LacyLights MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides AI-powered theatrical lighting design capabilities for the LacyLights system.

Features

Fixture Management

• get_fixture_inventory - Query available lighting fixtures and their capabilities
• analyze_fixture_capabilities - Analyze specific fixtures for color mixing, positioning, effects, etc.

Scene Generation

• generate_scene - Generate lighting scenes based on script context and design preferences
• analyze_script - Extract lighting-relevant information from theatrical scripts
• optimize_scene - Optimize existing scenes for energy efficiency, dramatic impact, etc.

Cue Management

• create_cue_sequence - Create sequences of lighting cues from existing scenes
• generate_act_cues - Generate complete cue suggestions for theatrical acts
• optimize_cue_timing - Optimize cue timing for smooth transitions or dramatic effect
• analyze_cue_structure - Analyze and recommend improvements to cue lists

Installation

1. Install dependencies:

npm install

2. Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your configuration

3. Build the project:

npm run build

ChromaDB Setup (Optional)

The MCP server currently uses an in-memory pattern storage system for simplicity. If you want to use ChromaDB for persistent vector storage and more advanced RAG capabilities:

Option 1: Docker (Recommended)

# Start ChromaDB with Docker
docker-compose up -d chromadb

# Verify it's running
curl http://localhost:8000/api/v2/heartbeat

Option 2: Local Installation

# Install ChromaDB
pip install chromadb

# Start the server
chroma run --host localhost --port 8000

Then update your .env file:

# Uncomment these lines in .env
CHROMA_HOST=localhost
CHROMA_PORT=8000

Note: The current implementation works without ChromaDB using built-in lighting patterns. ChromaDB enhances the system with vector similarity search for more sophisticated pattern matching.

Configuration

Required Environment Variables

• OPENAI_API_KEY - OpenAI API key for AI-powered lighting generation
• LACYLIGHTS_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT - GraphQL endpoint for your lacylights-node backend (default: http://localhost:4000/graphql)

Running the Server

Make sure your lacylights-node backend is running first, then:

# Start in development mode (with auto-reload)
npm run dev

# Or build and run in production mode
npm run build
npm start

You should see:

RAG service initialized with in-memory patterns
LacyLights MCP Server running on stdio

Optional Environment Variables

• CHROMA_HOST - ChromaDB host for RAG functionality (default: localhost)
• CHROMA_PORT - ChromaDB port (default: 8000)

Usage

Running the Server

# Development mode
npm run dev

# Production mode
npm start

Integration with Claude

Add this server to your Claude configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lacylights": {
      "command": "/usr/local/bin/node",
      "args": ["/path/to/lacylights-mcp/run-mcp.js"],
      "env": {
        "OPENAI_API_KEY": "your_openai_api_key_here",
        "LACYLIGHTS_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT": "http://localhost:4000/graphql"
      }
    }
  }
}

Important: If the above doesn't work, you may need to specify the exact path to your Node.js 14+ installation. You can find it with:

which node

Note: Use the absolute path to run-mcp.js in your configuration. This wrapper ensures proper CommonJS module loading.

Example Usage

Generate a Scene

Use the generate_scene tool to create lighting for:
- Scene: "Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene"
- Script Context: "A dark castle at night, Lady Macbeth enters carrying a candle, tormented by guilt"
- Mood: "mysterious"
- Color Palette: ["deep blue", "pale white", "cold"]

Analyze a Script

Use the analyze_script tool with the full text of Act 1 of Macbeth to:
- Extract all lighting cues
- Suggest scenes for each moment
- Identify key lighting moments

Create Cue Sequence

Use the create_cue_sequence tool to create a cue list for Act 1 using the scenes generated from script analysis.

AI-Powered Features

Script Analysis with RAG

• Analyzes theatrical scripts to extract lighting-relevant information
• Uses vector embeddings to match script contexts with lighting patterns
• Provides intelligent suggestions based on dramatic context

Intelligent Scene Generation

• Creates detailed DMX values for fixtures based on artistic intent
• Considers fixture capabilities and positioning
• Applies color theory and lighting design principles

Cue Timing Optimization

• Analyzes cue sequences for optimal timing
• Considers dramatic pacing and technical constraints
• Provides multiple optimization strategies

Development

Project Structure

src/
├── tools/           # MCP tool implementations
│   ├── fixture-tools.ts
│   ├── scene-tools.ts
│   └── cue-tools.ts
├── services/        # Core services
│   ├── graphql-client.ts
│   ├── rag-service.ts
│   └── ai-lighting.ts
├── types/          # TypeScript type definitions
│   └── lighting.ts
└── index.ts        # MCP server entry point

Adding New Tools

1. Create tool implementation in appropriate file under src/tools/
2. Add tool definition to src/index.ts in the ListToolsRequestSchema handler
3. Add tool handler in the CallToolRequestSchema handler
4. Update this README with tool documentation

Testing

npm test

Integration with LacyLights

This MCP server is designed to work with the existing LacyLights system:

• lacylights-node - Provides GraphQL API for fixture and scene management
• lacylights-fe - Frontend for manual lighting control and visualization

The MCP server acts as an AI layer that enhances the existing system with intelligent automation and design assistance.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Module import errors

   • The server uses ES modules with cross-fetch for GraphQL requests
   • Ensure Node.js version is 18+ as specified in package.json

2. GraphQL connection errors

   • Verify your lacylights-node backend is running on port 4000
   • Check the LACYLIGHTS_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT environment variable

3. OpenAI API errors

   • Ensure your OPENAI_API_KEY is set in the .env file
   • Verify the API key has access to GPT-4

4. MCP connection errors in Claude

   • Make sure to use the run-mcp.js wrapper script, not dist/index.js directly
   • Use the full absolute path in your Claude configuration
   • Restart Claude after updating the MCP configuration

5. "Unexpected token ?" error

   • This means Claude is using an old Node.js version (< 14)
   • Update your config to use the full path to your Node.js installation
   • On macOS with Homebrew: "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/node"
   • On other systems, find your node path with: which node

Dependencies

The simplified implementation uses:

• Direct fetch requests instead of Apollo Client for better ESM compatibility
• In-memory pattern storage instead of ChromaDB (can be upgraded later)
• Cross-fetch polyfill for Node.js fetch support

License

MIT