Stage
Directions
Objectives
•To understand and practice body positioning
•To become familiar with the areas of the stage
•To use movement to create expression of thought,
feeling and character
•To plot and execute stage directions
Moving On Stage
Onstage- the part of
the stage that is visible
to the audience.
Offstage- the part of the
stage that is NOT visible
to the audience.
Moving On Stage
Cheating out- playing toward the audience
while seemingly conversing with others on stage.
Gestures- movements of parts of the body, such
as shrugging your shoulders.
Upstaging- drawing the audience’s attention to
yourself when it should be focused on another
character.
Muscular Memory- having an action appear
effortless and natural due to repeating the
movement many times.
Stage Business
 Stage Business- any small action that the actor
performs without major movement.
 If your character continually knits or is forever
whittling a piece of wood this reveals something
about his or her nature.
 Specific actions such as toasting bread indicates what
time of the day it is.
Stages used to be raked so
audience could see all of the
actors.
Raked: slanted
Now stages are flat and audiences raked
to improve sightlines.
Sightlines:imaginary lines indicating visibility of stage areas
Downstage stronger than
upstage!
Stage left/right:ACTOR’S left or right as he faces the audience.
Backstage: behind the stage; out of view – also known as the wings
House: Where the audience sits
Strongest acting area is downstage and stage
right so most important scenes done here and
major characters settle here.
Downstage: area towards the audience.
Upstage: area away from audi., towards back
Full front: facing to audience straight on.
Full back: completely turned away from the
audience.
Quarter turn: halfway
between full front
and stage left/right
Three quarter turn:
halfway between
full back and
stage left/right
Profile: sideways to
the audience
When to use body
positions?
quarter turn (strong)
Having a conversation with
another actor
Three quarter turn (weak)
Give strong focus to another
actor/scene
profile (weak)
Intense conversation point
Focus attention on others
Full front (very strong)
Monologues/asides to the audience
Full back (can be weak or strong)
Unusual circumstances only
BODY LEVELS
HIGH - standing on a step or an increment higher than another actor.
MEDIUM - sitting, kneeling, leaning forward, standing on a step
lower than another actor.
LOW - Sitting, lying on the floor.
STAGE PICTURE - is an appealing arrangement or grouping
formed on stage by performers.
BLOCKING - planning and working out the movements and
stage grouping for a play.
Crossing!
Cross:movement across the stage
Counter-cross: moving in the opposite
direction of an actor making a cross.
Types of Stages
Proscenium Stage - The
proscenium stage, with its grand frame,
is the most common of all types of
stages. The stage is surrounded by three
walls - leaving the 4th wall open.
Grapevine Theatre is a proscenium
stage.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Types of Stages
Thrust Stage - The thrust stage
comes in many different shapes, but
always juts out into the audience. The
audience sits on three different sides of
this stage.
Types of Stages
Arena Stage - The audience sits
around this type of stage. Sets must
allow for continuous movement
onstage and one that does not block
the audience viewing from any side of
the house.
How to write stage directions
DL X UR X C
UL (do 5 jumping jacks) X C (sing your ABCS) X CR
(spin in a circle 5 times)
Or
C (Stand Profile) X DL (Three Quarter Turn Right) X CL
(Full Back)