Staging

A definition… Staging is the position of the acting area in relation to the audience. The Acting area is the part of the available space occupied by the set and used by the actors when acting.

THRUST The audience is on three sides and the stage has an area that protrudes forward. Cumbernauld Theatre is an example of a thrust stage.

AVENUE The audience sits on two sides of the acting area. BlackWatch – award winning drama by Gregory Burke was presented by the National Theatre of Scotland in avenue staging in a variety of venues including the Fruitmarket and SECC.

THEATRE IN THE ROUND The audience sits on all four sides of the acting area. The Circle studio at the Citizens’ theatre is an example of theatre in the round.

END ON The audience is positioned in front of the acting area. The Tron theatre is an example of end on staging.

PROMENADE The action takes place in different areas and the audience move to follow it. Recently a play by David Leddy - Sub Rosa was staged as a promenade performance at the Citizens. The audience were taken all through the backstage area, corridors and rehearsal rooms as the action of the play unfolded.

PROSCENIUM ARCH The audience is positioned in front of the stage and the stage is “framed” Theatre Royal, Kings Theatre and Citizens all have proscenium arch stages.

Areas of the Stage The acting area is divided into nine sections. In this way actors/directors/stage managers/set designers, technicians etc. can identify the different parts of the acting space. USR USC USL CSR CS CSL DSR DSC DSL AUDIENCE

Upstage/Downstage When theatres were first established in the 1500s the majority of the audiences had to stand. Stages were built on a rake which meant they sloped down towards the audience, so actors up at the back of the stage would not be masked by actors at the front. upstage downstage

Upstage Right Centre Left Centre Stage Stage Downstage Audience