# Whither the tradition of the solitary floorlamp on an otherwise dark stage?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197 "2003-03-05T05:43:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/1 "2003-03-05T05:43:20Z")

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Would someone please be so kind as to point me toward a discussion of the tradition of leaving a lighted floorlamp on the stage of otherwise unoccupied/inactive theatres? Google has been uncharacteristically unhelpful in my quest.

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**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/2 "2003-03-05T05:59:52Z")

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One of the many Theatrical Traditions - keeps the ghosts company apparantly.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/3 "2003-03-05T07:03:03Z")

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Also, the house and stage are a big place. That little light helps you see what’s going on in there–be it a ghost, a burgler, a stray raccoon, or that chair in front of you. _ouch_

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**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/4 "2003-03-05T20:14:29Z")

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Thanks. It just seems to be such a universal practice, I wondered if there might be some interesting story in how it got started. Stages typically have a myriad of lights that COULD be used for this purpose, and yet the (typically) battered floor lamp is generally employed for the task.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/5 "2003-03-05T20:48:47Z")

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It is generally a requirement for safety purposes.

Interestingly, according to union rules in professional theaters, it is the only light that can be touched and operated in the stage area by somebody other than the lighting designer and his/her crew. Usually it’s placed and activated by the stage manager or a designee.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/6 "2003-03-05T22:19:41Z")

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Since I’m procrastinating, other people have to suffer as well.

“Whither” means _to_ where. It’s whence that means _from_ where.

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**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-tradition-of-the-solitary-floorlamp-on-an-otherwise-dark-stage/159197/7 "2003-03-06T11:57:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \*  
> \*\*Since I’m procrastinating, other people have to suffer as well.
> 
> “Whither” means _to_ where. It’s whence that means _from_ where. \*\*

I squat corrected, thank you. :o