The lighting design document proposes lighting schemes to establish the setting and mood for each act of the play "Bus Stop". For Act I, dark lighting would set the dingy diner environment, while warm lights would make it feel cozy as Grace and Elma talk. Gray and dark lights would emphasize the seriousness of the blizzard outside. Act II would use flood lights for the physical action and soft hues to convey characters' expressions. Act III would end with the storm clearing as the characters converse in the morning light coming through the windows.

1. *
Light Design
“Bus Stop” - By: Alolika Sarkar

2. *CHARACTERS
* Grace Howland
* Elma Duckworth
* Will Masters
* Dr. Gerald Lyman
* Bo Decker
* Cherie
* Carl
* Virgil Blessing
* Owner of the diner
* High school aged waitress
* Philosophy college
professor
* Young cowboy with
boorish manners
* Aspiring nightclub singer
* Bus Driver
* Older, wiser cowboy

3. * Overview:
* The entire play is set inside a street-corner
restaurant in a small town about thirty miles
west of Kansas City. The restaurant serves in
a dingy environment with very few modern
improvements.
– Dark lightening in the start of this play
would be ideal for the start of this play. This
portion of performance would be marked
with a “C” for its cool lightening. Fillers of
dark colors can also be used to form dark
areas can also be used to help establish the
time and place of the restaurant.

4. * ACT I
* In early March, 1:00 A.M., a blizzard
rages outside. We can see from the
window the sweeping wind and snow.
– White and grey lightening against the
window can be used for contrast against
the windows of the diner. The use of
intensity, color and distribution of light
can be noticeably altered as quickly or
slowly as the lighting designer and
director deem fit while the play is being
performed. It would help establish the
time and place the storm comes to
affect, and create a rhythm of visual
movement.
* The diner inside is warm and cozy as
Grace and Elma wait for the bus to
arrive.
- Warm lights would fit perfectly for this
environment as characters converse
amongst one another. It would give both
characters and the rest of the crew an
environment of love, conversations,
laughter and a mood of great reinforcing
style as the play progresses to the rest of
the scenes.

5. * The bus arrives bringing powerful, reckless
wind that comes and goes. Looking out, it
brings severe force as the blizzard blasts
everything against its path and slightly
shakes the foundation of the diner. As
Elma says in the play, “Listen to that
wind. March is coming in like a lion.”
- Dark lightening and a hint of gray filler
lights to emphasize the seriousness of the
storm. It would also help in seeing greater
visibility of the weather looking out from
the inside windows of the diner. The storm
creates a mood in which the lights help to
communicate.

6. * ACT II
* All of the characters now have been introduced into the
play. They all wait patiently trying to pass time by
conversing with one another. Throughout the scene, the
love and lust among different characters start to
emerge. Discussions, fights and loneliness takes place.
Cherie talks about her forlorn history with men.
Meanwhile, Virgil has been counseling Bo about women.
Bo helplessly tries to convince Cherie that he will make
a good husband. Cherie loses her cool and slaps him,
she is screaming for help as Bo carries her to the door.
Will enters the scene, and another fight arises.
- I would use flood lights to give proper illumination
throughout this scene. Since there is a lot of physical
action and energy going around among the
performance.
- For Visual Compositions, hues and soft lighting would
be perfect to create the different expression of soft and
harsh moods that are conveyed by the characters.
- Rhythm of Visual Movement would also come into
affect as all the characters reactions to their captivity.

7. * ACT III
* Its almost morning and almost all of the characters are waking up to see the sun rising.
The storm has cleared. Characters converse more with one another. In conclusion, the
play ends with everyone leaving the diner and Grace going upstairs to get some sleep.
- The Central Visual image would fit as the windows in this play. The overall events
happen in order and the windows play a great part in seeing how the audience reacts
and views the weather, the love and relationships that emerge among the characters
and as well as the fights.