General information about applying for our undergraduate courses and the interview process.
The course was a great way to form strong contacts for the future. Straight after leaving Central, I collaborated with Katie Mitchell on The Forbidden Zone at the Salzburg Festival, as Video Production Technician. I also worked as Video Supervisor for The Driver’s Seat with the National Theatre of Scotland.
Ellie Thompson
Graduated 2014, recent projects include Associate Video Designer for Reisende auf einem Bein, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg and for Schatten, Schaubühne.
General information about applying for our undergraduate courses and the interview process.
Information for home, EU, and non-EU students.
Find out how your course will be delivered.
Find out about upcoming BA (Hons) Theatre Practice (including Production Lighting and Theatre Lighting Design) open days at Central.
We run small group tours every Wednesday at 2pm.
Information on studying and living in London for students from outside the UK.
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3 years full-time, October start
Institution code: C35; Course code: W451
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Theatre Practice
Studying on the Production Lighting pathway of the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice course, you will:
As a student on the Production Lighting Course, you will learn to plan, rig, focus, plot and maintain lighting and video rigs for theatre and other live shows. You will also have opportunities to develop management skills that (along with your practical skills) will help you position yourself at the forefront of the industry on graduation.
Production Lighting Course Leader Nick Moran discusses becoming a Lighting Engineer for Live Performance.
As you progress through the course, there are opportunities to develop specialist skills in the areas of most interest to you as a developing practitioner, giving you the best possible preparation for employment upon graduation.There are also opportunities to develop and negotiate your own projects, which have previously included programming for music, conference and event lighting, site-specific work, festival planning and architectural projection.
Tuition is structured around practical projects in Central’s well-equipped studios, theatre and performance spaces, supported by taught sessions on, for example, computer-aided drafting, making electrical props and programming. You will also study video and projection systems, working on productions and on more experimental projects.
Central offers opportunities, within the course and on placement in industry, to broaden your experience beyond the traditional theatre roles for production lighting practitioners. Past projects have included programming for music, conference and event lighting, site-specific work and architectural projection. As well as our long established and deep connections to theatre, we have strong links with well-established practitioners in concert touring and events.
You can still apply for this course and be considered through UCAS despite them classing your application as 'late'. You can also register your interest in 2020 entry here and our Admissions Team will then contact you about interview options and further details.
Our standard academic entry requirements range between 120 and 64 UCAS tariff points. You can see how many tariff points your qualifications would gain on the UCAS Tariff Calculator. International qualifications and others not covered within the UCAS tariff can also be accepted. Please email us if you need further clarification.
Please note that we make lower offers (including unconditional) to exceptional candidates and those who have alternative or prior experience to offer. All candidates invited to interview are asked to bring a portfolio. Interview and portfolio are key factors in determining which applicants are accepted on to the course.
For information on alternative entry requirements see www.ucas.com.
See How to Apply section for Undergraduate courses.
We particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented in higher education, such as students with disabilities and members of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. Find out more information on Central’s commitment to equality and diversity.
All candidates invited to interview are asked to bring a portfolio, which should demonstrate their experience of stage lighting (no matter how small that might be) and their understanding of, and passion for, the industry they wish to train for. For more on preparing a portfolio for a lighting course, see the Association of Lighting Designers website - Training section, where the Course Leader Nick Moran has written some guidance.
Each year Central hosts a number of interviews outside of the UK, with a team of tutors from Central travelling to meet applicants. The international interviews are designed to replicate the London-based interview experience in every aspect (other than a tour of our site!). See our Event Finder for listings of upcoming interview locations and dates.
Visit the International Students section to view details of English language requirements for Central's courses.
There are opportunities – within the course and on placement in industry – to broaden students’ experience outside the traditional theatre roles for production lighting practitioners.
Past projects have included:
Central’s lighting courses are generously supported by major industry partners, including White Light, SLX, PRG UK and PRG XL Video.
Central also has strong links with a range of smaller companies, several started by graduates, including Liteup Events, Cassius Creative and Fray Studios (Finn Ross/Adam Young video design).
From the video industry, regular visitors and placement hosts include d3 Technologies, Really Creative Media and 59 Productions.
Each year, a panel of industry experts helps final year students launch their professional careers. Many opportunities for lighting students come from these panels and from the ever-expanding network of Central graduates.
The course has strong links with the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) and local theatres, which helps students to network in the industry, and to find placements and job opportunities.
Graduate employment and career pathways include:
National Theatre London, Rambert Dance Company, Northern Ballet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, English National Opera, Sadler’s Wells, The Place, Hampstead Theatre, Young Vic, Royal Court Theatre, Tricycle Theatre.
PRG UK, White Light, working on events at the Royal Albert Hall, Roundhouse, Chelsea Football Club, The O2 Arena and venues throughout the UK and Europe.
Including Glastonbury Festival, Latitude Festival, V Festival, The Big Chill and touring with companies such as Cyan Lighting, Neg Earth, GLS Lighting and HSL worldwide.
Including world tours with leading concert artists, as media server specialists on d3 and Hippotizer, and nominations for awards for concert lighting and video design.
Adam Bassett (2000) is Partner, Company Director and Lighting Designer for Woodruffe Bassett Design, which designs the lighting for some of the world’s biggest music tours, productions and events. To name just a few of their previous projects; they've worked on music tours for Adele, The Rolling Stones, and Elton John, and lit the Opening Ceremony for the Invictus Games, and The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
Jack Berry (2016) has been travelling the world lighting productions including Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Ghost the Musical and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Most recently he was Head of Lighting and Video for Motown: The Musical, and Deputy Head of Lighting for Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s The Phantom of The Opera, both touring the UK & Ireland.
Phil Brejza (2015) is Head of Lighting for the Blue Man Group World Tour, and prior to this was Chief Electrician for the UK tours of Jersey Boys and Sunset Boulevard, and Deputy Chief Electician for the international tour of Wicked.
Marc Callaghan (2005) is Director, and Kristopher Box (2006) is Operations Director, of Liteup, a concert touring, festivals and live events company supplying the very best in lighting, video, rigging and production equipment.
Charlie Heyday (2008) is a Freelance Production Electrician, Chief Electrician and Re-Lighter, working regularly in theatre and live events throughout the UK and Europe.
Adam Povey (2006) is a Production Electrician and Associate Lighting Designer. Adam has been Head of Lighting for a number of Secret Cinema’s immersive events, and regularly works for Regent’s Park Theatre, and Assembly Theatre, as well as on West End shows and UK touring priductions. His credits include; Sunny Afternoon; Guys and Dolls; Hairspray; Constellations, and Uncle Vanya. Adam also regularly provides mentoring for students on the Production Lighting course.
Libby Spencer (2008) is currently Commercial Events Manager for English Heritage. She has many years of experience in creative marketing agency, international touring and production of one off events, and has worked with UEFA, Samsung, B Festival and on the London 2012 Olympics as Event Project Manager. Libby is also a regular Theatre Practice Visiting Lecturer and Mentor.
Ellie Thompson (2014) is a touring Video Designer and Video Supervisor, working internationally. One of her stand out projects was working with The National Theatre of Scotland on Adam, a production based on the experiences of a digital cast of over 100 transgender and non-binary persons from all over the world.
James Valpy (2010) is a Concert Video Engineer and has worked on international tours for a number of artists including Rihanna, Imagine Dragons, and The 1975.
View profiles of the academic staff who teach on this course. Click on each staff member to find out more about them.
