Stanley McCandless (1897-1967) is considered to be the father of modern lighting design. He paved the way for future lighting designers by playing a role in all aspects of theatrical lighting, from the engineering of lighting instruments to consultant work, and of course designing realized theatrical productions. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1920, McCandless received a degree in architecture from Harvard in 1923. Work as an architect eventually led him to the career of theatrical lighting consultant. McCandless and his Harvard acquaintance George Pierce Baker, served as some of the first faculty to teach at the Yale School of Drama.
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The Educator
During his time at Yale, McCandless published some of the first books to lay out a method and approach to the art of lighting design. In his book A Method of Lighting the Stage (1932), McCandless details his method of lighting design which is based on the idea of breaking the stage down into uniform acting areas and manipulating light in terms of intensity, color, distribution, and control. In the earlier text Syllabus of Stage Lighting (1931), McCandless also outlines his views on the functions of light in the theatre. These functions are broken down into visibility, locale, composition, and mood. Approaching light in this way allows the designer to address the practical aspects of lighting, as well as giving due attention to the more emotional side of the art. These books and others, including A Glossary of Stage Lighting (1926), were born form McCandless’ lectures at Yale, where he taught some of the early greats in the field including Jean Rosenthal and Theron Musser. McCandless was also one of the first professors to outline the historical development of lighting design. His books are not only practical guides to the art, but they give designers a sense of their legacy and heritage. A Brief History of Lighting Design
The Innovator
Like many lighting designers to follow, Stanley McCandless was not only interested in the artistic side of lighting design, but he also contributed to the technical aspect of the art as well. In his early work as a theatrical consultant, McCandless designed specific house lights for the Center Theatre in New York’s Radio City. These fixtures incorporated the use of ellipsoidal shaped reflectors, which were later developed into the ellipsoidal reflector spotlight. This lighting fixture has become the staple for theatre lighting inventories in America due to its ability to shape light with shutters and gobos or templates.
Conclusion
Stanley McCandless continued to educate and design until he retired from teaching in 1964. His legacy is still felt by many lighting designers today, as his method and approach to the art are still the backbone of many educational theatre programs today.
References
- Jean Rosenthal & Lael Wertenbaker (1973). The Magic of Light: The Craft and Career of Jean Rosenthal, Pioneer in Lighting for the Modern Stage. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-93120-9.
- Richard Pilbrow (1997). Stage Lighting Design: The Art, The Craft, The Life. By Design Press. ISBN 0-89676-235-1.
- Stanley McCandless (1932). A Method of Lighting the Stage. Theatre Arts Books.
- Stanley McCandless (1931). Syllabus of Stage Lighting. Whitlock's Book Store, Inc.
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