19th Century Theatrical Lighting

A breakthrough in the technology of theatrical lighting occurred in the 19th century. This new lighting technique based on gas originated in England in 1804. William Murdock developed the lighting technique which used coal gas to produce better and stronger light. The first use of gas light, however, was used only to light the entrance of the Lyceum Theatre in London where it made its first public debut. It wasn’t until 1815 that the Olympic Theatre first used gas lighting on stage. The use of gas lighting on stage allowed brighter light to be projected from greater distances as well as from different angles. The new technology also allowed stage lights to be dimmed. Footlights, winglights, and borderlights were a few of the new types of gaslighting instruments used. Gas lighting soon became popular in American theatres as well. The lighting technique was used in The Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia as early as 1816. The Chestnut Street Theatre soon burned down as a result of a gas lighting mishap in 1820, but the new and improved method of illuminating the stage continued to gain popularity throughout theatres in Boston, New Orleans, Baltimore, and many other cities across the country.


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