The layout of a proscenium arch stage

Summary

In this video, Alsager Community Theatre explores the intricacies of the proscenium arch stage, explaining several technical terms used in such theater settings. The host offers insight into the layout and features of this traditional stage design, from the raked stage and grid divisions to the vital roles of the wings, prompt desk, and flying system. The video delves into the historical background of the proscenium, its impact on performances, and the various stage elements like aprons, legs, borders, and drapery used to enhance or modify the performance space.

Highlights

• The proscenium arch creates a 'picture frame' effect around the stage, separating the audience from the performers 🎨.
• Terms like upstage, downstage, USL (upstage left), and more are crucial for maneuvering on stage 🎭.
• The prompt desk, usually on stage left, plays a vital but often overlooked role in theater productions 🎤.
• Wings are hidden areas where actors and set pieces wait before coming on stage and are essential for smooth transitions 🎭.
• Flying systems and curtains like legs and borders help hide lighting and equipment, maintaining the illusion of the performance 🎪.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the basic layout of a proscenium arch stage helps appreciate theater performances more deeply 🎭.
• Proscenium stages use a grid system for actor positioning, often described using terms like upstage and downstage 🎭.
• These stages offer flexibility in design, allowing for hidden set changes and use of space 🎭.
• The proscenium arch separates actors from the audience, creating a 'fourth wall' effect which can enhance or hinder engagement 🎭.
• Learning these terms can provide insight into the technical and creative aspects of theater production 🎭.

Overview

Welcome to the fascinating world of proscenium arch stages, a traditional setup that creates a 'picture frame' for theater performances. The audience is strategically seated in front of the stage for optimal viewing, with the rest of the sides reserved for performers and crew access. This configuration, while classic, does bring unique challenges and opportunities for creativity.

The video dives into the technical jargon that comes with proscenium arch theater productions. Terms like 'rake', 'upstage', 'downstage', and the grid system underscore the importance of precise actor choreography. Meanwhile, devices like prompt desks and wings serve crucial roles in keeping the performance seamless, offering hidden spaces for transitions.

Moreover, the proscenium stage boasts an intricate setup above and beyond the visible to the audience, from flying systems to cleverly placed drapes like legs and borders. These components not only enhance the visual impact but also facilitate quick set changes, allowing for dynamic performances. Such layers of complexity make the proscenium arch not just a stage, but an essential character in theatrical storytelling.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Proscenium Arch Theater The introduction chapter provides an overview of the technical terms used in proscenium arch theater. It explains the setup of the performance space, where the audience is seated on one side, and the other three sides are used for cast and crew access. The chapter also mentions the stage design, which can be either flat or sloped towards the audience, with the slope being technically termed a 'rake.' The gradient of the rake varies depending on the auditorium's design.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Raked Stage and Terminology The chapter 'Raked Stage and Terminology' explores the concept of raked stages in theaters where the audience seating is tiered or sloped to ensure better visibility. The origin of terms like 'upstage' and 'downstage' is discussed, which historically referred to sloped stages but now correspond to specific areas of the stage. The stage is typically thought of as being divided into a three-by-three grid, with each section identified by acronyms (e.g., USL for upstage left), which can differ but generally retain the same meaning.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Stage Directions and Layout The chapter explains the terminology used in theater stage directions and layout. It emphasizes the perspective of the actor when referring to directions such as 'stage left' and 'stage right'. The chapter also discusses strategies for dividing wider stages into grids for more detailed directional guidance. Additionally, it touches on alternative nomenclature for sides of the stage, highlighting the use of terms like 'opposite prompt' and 'prompt side'.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Prompt Desk and Proscenium Arch The chapter discusses the concepts of the 'prompt desk' and the 'proscenium arch' in theater settings. It touches briefly on the role of the prompt desk, noting it is typically located in the stage left wing, and mentions the term 'bastard prompt corner' if the desk is moved. The chapter further explains that the proscenium arch serves as a frame that separates the audience from the performers, facilitating a clear distinction between the stage and the audience area.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Stage Movement and Actor Positioning The chapter titled 'Stage Movement and Actor Positioning' explores the challenges of using a specific type of stage that requires careful planning to make the production look acceptable from one side. It emphasizes the unnatural positioning and movement of actors that must be addressed during rehearsals. A key point is that actors should never just stand still without a deliberate reason. Furthermore, this chapter discusses the drawback of certain stages where the audience might feel disconnected from the performance due to the staging approach.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Stage Elements and Flying Tower This chapter explores the concept and function of the 'fourth wall' in theater, explaining how it creates an invisible barrier through which the audience views the performance while maintaining the natural flow for actors. The chapter highlights how breaking this wall can make performances appear forced and unnatural. Additionally, it discusses the design of the stage and how it allows for maximum flexibility in accommodating set pieces, actors, and equipment, enabling a seamless production. It also notes the origin of the term 'proscenium,' rooted in Greek language.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Curtains and Masking Techniques This chapter explores the terminology and application of stage elements, specifically focusing on the 'prosky neon' from Greek theater which translates to 'foreground'. In ancient Greek theater, 'proscenium' referred to the stage area in front of the background, unlike modern interpretations of a proscenium arch. The text transitions to discussing the 'apron' of a stage, which refers to the part of the stage that extends beyond the main area. The distinction between an apron and a thrust stage is also highlighted, with the primary difference being the position relative to audience, as in a thrust stage the audience surrounds more of the stage.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Backdrops and Artistic Techniques The chapter titled "Backdrops and Artistic Techniques" explores the various components and techniques used in theater productions to enhance the visual aesthetic and functionality of the stage. It focuses on areas like the 'wings,' which are spaces on either side of the stage allowing for efficient management of props and actors, including quick costume changes. The chapter also delves into the technical aspects of stage production, such as the flying system and the revolve, hinting at a broader discussion about the complex mechanisms like the flying tower that support live performances.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Revolve and House Tabs The chapter 'Revolve and House Tabs' begins with an exploration of the space above the theatre stage, which is more complex than it first appears. It introduces the concept of the 'flying system,' a crucial component for theatre productions. This system allows for the efficient addition or removal of set pieces, props, and cloths. It's also utilized to house LX or lighting bars above the stage. To maintain the aesthetic and functionality of the stage, strategically placed curtains are used, particularly the vertical ones known as 'legs' that mask the wings of the theatre.

The layout of a proscenium arch stage Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 hello in this video I'm going to talk about some of the technical terms used in proscenium arch theater I hope to present a healthy selection of turns although this is not a complete guide so let's begin with the performance space or stage in a pro sarch arrangement the audience is seated on one side of the stage with the other three being devoted to cast as a crew access depending upon the design of the auditorium or house it is often known the stage will either be flat or sloped towards the audience the technical term for such a slope is a rake the gradient of a rake will vary
• 00:30 - 01:00 from theater to theater in venues that have a flat stage the audience will be raked or tiered the aim with most rake designs is to improve the view for the audience it seems to have been this raked stage design that gave rise to the positioning terms upstage and downstage although these terms no longer refer exclusively to a pro such layout the stage is typically divided into a three by three grid each square is given a name to describe its location these acronyms can vary but their general meaning is the same for instance USL means upstage left CS
• 01:00 - 01:30 means center stage and DSR means downstage right stage left and right refer to the actors perspective looking out at the audience thus while left and right appear to be the wrong way around on this diagram wider stages can be divided into a five by three grid in this case the letter e standing for extreme may be added to describe the outer columns another system of naming the stage sides calls stage right opposite prompt and stage left prompt side referring to the location of the
• 01:30 - 02:00 prompt desk in the wings I'll leave the role of prompt desk for another video there is more to the job than the name suggests however the Proms desk is nearly always situated in the stage left wing in the event that it is moved to stage right I believe that the Opie and PS labels do not switch around instead to the term bastard prompt corner is introduced onto the proscenium arch itself the props for short this construction creates a frame around the action on stage and separates the audience from the actors this arrangement is one of the easiest to
• 02:00 - 02:30 work with as the production only has to look acceptable from one side however this type of stage can result in unnatural positioning and movement of actors which must be accounted for during the rehearsal process HAP's the worst example of this would be having the actors simply walk to a point on stage and they're not moving at all until their exit that doesn't mean that you should never keep a character still but there should always be a deliberate reason behind it instead of just lazy blocking another drawback of Prasad stages is that the audience can feel alienated from the performance the
• 02:30 - 03:00 prophets elf creates an invisible fourth wall through which the audience watch the show but the actors can't always talk through and thus break this wall otherwise the performance can start to look unnatural and forced in theory the precise design allows for the maximum amount of space for set-pieces actors and equipment to hide unseen thus allowing a great level of flexibility in a production design a side note the word proscenium comes from the Greek okay I'll try to pronounce it but don't laugh
• 03:00 - 03:30 prosky neon a little translation from Greek means foreground Greek theaters didn't tend to have proscenium arches as we know them the word proscenium referred to the stage itself which was in front of the background just as the Prasad is in front of the stage moving on we come to the apron a term which refers to any area of the stage that extends in front of the profs the main difference between an apron and a thrust stage is that the audience is still only
• 03:30 - 04:00 seated on one side of the stage hidden behind the profs are the wings these are an open space on either side of the stage where actors props and set pieces can wait out of sight quick costume changes may also take place here if an actor doesn't have time to get back to their dressing room the controls for the flying system and revolve are also situated to somewhere either in or above the wings now I'll come back to the revolve later but the mention of the flying system allows me to move on to talking about the flying tower there's quite a bit more to a pro sart stage
• 04:00 - 04:30 than meets the eye above the stage there is a large space occupied by the flying system we'll cover this topic in more detail in a later video but the basic purpose of a flying system is to facilitate the quick and easy relatively speaking addition or removal of cloths props and set pieces it also houses the LX or lighting bars that are suspended above the stage to hide all this space and equipment a set of strategically placed curtains I used the vertical ones masking the wings are called legs and
• 04:30 - 05:00 the ones that are hung horizontally above the stage are called borders they mask the flying and lighting systems in some theaters a third set is hung at right angles to the legs these are called tabs and they masked the wings in houses where the audience is seated at such a wide angle that the legs alone won't do the job going back to the legs and borders for a second I should mention that these are not always made of fabric they can be made of wood in which case these whole constructions are called portals which can be utilized as decorative frames my apologies for not
• 05:00 - 05:30 redrawing the borders on this diagram portals do I'd think replace both the legs and borders here I forgot to redraw the latter next we come to the large black opaque drapes that cover the width of the stage the research I've done says that these are called bat cloths however in practice I've never heard them called this name I've only ever heard them referred to as blinders and as this isn't as easy to confuse with the name given to another theatrical cloth and more details coming up this is the name
• 05:30 - 06:00 I will give them they are used to block the audience's view of anything upstage of them regardless of the lighting setup frequently they will be used to hide the back wall of the theater but can also be moved further downstage to mask a scene change a substitute for a blinder is to use a star cloth with its lights turned off a side note a star cloth is a blinder that has either LEDs or fiber optics sewn into it to produce bright specks of light backtracking a little
• 06:00 - 06:30 another way to hide the back wall is to hang a side Kurama in front of it this is a white flat or concave curtain which can be either lit or projected onto suggesting scenery or sky some theaters may bring their psyche to use the short-term downstage allowing the venue to double up as a cinema filling gaps in the schedule when there aren't any shows in another way of indicating scenery or location is to fly in a backdrop this was the term I was trying not to confuse with backcloth earlier a backdrop is a painted curtain
• 06:30 - 07:00 that can be used to complete or complement a set in some productions a location may be visited only briefly a complete set change would be overkill or even totally impractical for such a short scene so a backdrop can be flown in by itself to give an indication of location a variant of the backdrop is a cut cloth these are usually made of the same material perhaps incorporating some gauze as well I'll explain gauze in a moment however instead of covering the width of the stage the cloth has been cut to a
• 07:00 - 07:30 desired shape they can be placed downstage of a backdrop to enhance the setting by producing a layered effect I realize this diagram is getting quite crowded there isn't much more to go a gauze is a thin cloth which when lit from the front appears opaque but when backlit becomes transparent these can be used to make a character suddenly appear on stage in a spotlight instead of having them walk on next we have the revolve okay stop laughing revolves are not usually shaped like potatoes a revolve is a circular
• 07:30 - 08:00 turntable that facilitates quick scene changes by spinning the set around as far as I know these only exist in flat price arches if you know of a rake to revolve somewhere do leave a comment and finally for this video we have the house tabs although in some theaters they are referred to as the grand curtain they are hung immediately behind the pro sarch and are often used at the start end and sometimes interval of a production some are flown in vertically from a flying bar others part in the middle and travel
• 08:00 - 08:30 horizontally into the wings in fact there are quite a variety of ways to set up and operate them but they all perform the same function of presenting a fourth wall and hiding the stage there are many more points that I could go into more detail about however this video is long enough already if you know of any other technical theatrical terms used in Prasanthi etre feel free to leave a comment as always take care and we'll catch you later