January 24, 2004
Ghost light
After the show, the stage manager is responsible for making sure everyone is out of the theatre, the doors are locked, the alarm is set, and all the lights are off; that is, all of the lights except one. The ghost light is a part of the theatre tradition, it's always left on when the theatre is empty.
It's amazing to sit in the house when the theatre is empty. There's a restless silence in the air. The large open space still manages to feel full of energy. The history of the space is almost tangible. It's really calming and comforting to be there all by yourself. It's a shame not everyone can have that experience.
Tonight is closing night of Dearly Departed. We've managed to make each night entertaining but i'm glad that the end is here. Who knows what the next theatre adventure will be.
I liked your comments about the stage. I agree...empty theatres are almost better than full theatres, the sense of underlying energy has this great power about it. Esp. old theatres like Civic.
Posted by: rachel at January 24, 2004 05:04 PM