Stage Design Glossary

The section of the stage floor that extends past the proscenium arch toward the audience.

A horizontal pipe or bar suspended above the stage from which scenery, curtains, or lighting instruments are hung.

A simple, flexible performance space, usually a rectangular room painted black, allowing variable staging configurations.

The planned movement and positioning of performers on stage, typically charted on the ground plan.

A fly system that uses metal weights to balance the load of scenery on a batten, allowing it to be raised and lowered with minimal effort.

The appearance of performers at the end of a show to receive applause, often involving specific scenic and lighting cues.

A large curved backdrop, usually white, at the rear of the stage used to depict sky or receive projected light and images.

The area of the stage closest to the audience, originating from the era of raked stages.

A scaled, front-view technical drawing of a scenic element showing its height, width, and surface detail.

A lightweight scenic panel made of a frame covered with fabric or board, used to construct walls and vertical surfaces.

The tall space above the stage that houses the fly system, allowing scenery to be flown completely out of the audience's view.

A non-traditional venue adapted for performance, such as a warehouse, park, or abandoned building.

A loosely woven fabric that appears opaque when front-lit and transparent when back-lit, used for reveal and atmospheric effects.

A scaled overhead drawing showing the layout of all scenic elements, entrances, and furniture on the stage floor.

A performance style in which the audience moves through and interacts with the designed environment rather than sitting in fixed seats.

Curtains, flats, or scenic elements used to conceal backstage areas and equipment from the audience.

A raised, weight-bearing scenic structure used to create different acting levels on stage.

The architectural frame, typically an arch, that separates the stage from the auditorium in a traditional theater.

A stage floor that is angled with the back higher than the front to improve audience sightlines.

A detailed, colored illustration of the stage design showing how the finished set will appear under lighting.

The system of ropes, cables, pulleys, and counterweights used to suspend and move scenic elements above the stage.

A miniature three-dimensional representation of the set design used for design communication and approval.

The holistic practice of designing the visual, spatial, and environmental aspects of performance, encompassing set, lighting, and sometimes costume and sound.

A stage configuration that extends into the audience on three sides, creating greater proximity between performers and spectators.

The offstage areas to the left and right of the performance space, used for storage of scenery and actor entrances and exits.