TYPES OF STAGING
Up Stage Right (USR) Up Stage Centre (USC) Up Stage Left (USL) Centre Stage Left (CSL) Down Stage Left (DSL) Centre Stage (CS) Centre Stage Right (CSR) Down Stage Centre (DSC) Down Stage Right (DSR) Audience
Up Stage Left (USL) Centre Stage Right (CSR) Down Stage Centre (DSC) Audience Complete the diagram of Areas of the Stage using both words (e.g. Down Stage Right) and letters (e.g. DSL)
Types of Staging Proscenium Arch End on (or Open stage) Thrust In the Round (or Arena stage) Avenue (or Traverse) Promenade
Types of Staging Proscenium arch
Proscenium and Apron
Thrust
End On
Theatre in the round
Avenue or Traverse
Promenade Acting Area 2 Acting Area 3 Acting Area 1 Audience
Thrust
Theatre in the round
Proscenium and Apron
Promenade Acting Area 2 Acting Area 3 Acting Area 1 Audience
Avenue or Traverse
Proscenium Arch The picture frame stage Curtains Creates an illusion of reality
In the round Set changes need to be made in front of the audience Intimate Small number of actors Needs scenery that does not obscure actors and the rest of the stage from parts of the audience. Backdrops and curtains cannot be used, thus the director must find other ways to set the scene.
In the Round … Lighting design is more difficult than for a Proscenium stage, since the actor must be lit from all sides without blinding nearby audience members. Entrances and exits must be made either through the audience, making surprise entrances very difficult, or via closed-off walkways, which must be inconspicuous. As a result, stage entrances are normally in the corners of the theatre. The actors need to ensure that they do not have their backs turned to any part of the audience for long periods of time, in order to be seen and heard clearly.
Avenue Full set or backdrop on two sides Good for productions showing a journey Two distinct locations
Thrust Set changes need to be made in front of the audience Actors have to play to three sides Huge cast
End On Set changes need to be made in front of the audience Huge set Huge cast
Promenade Audience walk from acting area to acting area Audience might sit on the floor Might be outdoors (e.g. Kirrie Kist)
Off stage (Wings) Off stage is the area that is to the sides or rear of the stage. It is here that actors might change costume or change character, for instance. It can also represent another place, such as a different room in a house, so an unseen character might shout through to the characters on stage. Some stage lighting might be sited here to light the stage in a particular way. Also in this area people who aren't performing might organise any set changes, props or sound effects
Split Stage The stage area is split into two or more areas - and each area represents a different place or different time. For example, a woman could be reading aloud the letter from her fiancée in the trenches telling her that things are not so bad, but the actuality of the situation is shown as his companion is shot and killed. The two scenes happen either together or separately to illustrate the truth of the war. The use of levels on a stage also make the performance area look more interesting, and can be used in many ways. Split staging can use two or more different levels, and the audience can see characters better if one group is behind the other
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