4) Michele McDermott I had heard that one of the first rules that Actor’s Equity adopted, when the union was first organized, was that a light must be present in a theatre for rehearsals so that the pianist could see what he/she was playing and that a producer did not have to call an IATSE crew just for rehearsals. In the years that followed, it became a common practice to leave a light on stage for safety sake and somehow the name of ghost light was used for that light fixture.

The historical reasons for it’s existence (gaslights acting as pressure relief valves, keeping the ghosts away, keeping the ghosts happy, ensuring the theatre never ‘goes dark’ etc.) are many and varied : some are listed below.

5) Lee Gold: It’s also known as the “Equity Light” or “Equity Lamp”. It’s a term for the light/lamp that’s turned on when all the other lights are turned off and the theater is locked up for the night. I suspect it’s mandated by the rules of Equity, the Actors Union. I’ve found it on various web pages relating to locking up — and as a reference in “Tex and Molly in the Afterlife”.

3) Richard Grevers: Practically, So I can find my way to the backstage mains switch when I come into the theatre. Traditionally, to enable the theatre ghost to see so s/he doesn’t knock over the furniture (pesky directors, it’s in a different place every few weeks!)

Fiber Optic strandsfor crafts

End emitting fibers can be modified to create a “sparkle” or “starry night” effect with points along the strand that allow light to escape. This can be achieved by cutting small notches with an xacto knife. The more places light escapes, the dimmer the end of your strands will be.

This is occasionally used as a synonym for ‘ghost load’ a lantern connected in parallel with a stage-practical to ensure the dimmer has enough load on it. More usually it’s a light on a pole left on-stage while nobody is about. The practical advantages are that the last people out & first people in won’t fall in the orchestra pit in the dark.

Fiber OpticLights for Ceiling

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Do I need to use a Ghost Light on my stage? If there are multiple entrances to the stage when the building is dark and empty, a ghost light should be used to prevent anyone from injury walking into objects or falling off the edge of the stage. If there is a clearly visible, illuminated working light control at a single stage entrance, it may not be necessary. Nowadays a low energy light source should be used; either a compact fluorescent lamp or an LED lamp. Any openings through the stage floor should be adequately protected at the end of each performance – the protection (safety railings / barriers etc) should only be removed when the stage crew have completed their setup the next day, just before the show starts.

My fiber optic jumpsuit was made using end-glow fibers stitched to my garment and cut at different lengths. I also added notches along the length of the strands to create an even “sparkle”. The light source was hidden underneath the caped shoulder near the armpit.

Other than that, Lumigram is the largest online source for fiber optic fabric and carries a variety of sizes and styles.  Lumigram store.

Fiber Optic Lightcord Surgery

Fiber Optic LightSource

Fiber optics are often sold in bundles, called “multi strand glow cables”. These cables are already grouped together, making it easy to add a light source. These can be used as a bundle to create a dense tube of light, or separated into individual strands.

If you want to go *super* readymade with zero assembly required, you can purchase a fiber optic “whip kit” which contains a light source and controller. This option is a lot more expensive than DIY, but significantly easier! Fiber optic whip kit.

Floral lights are easy to use and have a built-in on/off switch. However, if you are doing large garments they may not be as bright as desired. Get them here.

As fiber optics have become more popular in wearables, fiber optic fabric is now available. Here the strands are stitched together into a sheet of fabric. Fiber optic fabric can be cut to any size, however caution must be taken not to have sharp bends in the fabric which can weaken or break the fibers.

When attaching a light source to your fiber optics, keep the light as close to the ends of the fibers as possible. Superglue or a glue gun can be used, taking caution not to cloud the ends of the fibers with excess glue. Heat shrink can be used to secure the connection and prevent light from escaping.

Once you’ve committed to working with fiber optics, it’s more economical to purchase bulk in a spool. Dive in and get the big wheel.

Fiber strandsmeaning

When designing wearables, it’s important to consider where your light source and battery will be placed. LEDs are commonly used as a light source, since they are low power and can be programmed with a microcontroller. Small flashlights and floral lights are also a simple readymade solution.

2) Don: The light DSC on the stage in the USA that is left burning while the building is vacant was a fire code requirement in NYC back in the old days to my knowledge. It was there to allow firefighters to see where the stage stopped and the orchestra pit started. This is still a valid reason for putting one out today. So far as the name is concerned, can’t really say. Who else is in the building except ghosts when the light is deployed?

Side emitting fibers, or side glow, are designed to allow light to escape across the entire strand, creating a consistent string of light. Use these to create a strand effect or to group multiple strands closely and uniformly together to create an overall glow. This is the best source for side glow cables I’ve found so far – you can purchase 10M to 100M length.

Fiber optics are a beautiful way to add light to wearable tech garments, and are a relatively easy material for beginners to work with. Fiber optics are thin strands of glass or plastic material that transmit light rapidly. Invented in the 1950s, they are commonly used light signals for telecommunications. The fiber optics you’ll use for wearables are specifically designed for lighting effects.

This is the fabric I’ve ordered and used for a few of my dresses. It isn’t very large and only comes in black, so you’ll have constraints in how you use it. Get it here.

The urban legend behind this (as I was told many years ago) was that a burglar had broken into a theatre one night before the advent of the “ghost light.” He fell off the stage, breaking a leg or two and was found that way in the morning. Although he was trespassing, he sued the theatre for creating an unsafe workspace and won. So ever since, we leave a light on to protect ourselves from liability. There is much about this story that is apocryphal. I prefer the “Ghost light” explanation where we leave the light on to keep the theatre ghost company overnight. Apparently when all the lights go out, the ghost thinks it has been abandoned and causes accidents to happen on the set.

Fiber optic strands can be stitched to the surface of a garment, or woven in and out of fabric. Once you’ve mastered the basics of fiber optics, there’s no limits to the amazing wearable tech you can create.

End emitting fibers, also known as “end glow”, transmit light to the end of the cable with very little light displaying along the strand itself. These are useful for creating an effect of small, bright points of light.