The main part of the hall is where they play badminton and that ceiling height is a lot higher - although low enough to interfere with their playing if I was to hang any lights on my lighting bar in the main hall area. This is a pain because, as has been stated by other replies to this post, just lighting directly above the stage won't illuminate faces particulary well. Extra lighting from the front would be best. The raised stage area is completely separate and although I said it was 8 feet high, I stupidly guessed at this. Should have "done the job properly" and actually measured it !! Will do that next time I'm up there, but it's more likely to be about 12 foot high. However, I do have two ceiling lighting bars in the main hall area to the side just in front of the stage which could be used and wouldn't interfere with the badminton players. Any lights on those bars would lluminate the stage from the sides.