Sculpting with light
A cone of light slices through the darkness, lighting up the set and transfixing a group of characters clad in colorful costumes, ready to dance. They spring to life under the floodlight. Suddenly, the stage becomes a magical kaleidoscope of color and motion, like something created by the hand of a painter. This was the vision behind the choreography for the play ‘Pooja’ staged by light designer Uzma Sabeen.
A National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) graduate, Sabeen now works on the faculty there. Previously, she earned a degree in lighting design from the Statecraft Institute of Las Vegas and was a fellow at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. where she studied costume design, production fundamentals, and lighting design. Sabeen also did a master's in direction at the Barrow Group Performing Arts Center in New York.
Sabeen has worked on more than 30 plays since graduating from NAPA in 2009. Theatre lovers in Karachi who’ve seen her productions agree that Sabeen does what great artists do: she plays with colors. With careful attention to the craft, Sabeen uses light to create mood and fight the darkness of the theatre. A recipient of the 2013 Pakistan media award and lux style award for direction, Uzma Sabeen is the backstage magician who makes stage productions come to life.
In an interview with The Express Tribune, the lighting artist talks about the little-known brilliance of stage illumination.
ET: How did you get started as a lighting designer?
US: It was nothing planned. While studying theatre direction and TV Production at The National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), I operated lights for the dance show of my teacher, classical dancer Sadia Khan. Projecting light for dance [requires] focus on rhythm and beat and I accomplished the challenge. It started from there.
ET: What challenges did lighting an all-white set can pose to you? How did you solve them?
US: [Lighting] up an all-white set is just like coloring a blank canvas. Designing a colored set needs caution as colored lights change the shades of props and costumes.
ET: How do you typically approach designing lights for theatre?
US: I start with carefully going through the script. Then [I] converse with the rest of the design team. Only when we have a scenic design [do] I start digging into what the lighting will actually be. This is a constant process of ensuring the lighting works in coordination with the actors, scenic, costume, and sound design.
ET: How would you describe your role in theatre productions?
US: The lighting designer has to enhance the impact of a play. There should be an interaction of angle and color of light and how that affects us emotionally – how it affects the relationship between the performer and the audience.
ET: Why do you want to light plays?
US: Light is one of the basic elements of theatre. Designing lights [is] like creating a world on stage. With just one button the whole environment transforms into something totally different.
ET: What are the unique challenges and opportunities when designing lights for Karachi’s theatre space?
US: Unfortunately, theatres in Karachi lack technical standard[s]. Temporary rental measures are taken for a quality production. Otherwise, we usually work with the available lighting stuff.
ET: We often hear the word “intersection” in light design - what does that mean to you?
US: This term is often used for traffic lights because they are mostly on intersections lighting design, the two different colored lights can produce a third color at their intersection.
ET: What is it like to collaborate with other designers?
US: Yes, it is very important and necessary for a good production. All the designers, such as set, costume, lighting, and sound should be on [the same] page. It [requires] a team work[ing] together in a friendly atmosphere.
ET: How did you transition from learning about lighting design to building your career in the industry?
US: There is a misperception all over the world that a woman cannot be a lighting designer. Many people watched in disbelief when I designed lights for a play in Lahore. [To] study lighting design study at institutions, one has to climb up the ladder to fix equipment and hold the heavy light fixture single-handedly. But here in Pakistan, people are very respectful, and they try to save women from the extreme physical work. Team members ask me, "Madam just tell us where you want the light, and we will set it for you." I am really thankful to them.
ET: How is the theater program different now from when you started?
US: NAPA offers study of all elements of theater including makeup, designing of set, costume, and sound, along with direction. I pursued my career in lighting and costume. It has helped me learn the direction too. But now students mostly come for acting. They are [not very] interested in learning any other skill. I always advise them that one has to learn other skills as well to survive in the industry. In Pakistan, the technical side of theatre is still untouched and there is a huge scope to discover the backstage world of theatre.
ET: How would you describe your lighting aesthetic?
US: I am a painter as well which has really helped me in creating paintings on stage. As you know, painting is a game of light and shade so [I] really enjoy doing live painting.
ET: What are some of the most interesting projects you have worked on?
US: ‘Begum Jaan’ -- directed and set designed by Sir Anjum Ayaz. It was a period play. I was really excited to design its lights because the set was beautifully designed and it had a lot of areas which had to light different[ly]and at the same time it would look antique. The other play was ‘Pooja’ which was a musical directed by me. It was challenging because there was a bare stage and we had to convert it into different places in every scene.
ET: What is your typical day like, as both a professional lighting designer and educator?
US: When at the institute, I [get free from] work around five pm. But designing lights for a play is a time-consuming exercise. The whole process starts from the script to meeting the cast and watching the rehearsals. The lighting designers have to be present during and after the technical rehearsal as sound and light are run with the practice. The actors can leave after their rehearsals, but we have to fix things for the next day's rehearsals. Additionally, the light designers have to be vigilant because the unexpected can happen. Things like load-shedding or any technical issue can arise during the show. But the designer has to be prepared for [an] alternative arrangement as the show must go on!