Theatre: a space where a performance takes place, a large machine in the form of a building specialized for presenting performances.
Proscenium stage:
What we usually think of as theatre.
--primary feature, a "picture frame" plaaced around front of playing area of end stage.
Frame is the Proscenium, wings are spaces on sides, extending off-stage. Scenery surrounds acting area on all sides except side towards audience, who watch the play through frame opening. Backstage is any space around the acting area out of sight of the aud.
Thrust theatre:
--Stage surrounded by aud. on three sidees. Fourth side is background.
Typical modern arrangement: square or rectangular playing area, usually raised, surrounded by raked seating.
End Stage:
--Thrust stage extended wall to wall. A thrust stage with audience on one side, the front.
--Backstage still behind background walll, no real wingspace to sides, although entrances are there.
--Modern end stage best shown in modern music hall; background surrounds playing space on three sides. Like thrust, scenery primarily background.
Flexible theatre:
--"Black Box" theatre, often big empty bboxes painted black.
--Stage and seating not fixed. Each can be altered to suit.
Profile Theatres:
Often used as "found space" theatre, i.e. converted from other spaces.
--Audience on risers to either side, litttle or no audience on either end of playing area. Actors staged in profile to the audience.
--Scenically most like arena stage; somee backing possible at ends, which are essentially sides. Non-theatrical form of the profile stage: basketball arena.
Proscenium is the defining element of proscenium theatre, a big picture frame dividing acting space from audience. All directions defined according to this division by proscenium.
Stage directions: L,C,R,US, DS etc., Plaster and center lines
_________________________
US
UR UC UL
+
SR CR CC CL SL
+
DR DC DL
______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _______
_____| + PL |______
CL Pros
\ + /
\ DS /
\____________________/
FOH
Anti-proscenium
Proscenium, FOH, wings, scene house, fly loft, apron, traps and traproom:
_________________________________
| Crossover
| _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
| | |
| | |
| | |
|Wing | Onstage | SL
| | | Wing
| | (Traps) |
|Rail | |
| |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _|
|_______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _______
______| PL |______
__________Apron____________Prosc
\ /
\ Orchestra Pit /
\_____________________/
Lock rail, fly rail, loading rail, grid
_______Penthouse
______|_____|______
|Grid |
|o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o|
|___Loading rail__|
| ||
| Loft || Beams
| or Fire || _________ _____ ________
| Stage Curtn || / |
| House ||/ | | Cove |___
| ||__/ | Box | | | |
|____Fly rail____ | Boom |_| Booth|
| | Auditorium |___|
| or | |
| House ___|___|
| __/
|______Rail______ Apron ___/
|______Stage_____________ ___/
| ___/
Trap Room |Pit |
|____|
Ancillary areas:
*scene and prop shops,
*storage,
*light storage and maintenance,
*costume shop and storage,
*dressing rooms, green room,
*lobby & box office, publicity, administration.
Directions more problematic, audience isn't in any one direction.
Thrust theatres:
Assign middle section of three-sided audience as "downstage".
Care must be taken to remember sides are also "downstage" for audience there.
Arena stages:
All directions are "downstage".
Common schemes used:
*Compass directions (north, south,east, west)
*"Clock" (12:00, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00) with direction of 12:00 assigned.
*Assign names to parts of space (Ar.A, Ar.B, Ar.C, etc.); may be different in subsequent productions.