striplight

A striplight is a theatrical device consisting of a row of small floodlights mounted on a trough reflector. These are used for various stage illumination purposes, including borderlights, footlights, and general stage lighting.1

Historically, stage lighting evolved from natural sunlight in ancient Greek and Roman theaters to artificial sources like candles and torches in indoor performances during the Renaissance. The introduction of gas lighting in the early 19th century offered better control and brighter illumination, leading to the development of conventions like footlights, borderlights, and striplights. The advent of electric lighting, particularly the incandescent lamp invented by Thomas Edison in 1879, revolutionized stagecraft, quickly replacing gas and leading to the electrified versions of traditional lighting fixtures.23