Parts of a Stage
KNOWING YOUR WAY AROUND
Grand Drape
 Curtain that masks the acting area from the Audience. The
front curtain is opened at the beginning of the play and
closed between acts or scenes. It is usually a drawn curtain
that parts in the middle. Sometimes called the Main
Curtain or Grand Drape, it is usually a very nice, attractive
material.
Curtain Line
 The line marking the position of the curtain when
closed.
Apron
 Narrow acting area between the front edge of the
stage and the front curtain.
(Curtain Line)
(Curtain Line)
(Audience)
Proscenium Arch
 “Picture frame” for the opening of the stage
Grand Teaser
 Heavy curtain or canvas-covered wooden frame hung
above the proscenium opening to adjust the height of
the opening
 Helps mask (hide) lighting instruments
Grand Tormentors
 A set of curtains, usually the same color as the grand
drape used to regulate the width of the proscenium
opening
Traveler
 A stage curtain that closes all the way giving a
neutral black background.
Legs
 Drapes hung in pairs, stage right and left, behind the
tormentors to mask (hide) the backstage
Borders
 Short curtains hung at intervals above the acting
area to mask (hide) lights and scenery from the
audience
Cyclorama (Cyc)
 Background curtain covering stage back and sides.
Usually, it curves around the sides a little. It is often
used for special lighting effects
Scrim
 A drop made of fabric that seems almost opaque
when lit from the front and semi-transparent when
lit from behind.
SCRIM
Battens
 Long pipes from which curtains, lights, or flats are
hung
Electrical
 A pipe suspended about the stage, equipped with
outlets for lighting instruments.
Flat
 A canvas covered wooden frame used for scenery
Storage Loft
 An area used to store flats, door units, or other pieces
of scenery.
Flies
 Area above stage where scenery is hung out of view
Fly
 To raise or lower scenery
Line
 Each individual batten that can be raised or lowered
Pinrail
 A rail on the fly gallery wall. The area from which the
flies are operated.
Counter-Weight System
 A system of lines and weights that gives mechanical
advantage to raising or lowering
Gridiron (Grid)
 Framework of beams above the stage; supports
riggings for flying scenery
Lighting Bay
 Where the stage lights are stored above the audience
.
Trap
 Opening in the stage floor
Wings
 The wings are a part of the stage deck but offstage
out of sight of the audience.
 The wings are usually masked by legs.
 This is the area where an actor waits before making
their entrance.
House
 The house is where the audience is seated.
Orchestra
 The first level of seating in all auditoriums.
Mezzanine
 The second level of seating in a three-seating level
auditorium.
Balcony
 The third level of seating in a three-seating level
auditorium.
Petite Balcony
 The fourth level of seating in a huge theatre with four
levels.
Call Board
A Backstage bulletin board that contains important information for the cast.
It also will contain a sign-in sheet for when cast member arrive for rehearsals.
Green Room
 A waiting area offstage for actors to sit.
Dressing Room
 Small rooms offstage where actors get into costume
and apply makeup.
Assignment
 Go on an online Scavenger Hunt and find an
example of each of the things we talked about today.
Put it in a power point with the name of the
picture at the top of the slide!
Parts of the Stage / Acting Areas
 Adapted from textbook pages 154-156 (“Acting Areas”), Figures 9-6 & 9-7
BACKSTAGE
UR
(Upstage Right)
(Curtain)
UC
(Upstage Center)
UL
(Upstage Left)
OFFSTAGE
OFFSTAGE
R
(Stage Right Center)
DR
(Downstage Right)
C
(Center Stage)
DC
(Downstage Center)
(Curtain Line)
Apron
(Audience)
L
(Stage Left Center)
DL
(Downstage Left)
(Proscenium
Line)