Books
The Spotlight Operator’s Handbook
Operating a spotlight is harder than it looks. To do it well, you need to understand how the light and its controls work, you need some training, and you need some practice.
Unfortunately, this specialized area of the craft is seldom covered in schools or training programs in more than a cursory way, and most technicians are left to learn what they can the hard way, on the job. This book is an attempt to fill in that gap, and give everyone the information that, in at least my opinion, every good spotlight operator should know.
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The Tried and True Book of 101 Spotlight Excuses
When you are a Touring Spotlight Supervisor, calling cues for Local Spotlight Operators, you hear a lot of excuses along the way when they miss a cue or execute it badly. From time to time, you run into really imaginative spotlight operators, who elevate excuse making to a hilarious art form. They inspired me to start writing down the excuses, and in no time, the goal of collecting a book of 101 Excuses was quickly reached.
This book is a lot of fun, and it makes a great gift for any theater person on your list.
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About June
June Abernathy has been a professional spotlight operator for 30 years. A graduate of Florida State University, she has worked in the theater in many capacities – primarily as a Stagehand, as a Stage Manager, and as a writer. Still, the career that supports all the others has been the Spotlight. She has run spotlights for many different shows in many different venues – from rock concerts to theater, opera, and dance; Broadway, Broadway tours, awards shows, ice shows, stand up comedy, cruise ship work and more. Since 1998, she has been touring the US as the Front Light Supervisor for a variety of Broadway shows such as Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King.