Subscription-Based Resources
Light Machine
Register Launch Light Machine Light Machine is a smart mashup of the best of all of the labs. A single area onstage is the target. Seven lights can be placed all around from precise angles. There are more gobos available than on any other resource. Full color and brightness controls. Instead of cue-recording, a clean screenshot function lets you capture the scene. This ...Cue Builder
Register Launch Cue Builder This light lab emulates the experience of building cues on a lighting console. It combines the experiential lessons from the other light labs on this site, and then raises the bar. In addition to a huge range of controls, the lab allows cues to be recorded and delivered by email to multiple recipients or alternately, simple built-in image ...Directing Lab
Register Launch Directing Lab Directing Lab empowers directors to create moment-by-moment storyboards of key moments. This lab can be used for planning and discussion, and it can be used with live readings over zoom to simulate blocking. It’s not just easy, it’s fun to use. Set props and actors can be placed, rotated, and adjusted moment by moment. https://youtu.be/2xI484LIUII Up to seven actors can ...Production Machine
Register Launch Production Machine This is an online version of the card game available (also on this site), Production Beating . It builds on the Open-Education Resource The Drama Machine. Participants choose roles to play in simulated production meetings. They are each given a random set of personality traits to adhere to as they try to collaborate. ...Improv Machine
Register Launch Improv Machine Improv Machine generates improvisational acting conditions. It is designed to support online acting sessions and classroom activities equally. Enter the names of up to 25 actors. Locales, scenarios, opening lines, and much, much more are managed for the group by the machine. This is a fantastic tool for the classroom or online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwsh7kb00X4
Open-Education Resources
Color Lab
Launch Color Lab Color Lab is for exploring basic color lighting on the human body and on a white floor. Three instruments from three directions with RGB control of brightness and color. This lab works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, & Edge. This is an excellent resource for casual demonstration of lighting properties for a class or group.Gobo Lab
Launch Gobo Lab Experiment with gobos, textures, & lighting direction. Nine lighting source directions, each with ten gobo options & variable brightness. Two actors with simple scenery. Excellent for demonstrating direction and texture of light.Dance Lighting Lab
Launch Dance Lighting Lab Create lighting for dance on a digital proscenium stage. Top light, side light, gobos, footlights, and more. Complete control of color and brightness. Tested on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, & Edge. Bookmark it for immediate use in any class.The Drama Machine
Launch The Drama Machine Prepare yourself for THE DRAMA MACHINE. This is an interactive application that randomly combines the variables that we deal with in production: Script, Director’s Concept, Venue, Budget, and Time. It churns out the circumstances for a hypothetical production with gaudy special effects and noises. Have students come up to the machine, one at a time, and generate ...Virtual Swatch Book
Launch Virtual Swatch Book For the classroom: a simplified color-filter swatch book with a little extra help included. This is a slightly abbreviated Roscolux catalog. This is for students learning about traditional color filters. Each color includes the full transmission and spectrum information provided by Rocso. The resource includes the means to turn the entire screen the ...Vintage Lighting Instruments
Launch Vintage Lighting Instruments Some of the instruments shown here are hard to find today. Some of them are being phased out. I originally built this resource in 2003. Lighting technology has evolved quite a bit since then. Choose an instrument, and move the mouse over images that appear. Many of them will animate when you hover over them with more ...Anatomic Reactor
Launch Anatomic Reactor Explore the jargon and terms that we use to talk about the theatre space. This interactive quiz lets you know exactly how it feels about your answers.
Non-Digital Resources
Production Beating
This is a physical card game sold on my behalf at a separate custom-game site.
We like to think we all just want the show to be the best it can be, but we all bring our own character traits and flaws into the process. How do you train artists to look past their internal agendas and work together for the good of the show? And if not, how do you just have a lot of fun along the way? With PRODUCTION BEATING, students role-play a production meeting.