![Scena Teatr Polski im](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Scena_Teatr_Polski_im._Arnolda_Szyfmana_w_Warszawie.JPG)
In
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
and
performing arts, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in
stagecraft) is a designated space for the
performance of
productions. The stage serves as a space for
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
s or performers and a focal point (the
screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
in
cinema
Cinema may refer to:
Film
* Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography
* Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image
** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking
...
theaters) for the
audience. As an architectural feature, the stage may consist of a
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
(often raised) or series of platforms. In some cases, these may be temporary or adjustable but in
theaters
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
and other buildings devoted to such productions, the stage is often a permanent feature.
There are several 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. 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 stage
In theatre, a thrust stage (also known as a platform stage or open stage) is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its upstage end. A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between perform ...
s 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
A theatre in the round, arena theatre or central staging is a space for theatre in which the audience surrounds the stage.
Theatre-in-the-round was common in ancient theatre, particularly that of Greece and Rome, but was not widely explored aga ...
, the audience is located on all four sides of the stage. 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.
Types of staging
Proscenium stage
Since the
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...
, the most common 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 opening known as the
proscenium arch
A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
through which the audience views the performance. 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
The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
'' of the scene. The proscenium arch evolved from the in Ancient Greek theaters. This was the space in front of the ''
skênê'' or backdrop where the actors actually played.
The first indoor theatres were created in French tennis courts and Italian Renaissance palaces where the newly embraced principles of perspective allowed designers 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 actors more visible to audiences, who were seated on level floors. 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 to produce elegant and elaborate entertainments fueled and financed the expansion of European court theatres. The proscenium—which often was 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, and later to the lowering and raising, of canvas backdrops. A wood (and later steel) ''grid'' above the stage supported pulleys 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'' that was usually as high or higher than the proscenium itself. A "full-fly" stage could store the entire height of scenery above the visible stage using the pin-rails before or during performance, whereas a "half-fly" stage (common in smaller locations) could only store props of limited size and thus required more careful backdrop and scenery design. Theatres using these rope systems, which are manually operated by
stagehand
A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their work include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.
General
S ...
s, are known as ''hemp houses''. They have been largely supplanted by counterweight
fly system
A fly system, or theatrical rigging system, is a system of rope lines, blocks (pulleys), counterweights and related devices within a theater (structure), theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly, quietly and safely components suc ...
s.
The proscenium, in conjunction with
stage curtains called ''legs'', conceals the sides of the stage, which are known as the ''wings''. The wings may be used by theatre personnel during performances and as storage spaces for scenery and
theatrical properties
A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinc ...
. Several rows of short curtains across the top of the stage, called ''teasers,'' hide the backdrops, which in turn are hidden above the stage in the fly system loft until ready for use.
![Mind-reading-Russell-Morgan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Mind-reading-Russell-Morgan.jpeg)
Often, a stage may extend in front of the proscenium arch which offers additional playing area to the actors. This area is referred to as the
apron
An apron is a garment that is worn over other clothing to cover the front of the body. The word comes from old French ''napron'' meaning a small piece of cloth, however over time "a napron" became "an apron", through a linguistics process cal ...
. Underneath and in front of the apron is sometimes an
orchestra pit
An orchestra pit is the area in a theater (usually located in a lowered area in front of the stage) in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music (such as opera and ballet) or in cases when incide ...
which is used by musicians during
musicals and
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
s. 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
curtain
A curtain is a piece of cloth
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fa ...
s, scenery, and battens supporting a variety of lighting instruments may hang.
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.
''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
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' (pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...
around the back of the stage, which are when cast members have to walk between entrances and exits without being seen by the audience.
Theatre in the round
![Circle In The Square](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Circle_In_The_Square.jpeg)
This type of stage is located in the centre of the audience, with the audience facing it from all sides. The audience is placed close to the action, which provides a feeling of intimacy and involvement.
In-the-round stages require special considerations in production, such as:
*
Scenery
Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether the item was custom-made or ...
that does not obscure actors and the rest of the stage from parts of the audience.
*
Backdrops and
curtains
A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditoriu ...
cannot be used, thus the director must find other ways to set the scene.
*
Lighting design
In theatre, a lighting designer (or LD) works with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create the lighting, atmosphere, and time of day for the production in response to the text while keeping i ...
is more difficult than for a
proscenium stage
A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
, since the actor must be lit from all sides without blinding nearby audience members.
* 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
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
s 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.
Thrust stage
![Pasant Theatre from seats](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Pasant_Theatre_from_seats.JPG)
A thrust stage is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its
upstage
Upstage may refer to:
* UpStage, an open source server-side application that has been purpose built for cyberformance
* ''Upstage'' (film), (also known as The Mask of Comedy) is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film
*The Upstage Gallery, feat ...
end. A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between the audience and performers than a
proscenium while retaining the utility of a backstage area. Entrances onto a thrust are most readily made from backstage, although some theatres provide for performers to enter through the audience using
vomitory entrances. An
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
, exposed on all sides to the audience, is without a backstage and relies entirely on entrances in the
house or from under the stage.
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
The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
, that imaginary wall must be maintained on multiple sides. Similar to theatre in the round, the audience can view the performance from a variety of perspectives, and as such it is usual for the
blocking,
prop
A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinc ...
s and scenery to receive thorough consideration to ensure that no perspective is blocked from view. A high backed chair, for instance, when placed
stage right
In theatre, blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theater. Prior to the movemen ...
, could create a blind spot in the
stage left
In theatre, blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theater. Prior to the moveme ...
action.
Black box
A black box theater consists of a simple yet somewhat unadorned performance space, ideally a large square room with black walls and a flat floor, which can be used flexibly to create a stage and audience area.
Created and found spaces
A stage can also be improvised wherever 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. The theater company
Shakespeare In The Park
Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This c ...
, in fact, is based around performing Shakespeare plays in a space that one wouldn't likely find it, namely,
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
in New York City.
Stage terminology
![Stage directions 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Stage_directions_2.svg)
The stage itself has been given named areas to facilitate the precise movement and positioning of actors on a stage (see
Blocking (stage)
In theatre, blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theater. Prior to the moveme ...
).
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. In Germany, stage right and left are reversed, being the director's view rather than the actor's.
Less ambiguous terms used in theatres that follow a British tradition are "Prompt Side" or "P Side" (Stage left) and "Off-Prompt", "Opposite Prompt" or "O.P. Side" (Stage right), relating to the traditional location of the Stage Manager. In French, the terms "côté cour" (square side) for stage left and "côté jardin" (garden side) for stage right are used, in reference to the
Théâtre des Tuileries
The Théâtre des Tuileries was a theatre in the former Tuileries Palace in Paris. It was also known as the Salle des Machines, because of its elaborate stage machinery, designed by the Italian theatre architects Gaspare Vigarani and his two sons ...
.
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. These terms were common in older theatres, which gave the audience a better view of the action by inclining the floor (known as a
raked stage), so upstage actually was at a higher elevation than downstage.
A raked stage can vary in its incline; ten degrees is considered ideal for the audience and actor comfort. A dancing surface incline is often different from an acting incline and can vary from three degrees to twenty degrees.
Scenographic theory
In relationship to approaches to
scenography
Scenography (inclusive of scenic design, lighting design, sound design, costume design) is a practice of crafting stage environments or atmospheres. In the contemporary English usage, scenography is the combination of technological and material ...
, Rachel Hann has proposed that there "are no stages without scenographics".
This is based on an argument that "all stages are also scenes", which challenges the "deterministic assumption that stages precede scenography". In this model, stages become manifest through the place orientating traits of scenographics (rather than the other way around). The implications of this are that all theatre is scenographic – even if it has no defined objects or 'setting' – as all theatre is performed on a stage. Hann summarises this position by using the hybrid 'stage-scene' when discussing the tensions between the histories of these practices, particularly with reference to original Greek ''
skene
Skene may refer to:
* Skene, Aberdeenshire, a community in North East Scotland, United Kingdom
* Skene, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States
* Skene, Sweden, a village now part of Kinna, Sweden
* Skene (automobi ...
'' as a physical tent or hut that ultimately shaped current conceptualizations of 'the stage'.
See also
*
Noh stage, classical Japanese theater
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stage (Theatre)
Parts of a theatre
Stage terminology
Stagecraft