1. The three primary stage configurations
Proscenium
Thrust
Arena

2. Proscenium stage
Also known as the “picture frame stage” because the spectators observe the action through the proscenium arch

3. Proscenium stage
The proscenium arch is a direct descendent of the proskenium and skene of the Ancient Greek theatres
The arch separates the stage from the auditorium
The arch can vary in both height and width
The average theatre has an arch that is 18 to 22 feet high and 36 to 40 feet wide

4. Proscenium stage
The playing area behind, or upstage, of the arch is referred to as the “stage”
A stage floor needs to be firm, nonskid, paintable, resistant to splintering and gouging, and somewhat soundproof
While some productions utilize the space in front of the arch (known as the “apron”, the primary playing space is typically behind the arch

5. Proscenium stage The Wings
The spaces on either side of the stage are the wings
Wings are used for storage of scenic elements, props, and other equipment until they are needed onstage

6. Proscenium stage The Apron
Also known as the forestage, the apron is an extension of the stage from the arch to the audience
It can vary in depth from a narrow 3 ft. to as much as 15 ft.
The apron also extends up to 15 ft. beyond either side of the arch

7. Proscenium stage Orchestra Pit
Many proscenium theatres have an orchestra pit, which is almost always between the apron and the audience
It holds the pit band or orchestra during performances that need live music
Pits are generally the full width of the proscenium and can be 12 ft. wide
The pit needs to be deep enough so that the orchestra will not obstruct the audience’s view

8. Proscenium stage Orchestra Pit
Most theatres have found a way to cover the pit when it is not in use; some use removable floor boards so that the apron space can be used for non-musical productions
Some theatres use hydraulic lifts to raise and lower the pit

9. Proscenium stage equipment
Traps
Many theatres have “traps” cut into the stage floor
Traps are removable sections which provide access to the space beneath the stage
The holes can be filled with stairs, an elevator, a slide, or be left open
While traps are typically a feature of the proscenium stage, they can be found in thrust and arena stages as well

10. Proscenium stage equipment
Revolve
Also called a turntable or revolving stage, the revolve provides a visually interesting and efficient manner of shifting scenery
Many theatres have revolves built in to the stage floor
Les Miserables is a famous example of a production that uses the revolve in order to simulate the characters “walking” longer distances

11. Proscenium stage Fly Loft
The area directly over the stage is called the fly loft
Referred to as “the flies”, it is usually quite tall, at a minimum two and a half times the height of the arch
The height allows scenery to be raised out of sight of the audience

12. Proscenium stage
Fly Systems:
Rope Set
Counterweight

13. Proscenium stage Rope Set
Operates like a rope and pulley, except that it has three or more lines
The ropes support a batten
From the batten they run to the grid, where they pass over loft blocks, which lead them toward the side of the stage house
At the edge of the grid, the lines pass over the head block and then down to the fly gallery where they are tied off at the pin rail

14. Batten: a thick wooden dowel or metal pipe from which are suspended scenery and lighting instruments
Head block: a multisheave block with two or more pulley wheels, used to change the direction of all the ropes or cables that support the batten
Fly gallery: the elevated walkway where the pin rail is located, usually 15 to 20 ft. above the stage floor
Loft blocks: a grooved pulley, mounted on top of the grid, used to change the direction in which the rope or cable travels
Pin rail: a horizontal pipe or rail studded with belaying pins; the ropes of the rope-set system are wrapped around the belaying pins to hold the batten at a specific height
Stage house: the physical structure enclosing the area above the stage and wings

15. Proscenium stage Counterweight System
The counterweight system works on the same principle as the rope-set system and is much safer
The support ropes and battens have been replaced with steel cables
Instead of the cables being tied off at the pin rail, they are secured to the top of a counterweight arbor, or carriage
When the batten is lowered to the stage level, the arbor raises to the level of the loading platform just below the grid—thus allowing the counterweights to be loaded safely

16. Counterweight arbor: a metal cradle that holds the counterbalancing weights used in a counterweight flying system
Loading platform: a walkway, suspended just below the grid, where counterweights are loaded onto the arbor

17. Motorized Flying Systems
Proscenium stage
Motorized Flying Systems
Motorized rigging systems are generally used to fly heavy loads such as orchestra shells, light bridges, and so forth
There are three basic types of motorized flying systems: drum winches, line shaft systems, and counterweight-assisted systems

18. Motorized Flying Systems
Proscenium stage
Motorized Flying Systems
Drum winches
Drum winches are used to “dead lift” a load (lifting a load without counterbalancing)
They are usually located to one side of the stage
The cables are fed through a series of blocks up to the grid and down to the battens

19. Motorized Flying Systems
Proscenium stage
Counterweight-assisted
These motorized rigging systems replace the operating line of a hand-operated counterweight system with a cable that is driven by a drum winch
Motorized Flying Systems
Line Shaft
Line shaft rigging is another type of dead lift system
Mounted on the grid, these systems use a motor to drive a rotating shaft equipped with multiple drums
Depending on the length of the batten, the shaft will normally have between four and eight drums
Steel cable runs from each drum to support the batten
When the shaft is rotated, all the drums move simultaneously to raise or lower the batten

20. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes
The proscenium stage uses more drapery than the thrust and arena
Although they have specific functions, all stage drapes are designed to hide or “mask” backstage areas from the spectators
Stage drapes are usually made of black, light-absorbing material such as heavyweight velour

21. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes Grand Drape
The purpose of the grand drape (also known as the main curtain or grand rag) is to cover the opening of the proscenium. In theatres with a fly loft, this drape can usually be flown (vertically) or traveled (horizontally)

22. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes Grand Valance
Normally located just downstage of the grand drape, the grand valance is made of the same material as the main curtain. It is much shorter, however, usually only 8 to 12 ft. high. It is used to mask the equipment and scenery that are flown immediately upstage of the proscenium

23. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes False Proscenium Tormentor
the vertical flats that form the side elements of the false proscenium
Stage Drapes
False Proscenium
The false proscenium is located immediately upstage of the grand drape and valance. It is normally mounted on a rigid frameword.
The “flat” structures of both the hard teaser and tormentors are covered with thin plywood, which is then covered with a velour-type fabric. The primary purpose of the false “pro” is to mask
Hard teaser
the horizontal element of the false proscenium; usually hung from a counterweight batten so that its height can be adjusted

24. Show Portal
a false proscenium that visually supports the style and color palette of a particular production

25. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes Legs and Borders
Legs are narrow, vertical stage drapes that are used to mask the sides of the stage upstage of the arch. They are made of the same material as the other stage drapes. Borders, also called teasers, are short, wide, horizontal draperies used to mask flies

26. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes Sky Drop
Also known as the “sky tab”, the sky drop is used to simulate the sky. It is a large, flat curtain usually made of muslin or canvas. It is usually hung on a batten as far upstage as possible. After the 1960s, it became the lighting designers job to make the off-white muslin look like the sky (rather than paint it blue)

27. Proscenium stage Stage Drapes
A scrim is a drop made form translucent or transparent material.
When light is shone from the back onto the scrim, the scrim becomes transparent.
When light is shone on the front of the scrim, it appears to be opaque
Stage Drapes
Cyclorama
Also known as the “cyc”
The cyclorama is an expansion of the concept of the sky drop. Sky drops cannot surround the set with the illusion of vast expanses of open sky.
The “fly cyc” is made from one unbroken expanse of cloth. Sometimes scrims are used in conjunction with cycs and skydrops

28. Thrust stage
The thrust stage is not a new development.
From the Greeks through the Renaissance, audiences gathered on three sides of the playing stage to watch theatrical productions

29. Thrust stage
The stage of the thrust theatre projects into and is surround by the audience, so tall flats, drops, and vertical masking cannot be used

30. Thrust stage
The lighting grid in a thrust theatre is usually suspended over the entire stage.
Depending on the design, the lighting grid and instruments can be hidden from or in full view of the audience.

31. Thrust stage
Access to simpler grids is usually from a rolling ladder or scaffold placed on the stage.
More complex grids frequently have access from above to a series of catwalks and walkways

32. Thrust stage
Some thrust stages retain a vestigial proscenium arch on the upstage wall as well as a small backstage area.
Although battens are frequently “dead hung” and unable to be raised or lowered, some theatres have installed ratchet winches, rope sets, or counterweight sets to move the battens
Ratchet Winch
A device used for hoisting with a crank attached to a drum

33. Arena stage
The arena stage is an even more intimate actor-audience theatre than the thrust.
With the audience surrounding all sides of the stage, they are much closer to the action

34. Arena stage
The scenery used on an arena stage is extremely minimal so as not to block the sightlines of the audience.
Any design element must be carefully and accurately constructed because the audience is close enough to notice

35. Arena stage
As in the thrust stage, the space above the arena stage has a lighting grid that frequently covers not only the stage, but also the auditorium

36. Black Box Theatres Black box theatres allow for flexible staging.
Stage
Black box theatres allow for flexible staging.
Literally a blank, black box, this space can be transformed into a proscenium, thrust, or arena stage
Stage
Stage

37. “Found” Spaces
Supermarket
Found theatre spaces are housed in structures that were originally designed for some other purpose.
Almost any and every conceivable space can be and has been converted into a theatre space
Office building
Lumberyard
Library
Restaurant
Just to name a few…