Case Study: Wicked

Lighting a Broadway Hit

Illumination in Oz

“Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” — The New York Times

Broadway musical Wicked explores the mysterious events that take place in the Land of Oz before Dorothy ever arrives. Elphaba, commonly known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is a smart, fiery, misunderstood, and extraordinarily-talented protagonist. Her emerald-green skin is central to her character development and the entire story.

Color is therefore key, especially for Wicked. iLight by Luminii is a pioneer of innovative LED illumination worldwide. Helping lead the industry into a new era of energy efficiency, form, and function, the manufacturer has established itself as an authority in the LED lighting industry. Reimagine any space with factory bendable architectural linear, RGB color changing luminaires, rings, catenaries, and handrail lighting systems from iLight by Luminii.

Specifying Plexineon

A Spellbinding Solution

Plexineon is, fittingly, all about performance. Project lead Eugene Lee, set designer of Saturday Night Live, required a linear light source in green to arc the stage, providing an effective and striking framing for the design and production. Originally, the team planned to use neon but encountered challenges with voltage and breakage. Additional designers joined the effort and sought alternative materials to frame the set. Plexineon offered the perfect solution, chosen for its distinctive composition as a solid plastic waveguide with LEDs encapsulated inside. The Wicked set enjoys a bright, uniform glow that runs across the entire length of the stage.

A Lasting Light

Reception and Ongoing Work

Luminii’s iLight Plexineon is a smash hit. Shatterproof, its fitting is far more resilient than traditional neon. It runs at a cool temperature, allowing for safe accent lighting of live performance sets. Additionally, compared to fiber optics, Plexineon’s LED technology ensures unmatched brightness and a similar appearance to neon luminaires at a fraction of the maintenance cost. With rave reviews from everyone involved, Plexineon is now used in Wicked sets around the world. Over 1,146 linear feet of green Plexineon were used on the original set, and the product continues to serve the set as part of its portal and bridge today.

Learn More about iLight by Luminii.

Fast Facts about Plexineon:

• Highly customizable and factory formed
• Factory bends down to 3/16” radius
• Field bends down to a 72” radius
• Surface or suspended options 
• Crisp, clean line of light visible for miles 
• CCT range 2700-6500K + color options 
• Standard finishes include glossy gray, matte gray, black, and white 
• For use as exterior or interior accent lighting 
• Direct or indirect view options 
• IP68, IK10,& 3G ratings 

View more highly inspired Plexineon installations in the gallery.