Stage Directions
Ever wondered which area of a stage is where?
The following stage directions might help.
You might also be interested in our general stage terms post.
Apron
The very front edge of the stage.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Centre stage
Middle area of stage.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Down stage
Portion of the stage closest to the audience. Comes from old stages that were raked or inclined and were actually lower at the edge closest to the audience.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Floats
The most downstage area. Where battens of up light or pyros are sited in the modern theatre. Called floats from times when a front stage trough was filled with water to create nautical effects.
Submitted by Matthew Abercrombie from Wheel
FOH
Front of House. Control position set up amidst the audience. A FOH Sound Engineer mixes the sound heard in the audience.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Green room
Communual room where band, cast and technicians relax when not working.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Pit
Slang: Orchestra pit. Usually a good place to stash empty road cases, or form a buffer between the audience and the band.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Proscenium
‘The Fourth Wall’: a picture frame through which the audience sees the play. A false proscenium is a secondary framing usually black but sometimes decorated to match scenery or architectural proscenium.
Submitted by Lesley from UK
Raked stage
A Stage with a permanent or temporary slope. Theatre stages were traditionally built with them, but more commonly now, the auditorium is raked to facilitate the audiences view.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Stage left
Side of the stage to your left if you are standing on the stage looking out to the audience.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Stage right
Side of the stage to your right if you are standing on the stage looking out to the audience.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Up stage
Portion of the stage farthest from the audience. Comes from old stages that were “raked” or inclined, and were actually lower at the audience edge.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
World
Guitar World, Monitor World, etc. Anything World means an area e.g. That case lives over there in Monitor World.
Submitted by Karl Kuenning RFL from Roadie Net
Tags: stage directions