Acting Positions on a
Proscenium Stage
Most of the time, you will be acting on a proscenium stage. That is a stage that has a large arch (proscenium arch) that frames the front-most portion of the acting area.
Almost all the acting takes place on the stage behind the area framed by the arch.
(This is the area with the various letter labels.) The shallow stage area in front of the arch is called the apron. The apron can also be used as an acting area.

"C" is the center of the stage.
"D" is "down" stage, meaning closer to the audience.
"U" is "up" stage, meaning closer to the back wall.
"R" and "L" are "stage right" and "stage left".
Stage right is the actor's right as the actor stands on the stage facing the audience. Stage left is the actor's left as the actor stands on the stage facing the audience. If the actor is facing up stage (toward the back wall), stage right and stage left are determined as if the actor were standing on the stage facing the audience. So the left side of the stage is always the left side. It doesn't change when the actor faces different directions. The right side of the stage is always the right side. It also doesn't change when the actor faces different directions.
A thrust theatre has audience members on three sides of the stage, leaving one side for taller scenery. It is sometimes called "three quarter round". The Ancient Greek and
Elizabethan stages were thrust stages; the major benefit of this style of stage is that it brings the actor into closer proximity with the audience. Three front rows along each of three sides of the stage means that many more audience members will be close to the actors. On the other hand, the areas for scenery storage and the methods of hiding scenic machinery are greatly reduced. Tall scenery (walls, backdrops) cannot be placed anywhere except on the one side of the stage where no one is seated. Theatrical illusion is greatly reduced on the thrust stage because most audience members will not see a framed theatrical event but will see both the events on the stage and across the stage to audience members seated opposite.
An arena stage has audience members seated on all sides of a square or circular stage. It is the oldest kind of performance space, dating back to ancient rituals probably before recorded history. No such buildings remain today; however, the circular orchestra found in the ruins of ancient Greek theatres point to older performance traditions before the construction of stone theatres. An arena theatre maximizes the connection between performers and audience, while minimizing the possibility for theatrical illusion. Many arena theatres have been built in the second half of the twentieth century; they include the
Arena Stage in Washington D.C. and Circle in the Square in New York City.