I'm a Physics teacher who is also a theatrical lighting designer. I created
a theatrical lighting and sound class at my school which combined the
practical, the theoretical, the aesthetic, the psychological, and ultimately
(with shows to put on) the pragmatic.
Yes, color mixing should be included but you might want to consider (a) the
effect of color on costume and body, (b) the psychological effect of color
on the stage, [c] the effect of intensity with both white and colored light,
(d) gel absorption as a function of color (e) gel spectrum (the curves are
available from the makers. Theatrical light is a "way to mess with the
audiences minds without their being aware of it."
A great intro to the psychological effect of color is to have your students
get in groups of 3. One student holds up a 1.5 m x 1.5 m poster board with
the names of colors written in the same color as the name. One student is
the subject and one is the timer. Record the time it takes to name all the
colors (should have about15 to 20 on the board. Then hold up a second poster
board with the names of the colors written in a color different than the
color. Again record the time to name all of them.
Collect the data and discuss.
I also included a unit on electricity, a unit on both geometric and physical
optics (for the lighting instruments). You can discuss mechanics when you go
over the fly system and rigging. How can a weak 100 pound stage hand fly a
500 pound set or drop.
Another area in lighting is the construction of the lamp itself. You can get
into materials (why quartz? Why tungsten? Why halogen lamps are used now
instead of pure vacuum as in the old days.
As to sound, in addition to acoustics (which should include changing the
tuning of a performing space to match the performance, many spaces, such as
Davies in San Francisco are totally adjustable), you again have the
psychological factors, the electronics of the microphones and equipment,
what is feedback, etc.
You might have them compare a totally unmiked performance in which the
performers have been trained to project to the miked performance in which
the performers get lazy and depend upon the mikes. If you can get your
company to do the same scene on different days with and w/o mikes.
I have used the video of "Whose Life is it Anyway?" and "All That Jazz" to
illustrate some the of psychological principles of lighting. "Whose Life" is
especially rich in noticeable (to the trained eye) effects that the audience
is not aware of and yet really enrich the performance.
Two resources (which might be out of print): Lighting Handbook put out by
GTE Sylvania and Designing with Light by J. Michael Gillette, Mayfield
Publishing Company.
Of course London is the mother church of theatrical lighting and you will
probably find many, many resources there.
IMHO dance performances are the best types to experience the subjective
nature of light and color because the lighting in not just an adjunct to the
performance but really a part of it. Compare a modern dance or ballet done,
even in costume and full set done during rehearsal without lighting with
exact same performance done on a performing night. Your students will
experience what they have learned.
Good luck and have fun. A course like this is wonderful because it combines
the theoretical with the practical and at the same time involve the student
because they are constantly experiencing and interacting with the material.
Ray Rogoway
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have papers in a heap,
And in the mornings I can't sleep,
Nor walk those woods so dark and deep.
(apologies to Robert Frost)