Final answer:
The lighting designer's role is critical in non-realistic theater settings as they create atmosphere rather than replicate real light. LED and automated fixtures have added complexity to the designer's work, allowing lighting to be an expressive art form with a multitude of adjustable parameters.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a designer ventures into the realm of lighting a play that deviates from realistic or naturalistic environments, their artistic capabilities are significantly amplified. The lack of realism breeds an opportunity for creating an atmosphere that transcends mere reproduction of natural light. In such settings, lighting is transformed into an instrument of artistic expression, capable of assuming any form, shade, or intensity. The designer's selectivity, sensitivity, and specificity in this abstract medium become paramount in shaping the mood and dimensionality of the stage.
Modern advancements, such as LED and automated lighting fixtures, have introduced new complexities to this creative process. As noted by Shawn Irish, these technologies present a multitude of choices for every aspect of a lighting fixture—panning, tilting, zooming, texturing, and intensity, to name a few. Such versatility demands thorough preparation by the designer, as each cue in the playbook is heavy with potential variations and decisions to be made. The role of the lighting designer is thus more critical and challenging, as they weave together the multitude of available parameters to construct the desired theatrical atmosphere.