Plural of footlight; the row or system of lights positioned at the front of a theatrical stage; the theater or theatrical performance generally.
Plural of 'footlight.' The term became so associated with theater that 'footlights' became a poetic way to reference theatrical performance itself.
When actors talk about wanting to perform 'under the footlights,' they're using a centuries-old cliché that still captures the magic—that specific glow fundamentally changed how audiences experienced drama.
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