The single source lighting method involves lighting up the theater stage with only one source of light, which creates strong directional lighting. This method of lighting is not used often because of three issues. First, few lighting fixtures are able to provide light to a whole theater. Second, if you find one fixture that provides a single source of light, it may in fact be too powerful, so that it ends up lighting up parts of the audience. Finally, the source has to be a great distance away from the stage, which is impossible in most theaters.
Multiple source lighting is what is used in most theaters. This provides the advantage of giving the lighting designer total control over the lighting in the theater. This total control relates to direction, intensity, distribution, movement and color. Modern theaters or concert halls will commonly use as many as 500 lighting fixtures under this lighting method. Some lighting designers will use only a fraction of the lighting fixtures for a specific scene.
Area lighting is defined as lighting the area in which a stage performer plays out his scene. This is actually to the advantage of lighting designers, since many spotlights used in stage lighting generate pools of light or localized areas of light. The first factor of lighting design is called acting area lighting, which is sometimes called key lighting. This type of area lighting gives visibility to a theater performer. Area lighting contributes to the overall atmosphere of the theater production.
Background lighting is the lighting of all background cloths or backdrops of a stage. The painted backdrop has a long history in the theater, and it can at times communicate a sense of depth that rivals three dimensional scenery. Lighted backgrounds in the theater can be realistic. They can also be impressionistic, surrealistic or even very stylized.