Leko

A Leko is one form of lighting instrument for the stage. It is short for Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight. It is the most common type of lighting used in theater. The Leko instrument is typically long and slender with the bulb located at one end of the long tube. This tube allows the light to be directed and focused on a particular part of the stage. The open end of a leko has four moveable shutters, which when adjusted, allow for the shape of the light to be controlled. Just under the shutters are located the various slots. These slots are a place where a thin filament such as a gobo or a gel can be inserted. While a gobo is used to create a pattern or image from the light (consider for example the famous lit opening text from Les Miserables, or a starry sky), a gel is used to color the light.

A leko can at times be used as a followspot but is generally not used for this purpose. It is more popularly used for the godspot effect. Leko instruments are only one class of instruments such as strip lighting, limelight (out of use), and fresnels.