The apron of a stage is the front floor area of a stage, in front of the Proscenium Arch, when there is a stage area in front of the proscenium. Sometimes the apron is a temporary stage area that covers the Orchestra Pit.
The process of changing from one play's settings to another. This usually takes place within a repertoire system where a theatre has several plays running at the same time.
The centre line of a stage is an imaginary line that runs down the stage from front to back. It bisects and is square to another imaginary line called the Setting Line. The Centre and Setting lines are used as references when measuring the position of scenery.
A large rectangular area of cloth that is flown on a Fly Bar. It has ties along its top edge to tie it to a Fly Bar and a pocket in its lower edge for a pipe that helps to keep the cloth weighted and flat. It can be painted (canvas) or have its own texture (velvet, metallic etc.)
A framed cloth (usually canvas) that stands on the stage and is supported by a brace or another flat. It can be painted to represent scenery or its own cloth texture. Very large flats may be supported at the top by wires flown from bars, or may indeed be flown themselves.
A length of metal tube (usually 50mm/2" in diameter) suspended from a grid over the stage that can be raised or lowered by electric winches or a hand operated counterweight system. The bar usually run across the stage parallel to the proscenium arch and its length will be about the stage width. Scenery (Cloths and flats) and lights are hung from them.
The area above the stage that contains the fly bars and flying machinery of a stage that has flying capabilities. Typically the height of the fly tower is 2 to 3 times the height of the front of the stage opening.
A canvas cloth that is stretched over the floor and painted.
Scenery, cloths or framed cloths that are being used to mask or hide the workings of the stage and off stage areas.
Depressed area between the audience and stage, that often reaches back under the front of the stage. This is where the orchestra is positioned for musicals and operas.
An imaginary point positioned where the Centre Line bisects the Setting Line at the height of the stage where the Setting Line is drawn.
The Proscenium Arch is the opening between the auditorium and stage where the auditorium and the stage is divided architecturally.
Many older stage floors sloped down towards the audience. This is called a Raked floor and the angle of slope, or rake, is measured by the number of horizontal units it takes for one vertical unit measured in the direction of the slope. For instance, a rake of one horizontal unit to one vertical unit ( 1 in 1 ), would give an angle of 45° from the horizontal. Much too steep to walk on. Rakes of 1 in 18 up to 48 are more common. The idea of a rake is to improve the sight-lines for the audience, help them to see performers particularly in big scenes. A rake presents the performer to the audience. In more recent years designers have used rakes as steep as 1 in 7, great care must be taken to protect performers from injury when working on steep slopes.
A circular area of stage that can spin around its centre. It is used for various effects such as scene changes. A revolve may have two sets on it, one facing the front and the other facing the back. When a change is required the revolve is turned 180 degrees and the second set then faces the audience. A second use might be for a journey where the actors can walk against the turn effectively staying in the same place. There can be twin revolves (twin_revolve.osp) or concentric revolves (one in side the other) turning at different speeds or against each other.
A raised platform that is used as part of a setting. A commonly available rostrum in the UK is Steeldeck, this allows the use of different leg lengths making it both flexible and reusable.
A fire proof panel between the auditorium and stage directly behind the Proscenium Arch that fills the entire opening when winched down into place from the Fly Tower.
The setting line is an imaginary line that is drawn across the stage from the back of the Safety Curtain guide on one side of the stage to the back of Safety Curtain guide on the other side of the stage. This line is sometimes known as the Fireline. The Plasterline is a line drawn from the back of the Proscenium Arch and is consequently the width of the Safety Curtain down stage of the Fireline or Setting Line. The Setting Line is the furthest point downstage that scenery can be placed without special provision.
Imaginary lines drawn from extreme audience positions to define what areas of the stage that can be seen by that section of audience. They are used to check that entrances and performance positions can be seen by the whole audience. They are also used to check that Masking is effective.
The curtain that is raised to reveal the stage and settings at the beginning of a performance and is lowered to signal the end of a performance or act. In a Proscenium Arch theatre it is usually immediately behind the Safety Curtain.
A two dimensional image that is overlaid onto three dimensional geometry to give the impression of a texture in computer modeling. For example you might create an image of rusty steel and then lay it on a geometric model of a steel beam. The texture added to the shape gives us information about what the beam is made from and what sort of state it is in.
A channel on or cut into the stage floor through which a cable runs that is used to winch scenery on and off the stage.
Virtual Reality ModelingLanguage. A scene description language based on Silicon Graphics Open Inventor that contains data for environment, objects, cameras, lights and animation modeling. It was specifically developed for use on the Internet.