Lighting the Stage: Art and Practice is an excellent basic reference for the stage lighting designer. The author begins with the technical aspects of lighting. Included in this section are chapters on the nature of light, color theory, reflection, refraction, electricity in the theatre, and the use of dimmers to control the light. The process of translating this information into an appropriate lighting design is the topic of the second half of the book. Material includes the creation of the design, working within the setting, and creating cues for the show. The book does suffer from age, new lighting instruments and computerized dimmimg systems have revolutionized professional stage lighting. But for the scholastic or community theatre designer, this is an invaluable tool.