By Julia Meza
The theatre at Rialto High is experiencing a shortage of working stage lights. The Broadway Knights are heavily affected by this issue as they use the theatre space almost daily. In any theatre department, stage lights are one of the most important factors to keep it running. If the theatre department at Rialto High does not have any stage lights to work with or light their actors, then their productions are quite limited when it comes to lighting.
Currently, there are a total of 17 working stage lights at Rialto High. There are supposed to be about 66 stage lights. This loss of light has heavily affected the Broadway Knights productions. They are limited in the effects they can do, and Crew Knights work with the bare minimum to get them working. Many lights have had to be moved in different spots of the stage and/or repositioned to ensure that there are not any heavy shadows or dark spots on the stage. Even with all of the work they have done, the stage still has shadows, and the apron (the front of the stage that extends past the proscenium into the auditorium) is completely in the dark.
Students in Broadway Knights think that this issue should not have happened in the first place and claim that it is not fair. Student Danielle Peeden (12) says, “I think it's unfair because the school also uses the theatre and stage, not just the students.” Student Carolina Camarena (11) says, “I honestly don't believe it is fair. We need lights. It's even one of our school slogans. Plus, other schools in the district have gotten upgrades while we have just sat here holding it together.”
The lights have become a big time-consuming issue within Broadway Knights as well. Oftentimes, during their rehearsals, they have had to stop and hold their position on stage for as long as 10-15 minutes so that way Crew Knights can make sure they are properly lit. Typically, a theatre department would have a lightboard where all the lights could be programmed, but lights in Rialto’s theatre are programmed through one computer. This adds to the complexity of fixing stage lights, as all lights have to be manually typed into the computer.
This issue not only affects the Broadway Knights but can also affect the administration. Many events or meetings are often held in the theatre space. If the theatre loses all of its stage lights, then not only will Broadway Knights be left in the dark, but all events held in the theatre will be held in darkness.
Although this issue seems to be a simple fix, it is not as simple as it seems. The light bulbs needed for stage lights are not like normal light bulbs. A standard light bulb would cost someone about $8, while a stage light bulb could cost up to $20 per bulb. That is about $1,240 to get light bulbs for all of the stage lights the Rialto High Theatre has. This money simply cannot be pulled out of nowhere. The Broadway Knights have money, yes, but not enough to pay for all the light bulbs as well as pay for all of the expenses that come with putting on a production. That is also a lot of money for the administration or the district, as both have many financial responsibilities.
The program has been left to make up for what they have had since August of this school year. As to what happens next, it is a mystery to them. Will they get assistance from the school or possibly the district? Or will the program be left to deal with this issue themselves and find solutions to work with the bare minimum they have? The Broadway Knights wait and hope in anticipation of any news on possibly fixing or repairing their lights for their next production, “The Addams Family.” The lights are necessary for keeping the theatre alive and capable of hosting productions and events.
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