Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: Firefly Wings that light up

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Firefly Wings that light up

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2267
Printed Date: 7/26/25 at 4:49am
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Topic: Firefly Wings that light up

Posted By: Karin
Subject: Firefly Wings that light up
Date Posted: 2/20/07 at 8:49am

Does anyone have experience with costumes that light up? I need to make 20 fireflies whose wings light up using battery-operated lights. I am unsure what size lights and color to use. The fireflies will "appear" in different places within our 650 seat auditorium, and then converge on the stage. I want to be sure everyone can see these fireflies no matter where they sit. What do you think? Should I go with a classic bright white mini lights or perhaps have them different colors? It is a fantasy play taking place on a tropical island.

Replies:

Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 2/20/07 at 10:49am

The only part of a costume I've ever "lit" was a headpiece for the Spirit of Christmas Past in Scrooge! We used mini Christmas lights wrapped around the garland headpiece and hid the battery pack in his costume. There are a number of companies that actually make these lightup type costumes. Perhaps you can find some kind soul there to guide you in the right direction. Try places like enlighted.com or xenoline.com.

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In a world of margarine, be butter!

Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 2/20/07 at 9:58pm

I think they make some tiny "seed" lights that would be small enough to not weight the costume down as much as the traditional Christmas lights == but whether they are made in a battery type arrangement I don't know; I wonder if there would be a way to use fiber optics? Just an idle thought.

Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 2/20/07 at 10:12pm

Try http://www.factorydirectcraft.com - www.factorydirectcraft.com they have the type of battery operated seed lights that I mentioned above.

Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 2/21/07 at 3:13pm

I could not tell you how to do it but I have seen fiber optics used in coustumes pretty often. I am sure you can find rigs for this. I am sure they would be pretty light weight because I have seen them in head pieces.

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 2/21/07 at 9:42pm

For me Fibre Optics is the way to go!
There are a myriad of kits you can get quite cheaply.
They only require one light source for each costume, which could be a Mini Maglight torch. The fibre can be easily attached to the frame of the wings, with the torch easily concealed near the wings or the wearers back.
With the maglight there are loads of accessories available cheaply.
You can replace the halogen globe for an LED, to give more light & they even add on have fibre optic bundles, with changeable colour dicrohic filters.
Unlike the Christmas budd lights, there is no worry about wattage or the battery voltage & capacity size to worry about &/or a heap & weight of the cables to accommodate or accidental shorts circuits & the performer becoming a fire hazard.
Also Maglight even do a an add on switch that can be incorporated elsewhere on the costume, to allow the performer to control the torch.
{when you finished with the fibre optics,they can be used for doing a Star Cloth or whatever?

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}