In theatre, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in stagecraft) is a designated space for the performance of theatrical productions. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one Stagecraft is a generic term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical film and video production A performance, in Performing arts, generally comprises an event in which one group of people (the performer or performers behave in a particular way for another group of people The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Brooklyn Book Festival crowd by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|An audience at the Brooklyn Book Festival in New York City. As an architectural feature, the stage may consist of a platform (often raised) or series of platforms. In some cases, these may be temporary or adjustable but in theaters and other buildings devoted to such productions, the stage is often a permanent feature. This article is about venues for live Theatre performances for information about venues for Film projection see Movie theater.
There are four types of stages that vary as to the usage and the relation of the audience to them. The most common form found in the West is the proscenium stage. Proscenium theatre is a Theatre space whose primary feature is a large Archway (the proscenium arch) at or near the front of the stage, through In this type, the audience is located on one side of the stage with the remaining sides hidden and used by the performers and technicians. Thrust stages may be similar to proscenium stages but with a platform or performance area that extends into the audience space so that the audience is located on three sides. In theatre in the round, the audience is located on all four sides of the stage. Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any Theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area The fourth type of stage incorporates created and found stages which may be constructed specifically for a performance or may involve a space that is adapted as a stage.
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Types of stage
Proscenium stage
Stage used in the West has been the proscenium stage which may also be referred to as a picture frame stage. The primary feature is a large arch, the proscenium arch, through which the audience views the performance. Proscenium theatre is a Theatre space whose primary feature is a large Archway (the proscenium arch) at or near the front of the stage, through The audience directly faces the stage--which is typically raised several feet above front row audience level--and views only one side of the scene. This one side is commonly known as the invisible fourth wall of the scene. The fourth wall is the imaginary wall at the front of the stage in a Proscenium Theater, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play The proscenium arch evolved from the proskenium in Ancient Greek theatres. This was the space in front of the skene or backdrop where the actors actually played. In classical drama the skene was the background building which connected the platform stage in which costumes were stored and to which the Periaktoi (painted panels serving
The first indoor theatres were created in French tennis courts and Italian Renaissance palaces where the newly-embraced principles of perspective allowed deisgners to create stunning vistas with buildings and trees decreasing in size toward a "vanishing point" on the horizon. Stage floors were raked upward slightly from front to back, in order to contribute to the perspective illusion, and also to make groups of actors more visible to audiences who were at first seated on a flat floor. Subsequently, audience seating was raked, and balconies were added to give audiences a fuller view. By the end of the 19th century most stages had level floors, and much of the audience looked down on, rather than up to, the stage.
The competition among royals competing to produce elegant and elaborate entertainments fueled and financed the expansion of European court theatres. The proscenimum - often extremely decorative in the manner of a triumphal arch, "framed" the prospective picture. The desire of court painters to show more than one of their perspective backgrounds led court architects to adapt the pin-rails and pulleys of sailing ships to the unrolling, or later to the lowering and raising, of canvas backdrops. A wood (and later steel) grid above the stage supported pullies from which wooden battens, and later steel pipes, rolled down, or descended, with attached scenery pieces. The weight of heavy pieces was counterbalanced by sandbags. This system required the creation of a storage stage house or loft usually as high or higher than the proscenimum itself. Theatres using these rope systems operated manually by stage hands are known as hemp houses. They have been largely supplanted by systems using cables and motors.
The proscenium hides the sides of the stage, called the wings, which may be used by theatre personnel working on the particular performance as well as a space for storage of scenery and theatrical properties, typically obscured by side curtains, or framed scenery pieces, called legs. A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is any object held or used on stage by an Actor for use in furthering the plot or story line of a Theatrical Several rows of short curtains across the top of the stage, called teasers, hide the backdrops which are hidden above in the stage loft until ready for use.
Often, a stage may extend in front of the proscenium arch which offers additional playing area to the actors. The term mentalist refers to entertainers whose performance appears to be based on " Psychic " abilities featuring the ability to read minds project the This area is a referred to as the apron. The apron is any part of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch and into the audience or seating area Underneath and in front of the apron is sometimes an orchestra pit which is used by musicians during musicals and operas. An orchestra pit is area in a theater (usually located in a lowered area in front of the stage in which musicians perform Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto The orchestra pit may sometimes be covered and used as an additional playing space in order to bring the actors closer to the audience. The stage is often raised higher than the audience. Space above some proscenium stages may include a flyloft where curtains, scenery, and battens supporting a variety of lighting instruments may hang. A curtain (in the US also known as a drape or drapery) is a piece of Cloth intended to block or obscure Light, or Drafts, or
The numerous advantages of the proscenium stage have led to its popularity in the West. Many theatrical properties and scenery may be utilized. Backdrops, curtains and lighting can be used to greater effect without risk of rigging being visible to the audience. Entrances and exits can be made more graceful; surprise becomes possible. The actors only have to concentrate on playing to the audience in one direction. This stage is also commonly used
Theatre in the round
This method of stage design consists of a stage situated in the centre of the theatre, with the audience facing it from all sides. The audience is placed quite close to the action which provokes a feeling of intimacy and involvement.
In-the-round stages require special considerations in production such as:
- Scenery that does not obscure actors and the rest of the stage from parts of the audience.
- Backdrops and curtains cannot be used, thus the director must find other ways to set the scene.
- Lighting design is more difficult than for a Proscenium stage, since the actor must be lit from all sides without blinding nearby audience members. The role of the lighting designer (or LD) within Theatre is to work with the director, Set designer, Costume designer, and sometimes
- Entrances and exits must be made either through the audience, making surprise entrances very difficult, or via closed-off walkways, which must be inconspicuous. As a result, stage entrances are normally in the corners of the theatre.
- The actors need to ensure that they do not have their backs turned to any part of the audience for long periods of time, in order to be seen and heard clearly. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works
Thrust stage
See main article - Thrust stage
A thrust stage is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its up stage end. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one A thrust has the advantage of greater intimacy between audience and performer than a proscenium, while retaining the utility of a backstage area. Proscenium theatre is a Theatre space whose primary feature is a large Archway (the proscenium arch) at or near the front of the stage, through Entrances onto a thrust are most readily made from backstage, although some theatres provide for performers to enter through the audience using vomitory entrances. Roman cuisine changed over the long duration (over a thousand years of their ancient civilization. An arena, exposed on all sides to the audience, is without a backstage and relies entirely on entrances in the house or from under the stage. Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any Theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one
As with an arena, the audience in a thrust stage theatre may view the stage from three or more sides. If a performance employs the fourth wall, that imaginary wall must be maintained on multiple sides. The fourth wall is the imaginary wall at the front of the stage in a Proscenium Theater, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play Because the audience can view the performance from a variety of perspectives, it is usual for the blocking, props and scenery to receive thorough consideration to ensure that no perspective is blocked from view. Blocking is a Theatre term which refers to the precise movement and positioning of Actors on a stage in order to facilitate the Performance of A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is any object held or used on stage by an Actor for use in furthering the plot or story line of a Theatrical A high backed chair, for instance, when placed stage-right, could create a blind spot in the stage left action. In Theatre, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in Stagecraft) is a designated space for the Performance of theatrical productions In Theatre, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in Stagecraft) is a designated space for the Performance of theatrical productions
Created and found spaces
A stage can also be improvised where ever a suitable space can be found. Examples may include staging a performance in a non traditional space such as a basement of a building, a side of a hill or, in the case of a busking troupe, the street. In a similar manner, a makeshift stage can be created by modifying an environment. For example demarcating the boundaries of a stage in an open space by laying a carpet and arranging seating before it.
Additions and modifications
Proscenium and In-The-Round stage types are only the basic templates for stage layout. There are also extras which can be added in order to improve the stage.
- Aprons are pieces of stage added to the front of a proscenium stage which protrude past the proscenium arch, pushing out into the audience in order to make them feel more involved. The apron is any part of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch and into the audience or seating area They provoke a feeling of being more part of the action, rather than just looking at it through a transparent fourth wall (see above). See also thrust stage. Aprons can usually also be removed to uncover the theatre orchestra pit. Thus, it is only used when there is an event not needing an orchestra while taking place (i. e. a concert).
- Boxes are a feature of more modern stage designs in which temporary walls are built inside any proscenium stage, at a slight angle to the original walls, in order to allow audience members located to the left or right of the proscenium (the further out, the larger the angle) to see the entirety of the stage. They enable the creation of rat runs around the back of the stage, which allow cast members to walk between entrances and exits without being seen by the audience.
Stage directions
The stage itself has been given named areas to facilitate the precise movement and positioning of actors on a stage (see Blocking (stage)). Blocking is a Theatre term which refers to the precise movement and positioning of Actors on a stage in order to facilitate the Performance of
To an actor facing the audience, "left" and "right" are the reverse of what they are for the audience. To prevent confusion, actors and directors never use the unmarked terms left or right for the sides of the stage. Rather, they use a phrase specifying the viewpoint. The terms "stage left" and "stage right", respectively, denote the sides of the stage that are on the actor's left and right when the actor is facing the audience, while "house left" and "house right" are the reverse, denoting the sides of the stage as viewed by the audience.
Likewise, the meaning of "front" and "back" would be unclear because they depend on perspective. Instead, the term "upstage" is used to denote the part of the stage furthest from the audience or to motion away from the audience, while "downstage" denotes the portion of the stage closest to the audience or to motion in that direction.
The term of "UPstage" and "DOWNstage" were common in older theatres due to the elevation of the actual stage deck. Older theatre designs offered the audience a better view of action by inclining the floor (called a "RAKE STAGE"), thus the term "UPSTAGE" (higher elevation furthest from the audience)and "DOWNSTAGE" (lower elevation closer to the audience).
A Rake stage can vary in its incline, the optimal incline is ten degrees which is ideal for the audience and actor comfort. A dancing surface incline is often different from an acting incline, a dancing incline can vary from three degrees to twenty degrees. The most inclined stage for acting or dancing in known existence is the KA (a Cirque du Soleil show) Theatre Tatami deck (25'×50') located in the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Cirque du Soleil (French for "Circus of the Sun" in English sɜrk duː soʊˈleɪ is an entertainment company (originally meaning "folded and piled" Mats are a traditional type of Japanese flooring The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip, which opened as a Hollywood themed resort Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This modern marvel is said to be able to tilt from 0 degrees to 100 degrees in 40 seconds (estimated).
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