Theatre

AMERICAN THEATRE

Design/Directing/Acting

Stage Types

*Wilson, Edwin and Alvin Godfarb. Theatre: The Lively Art. McGraw-Hill, New York. 1991.

Theatre Spaces

Proscenium (Picture-Frame):

name comes form the proscenium arch (the frame that separates the audience from the stage

fourth wall: because the stage is set back in the midst of three wall, the proscenium arch can be considered the fourth wall separating stage from audience

the auditorium seats (or house) are on a slant (a rake)

Scenery is general hung by rope or cable on a series of parallel pipes and can raise and dropped (flown); these are called flies

The Thrust Stage:

The stage is thrust into the audience, which wraps around

Arena Stage (In the Round):

Stage is in the center

No fourth wall (frame or barrier separating audience from the stage) which creates a kind of intimacy

Black Box:

a space that can converted for the needs of the production

usually small and intimate

Scene Design

Scene designer’s objectives:

1. Help set tone and style

2. Establish locale and period

3. Provide a central image or metaphor

4. Solve practical design problems

Physical Aspects of the Stage:

1. Line: outline or silhouette of elements on stage (ex: predominantly curved lines vs. angular lines)

2. Mass: Overall bulk or weight of scenic elements

3. Composition: the way elements are arranged

4. Texture: The “feel” projected by surfaces or fabrics (ex. slickness of glass or crown vs. rough quality of brick)

5. Color: shadings and contrasts of color combinations

Design Styles:

Like art, stage design prescribes to a variety of different schools. Some designers may opt for a “realistic” while others may decide on a more “expressionistic” atmosphere.

Costume Design

Costume Designer’s Objectives:

1. Tone and Style

2. Historical Period and Locale

3. Nature of the individual characters or groups: stations in life, occupations, personalities, et. al.

4. Show...