point easily.
However, they are known to break fairly easily– if you are using the light daily, it may last you about a year (of hard use) before one of the heads pops out. Even though they are less durable (they are meant for reading in bed originally), these are still a big favorite among dressers.
Our Favorite:
We Like the LEDGLE brand neck light because it comes with a small velcro loop that holds the lights together, which make it stay on your neck easier. However, you can also secure these lights easily with a rubber band.
Bite Light
The bite light is the only light on this list that is actually meant for wardrobe usage. There is one place you can purchase them– Manhattan Wardrobe Supply. These used to be fairly popular in the wardrobe industry until the pandemic. Now with mask mandates still in place backstage in many theatres, they are definitely less popular.
Shop Bitelights here at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply! (The Wardrobe Guide is not affiliated with Manhattan Wardrobe Supply)
When it comes to Manhattan Wardrobe Supply’s bite lights, we suggest the “basic” size. We tend to feel like the “Ultra” size is too big, and can be hard to hold in your mouth for extended periods of time.
Environmental Backstage Lighting Instruments
Sometimes, you need more than a simple beam of light. If you have quick change booths set up, chances are, you need some large environmental lights. These actually aid in keeping the backstage dark by keeping the moving personal lights to a minimum. Personal lights are less controlled, so they are more likely to bleed onto the stage.
You can typically acquire environmental lights simply by asking your theatre’s electrics team. They will typically put them up, cable them, and even put gel in them if asked nicely. As a rule of thumb, you should have one of these lights anywhere you have a rack or quick change chairs set up.
Can Light
This is the most basic backstage light. They are extremely versatile and can clip onto almost anything, and they provide a decent amount of light. All you need to do to make them backstage ready is tape some blue gel onto them and they are ready to go.
LED Light Tape
If there is a long halfway crossover that gets fairly dark, a Light Tape can be a good remedy. They also work nicely in the metal wire clothing racks that have shelves above them. Some people will apply light tape to the underside of the upper shelf.
Handheld Backstage Lighting Instruments
Every so often, you might have a show where you don’t do a ton of active backstage changes, so you might not really want to wear a light. However, you might need to have some kind of light to guide an actor to something, or help them find something in the dark (remember, it takes people’s eyes a minute to adjust from the bright stage light to the dim backstage lighting, so some actors might come offstage slightly blind.)
For times when you just need to guide someone in the dark, it might be helpful to include a small flashlight in your apron instead of wearing something on your neck or head.
Mini Flashlights
We like these mini flashlights because
- They come in a multi-pack, so you’ll have a couple of backups.
- Super bright for their size.
- Lightweight! Easy to fit in an apron
- Easy to turn on/ off quickly
Light Instrument too bright Backstage?
Depending on the size of light you are dealing with, there are a couple of possible solutions. Both fixes are fairly quick and easy!
For a personal light that is too bright, there is a very quick and effective fix. All you need is a royal blue nail polish from the drugstore! Just paint over the bulb of your personal light using the nail polish. Voila! The shine is muted!
For a larger “booth” light, you can typically ask the electrics department for a piece of lighting gel to tape to the light.
Backstage Lighting Instrument Protips
– It’s best to keep a double of whatever light you choose to have backstage. You never know if your light will die mid-show, or if it will otherwise stop working. If you have a second one, the level of emergency goes down greatly compared to a situation where you don’t have a light for a couple of days while you wait for your new light to be delivered.
-Bite lights have become all but extinct backstage since masks have been required and many theatres. However, before the pandemic, it was not uncommon for dressers to carry an emergency bite light in their apron “Just in case.”
-We highly recommend experimenting with multiple different lighting tools on this list. You might find that different lighting instruments work better in different scenarios!
What are your favorite backstage lighting instruments? Let us know in the comments!
