Actors and musicians: Can you see the audience in a medium lit place with a spotlight on you?

Question

I was just curious to see if the inside theater was medium dark and there was a spotlight on the actors on stage...could you see the audience ? It's not completely dark, but could you see people from 20 rows back on the edge?

I know it sounds weird, but sometimes I see the people on stage looking at certain people, and I don't know if they can see the person clearly or not.

Answer 1

when i am on stage i can see the outlines of people farther back or higher in the balcony. The people up close about in the 1st 6 rows i can hardly make out their faces. When we act on a large stage and you see the actor talking or looking at someone it they can't really tell who the person is or really looks like when the lights are on. Its all a part of acting. making the audience feel conected w/ the characters.

Answer 2

I guess I shouldn't answer this, since I don't wear my glasses on stage & can't see anything anyway, but if the spot is full on my face, I can see some of the audience, but not clearly. Again, that might be because I'm almost blind without my specs, but I've had other performers tell me the same thing.
I did a show once where I had to walk amongst the audience & do a little Q&A. I was spotted the whole time & had difficulty seeing faces clearly.
Hope that helps somewhat.

Answer 3

most of the time you really can't see clearly because of the theater lights and the spotlight. when you can see it's usually only the first couple rows but it all depends on how far away the rows are from the stage and the angle of the stage lights and spotlight that are hitting you. personally when i perform i try to look into the audience but most of the time i can't distinguish who i'm looking at in particular......than at the end at least a handful of people think i was looking at them.

Answer 4

Usually I don't pay any attention to the audience, except for sounds such as laughter. I enjoy working in small theatre's where I'm practically standing right next to the audience so I really have to work not to make any kind of eye contact. Larger theatre's I can only see about the first couple of rows due to the lighting. Stage lights are a lot warmer and brighter than normal and it makes it real difficult to see anything too far out.

Answer 5

Depending on how far the first row of seats is from the stage, you may be able to see the first few. In most venues you wouldn't be able to see back very far. The angle of the spotlight will also factor in. If the spotlight is directly in the face of the performer, (s)he will see far less than if the light is at an angle or if the performer is standing at an angle.

Answer 6

the stage lights are there for a reason, to be really Bright and make it so that the performers on stage cant see the audience so when I'm on stage i am just used to not seeing the audience by now

Answer 7

when i am on stage,
i rarely look out into the audience but, when i do (for some strange reason) i can usually see a BLUR,
[mainly because theatre lighting is warm and it burns when you look directly at them] of barely the first 5 rows.

but if the lighting were a little lighter, then yes, people on stage can see onto the audience. it all depends on the lighting on stage.

Answer 8

Unless your audience is quite close and they are well lit, then no you shouldn't be able to see them. As least not clearly, but just some shadows.

The spotlight at 100% intensity is quite blinding, so you should (in theory) see black and shadow.

I tend to just look out, but not focus on what I'm looking at because eventually your mind plays tricks and you'll visualise things that aren't there. (very off-putting!)

Answer 9

A spot usualy blacks out everything that is not on stage. Now most people will tell you you should not concentrate on the audience, but I do, a spot blacks them out.
b

Answer 10

Due to the lights, you can't see very well.