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The Stage and Its Equipment
ROP Stagehand Technician2/5/10
Lesson Objective To learn the types of theatre spaces in
use today in order to understand why and how the functional design of the environment in which the play is produced is a major factor in determining the type, style, and design of technical elements used in a production. Define key terms and identify modern
stage equipment.
Key Terms
Vocabulary you will use in ourtheatresWill be in bold and underlined
Theatrical Performing Spaces
Evolution of spaces since the 1960s Influenced by Experimental theatre movements Economic pressures to make theatres usable
for Dance groups Symphony concerts Car, home, boat shows
Dominant Trends of Modern Theatrical Spaces
Reduction of physical and psychological barriers that separate audience from the production Cats in NY- scenery on orchestra pit,
auditorium walls, actors entering through auditorium and interacting with audience Theatre spaces designed today are
reflections of this trend
Stage-Auditorium Relationship
3 primary configurationsProscenium (aka Picture Frame
Stage)The dominant mode of theatrical
presentation for 300 yearsThrust Arena
Proscenium Theatres
Elements of Proscenium Theatres
Proscenium Arch Average height 18-22
feet Average width 36-40
feet Ours is 19’h x 44’w
Stage The playing area
behind (upstage of) the proscenium arch
Elements of Proscenium Theatres
Wings The spaces on either side of
the stage (hidden by the arch)
Primarily used for storage of scenery, props, and other equipments used in a current production
Apron Aka forestage Range from 3’ deep to 15’ Sides extend beyond prosc.
opening 5 to 15’
Elements of Proscenium Theatres
Orchestra Pit Traditionally between apron and audience For pit band or orchestra to play live music
during a performance As wide as the proscenium, depth 8’ to 12’ Adds distance between audience and actors
when not in use- so combined apron and pit Removable floor panels or pit filler Hydraulic lift with 3 settings: stage height,
auditorium height, and orchestra pit height
Elements of Proscenium Theatres
Auditorium (aka House) Shape is roughly rectangular with prosc. arch
at narrower end Each seat is approx perpendicular to prosc.
arch To reduce reflection of sound waves on walls
(creating echoes) no walls are parallel to any others Floor is raked, or inclined, from the stage to
the back of the house improves acoustics and view of stage
Proscenium Stage Equipment Traps Removable sections of
floor that provide access to the space below Can be filled with stairs,
elevator, slide, or left open depending on desired visual and physical effect
Proscenium Stage Equipment
Revolve (aka turntable or revolving stage) Can be built into the stage floor or be a
temporary structure on top Depending on size, part or all of a set
can fit onto it and rotated to bring other scenic elements into view
Proscenium Stage Equipment Slipstage Huge stage wagon large enough to cove the
full width of proscenium arch Stored in wings when not in use Entire sets can be mounted on slipstage and
rolled into place Need enough wing space for slipstage to be
in offstage position Also can build smaller, temporary versions to
accommodate productions
Proscenium Fly Systems
Fly lofts (aka “the flies”) The open space above the stage where
the scenery and equipment are flownFly (verb) to raise an object or person above
the stage floor with ropes or cables Usually 2.5 times the height of the prosc.
arch to allow scenery to be raised out of sight
Grid (aka Gridiron) Network of steel I beams supporting
elements of the system used to raise and lower scenery Located just below roof of fly loft Provides primary support for the weight of
the scenery and curtains being flown.
Proscenium Fly Systems
Fly Systems Key operating principle- counterbalancing In simplest terms- pulley is attached to
grid, rope is fed through and ties to scenery, stagehand pulls on free end of rope and raises scenery If load is too heavy a sandbag is tied to
free end of rope as counterbalance
Proscenium Fly Systems
Proscenium Fly Systems
Rope Set Same as rope and pulley, but with 3 or more
lines instead of one Ropes support a batten or pipe Ropes pass over loft blocks which direct
them to the side of the stage house a grooved pulley, mounted on top of the grid, used
to change the direction in which a rope or cable travels
Rope Set Fly System Lines pass over head block then down to fly
gallery or stage floor and tied off on pin rail Head block- several pulleys in one Fly gallery- elevated walkway for pin rail Pin rail- horizontal pipe or railed with belaying pins,
individual ropes are tied off on individual pins
Proscenium Fly Systems Counterweight System Steel cables instead of ropes Tied off at top of counterweight arbor or
carriage instead of pin rail A metal cradle that holds the counterbalancing
weights Balance the weight of the scenery When batten is lowered to stage, arbor raises
to level of loading platform a walkway, suspended just below the grid, where
counterweights are loaded onto the arbor
Counterweight Fly System
Proscenium Fly Systems
Motorized flying systems Safest Lift capacity between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds This is what our proscenium theatre has Automatic- push a buttonManual- crank a winch
Some are computer controlled
Proscenium Stage Drapes All drapes are designed to mask the
backstage area from the spectators to block the audience’s view
Grand Drape (aka main curtain, main drape, or grand drag) The curtain that covers the opening of the
proscenium Can be flown or traveled to move horizontally relative to the stage floor, as
with a drape that opens in the middle and is pulled to the sides
Proscenium Stage Drapes
Grand Valance A teaser or border made up of the same
material as the grand drape, used in conjunction with the grand drape it masks scenery and equipment just upstage of proscenium arch Teaser- a short horizontal drape used for masking
the flies Border- Wide, short, framed or unframed cloth
drops suspended over the stage to prevent the audience from seeing above the stage
Proscenium Stage Drapes
False Proscenium A rigid framework covered with drapery
material that is used to adjust the height and width of the prosc. arch. Sometimes unframed drapes are used. Hard teaser- the horizontal element Tormentors- the vertical flats that form the
side elements Flats- a framework made of wood or metal
covered with fabric or thin plywood
Proscenium Stage Drapes
Show Portal False proscenium designed for a specific
production Legs Narrow, vertical stage drapes used for
masking wings used in conjunction with horizontal borders
Proscenium Stage Drapes
Sky drop (aka sky tab) A large drop made to be hung flat, without
fullness or pleating, used to simulate the sky Traditionally painted blue, now made from
unbleached muslin so lighting designer can use light to create sky color appropriate to mood and concept of the production
Cyclorama (aka “Cyc”) A large drop used to surround the stage With side tabs or curved ends
Proscenium Stage Drapes Scrim A drop made from translucent or transparent
material Sharkstooth scrim An open-weave material used to make
transparent scrims Light from front is reflected back to viewer-
fabric appears opaque When objects behind scrim are lit, fabric
becomes transparentWhen the scrim is also lit, objects behind are still
visible, but become hazy and less distinct
Thrust Stage
Audience on 3 sides Dates back to Medieval and Restoration
stages Modern movement away from proscenium
which some directors felt was limiting Most scenery has to be against or close to
the upstage wall
Thrust Stage Equipment
Lighting grid Network of pipes from which lighting
instruments are hung, usually directly above the stage Can have additional hanging positions
above the house/audience A location where lighting instruments are placed
Dead hang To suspend without means of raising or
lowering
Arena Stage
Audience on 4 sides Another step in development of intimate
actor-audience relationship Audience is closer to action than in the
other to configurations Lighting grid instead of fly loft Usually covers auditorium as well as stage
Black Box Theatres
Created as a reaction against the artistic confines of more formal types of stage space Flexible Staging Can have audience on one, 3, or 4 sides Can be changed depending on the design
and concept of the current production Lighting Grid
“Found” Theatre Spaces
Housed in structures that were originally designed for some other purpose Frequently converted into black box
theatres Generally small spaces- intimacy Lower production costs Less expensive than building a new
theatre
Stage Directions