Patrick Campbell paints the stage with light. Instead of a brush, he relies on a switchboard and dozens of lights suspended above the stage. People have often told him that they recognize his lighting signature when they watch a show. He’s not sure what the tell-tale signs are, but assumes it’s how he uses front light versus backlight, as well as his textures and color palettes. 

Theater lights define spaces on stage, highlighting set pieces and bringing characters to life. For the upcoming run of “Becky’s New Car” at Theatre Tallahassee this June, the lighting crew even becomes their own character in the show.  

“Those moments breaking the fourth wall are one of the more defining features of this play,” says Campbell. “It’s funny when it’s aware of the fact that it’s a play, but it doesn’t get in the way of telling a good dramatic story as well.” 

The show starts with Becky, a middle-aged woman going through a bit of a midlife crisis, instructing audience members to do chores around her home. She calls out to the tech booth, asking the crew to cue the lights so she can transition to the next scene.

Campbell says these aspects shed their own light on theater technicians who typically work in the shadows and behind-the-scenes. 

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