Stage Lighting
This five-day course will introduce you to the work of an electrics department in the theatre industry and its accessories, including lamps, lenses, lanterns and luminaires.
Key information:
- Course dates:
- Course 1: Mon 20 – Fri 25 Jul 2026 | Course 2: Mon 27 – Fri 31 Jul 2026
- Course times:
- 10am–5pm
- Age:
- 16+
- Art form:
- Production Arts
- Fees:
- £615
- Deadline:
- Bookings will close at 5pm on Friday 3 July 2026 or when the course reaches full capacity
- Level of study:
- Short Courses & Summer Schools (ages 18+) | Short Courses & Summer Schools, Workshops & Saturday Centres (under 18)
- Mode of study:
- In-person
- Venue:
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama
- When:
- Summer Schools (July–August)
Course info
Book Now for Course 1
Book Now for Course 2
- Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking early
- Bookings close at 5pm on Friday, 3 July 2026, or when the course reaches full capacity
- Please note: accommodation is not provided
- View our terms and conditions
Ages 16+
Course Dates & Times
Course 1
Monday 20 – Friday 24 July 2026
10am–5pm
Course 2
Monday 27 – Friday 31 July 2026
10am–5pm
About Stage Lighting
This five-day course will introduce you to the work of an electrics department in the theatre industry and its accessories, including lamps, lenses, lanterns and luminaires. You will get hands-on experience rigging and focusing lanterns, as well as guidance on how to interpret a lighting plan. You will gain an appreciation of how to record and play back the lighting for a small show in a collaborative exercise at the end of the course.
Who is the course for?
Anyone aged 16 and over with an interest in lighting, either beginners or those with developing levels of experience in using light in a theatrical or narrative context.
What can I expect?
The course covers:
- Safe working and electrical theory, including a practical plug wiring exercise
- Basic fault finding
- Use of DMX to control dimmers, moving lights, scrollers, etc.
- Advice on how to prepare for a show
- Advice on how to control lights using manual and memory desks
There will also be a tour of the backstage areas of Guildhall's performance spaces to demonstrate how to resource a producing venue.
Course Fee
£615
Book Now for Course 1
Book Now for Course 2
- Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking early
- Bookings close at 5pm on Friday, 3 July 2026, or when the course reaches full capacity
- Please note: accommodation is not provided
- View our terms and conditions
Participation Bursaries are available for this course. Please note the application deadline for Participation Bursaries is 27 April 2026.
Eligibility
- We welcome participants from all ages 16 and over
- Participants must have sufficient English language skills in order to fully engage with the course
About the Course Tutor
The course is taught by Nick Peel.
Nick started working in lighting while he was a student at the University of Sheffield. He worked in the West End as a fully-fledged lampy and fringe lighting designer and as part of the lighting team in The Pit at the Barbican for several years.
After interludes on tour and at the Mermaid Theatre he ended up as a lighting supervisor with the Barbican International Theatre Event. He has been teaching lighting design and technology at Guildhall School since 2000.
He designs lighting for shows at Guildhall and in other venues, and enjoys working with students of all ages on education projects within and outside of the School.
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