[MIDTERM] Types of Theater

Question 1

• It is what we usually think of as “theater”.
• Its primary feature is the proscenium, the playing area of an end stage.

Answer 1

Proscenium Theater

Question 2

• A stage surrounded by audience on 3 sides.
• The fourth sides serves as the background, often a square or rectangular playing area, usually raised surrounded by raked seating.

Answer 2

Thrust theatre

Question 3

• A stage extended wall to wall.
• Backstage is behind the background wall; there is an entrance located there.
• Example is a music hall.

Answer 3

End stage

Question 4

• These have a central performance area enclosed by the audience on all sides.
• The arrangement is rarely ‘round’: more usually the seating is in a square or polygonal formation.
• The actors enter through the aisles or vomitories between the seating.
• Scenery is minimal and carefully positioned to ensure it does not obstruct the audience’s view.

Answer 4

In the round theater

Question 5

• These theaters are large-scale auditoria and have a central stage area with audiences on all sides, similar to theathres in the round.
• The stage are is usually rectangular, more like a sports area, with tiered seating.

Answer 5

Arena theatre

Question 6

• These are flexible performance spaces which when stripped to their basics are a single room painted black, the floor of the stage at the same time level as the first audience row.
• Usually these spaces allow for the temporary setup of seating in a number of different configurations to enable a wide variety of productions to be presented.

Answer 6

Flexible theater/Black box

Question 7

• These usually consist of a raised rectangular platform at one end of a room. They can either have a level or raked sloping floor. The audience sit in rows facing the stage.

Answer 7

Platform stage

• They are often used in multi-purpose halls where theatre is only one of the space’s uses.
• Where the stage is open and without curtains, they are sometimes known as end stages/open stages.

Question 8

• They are similar to circuses and have a central circular arena surrounded by concentric tiered seating.
• Deep pits or low screens often separate the audience from the arena.

Answer 8

Hippodrome

Question 9

• The audience is often place on risers to either side of the playing scene, with little or no audience on either end of the stage.
• Actors are staged in profile to the audience.
• An example would be a basketball arena (Barba, Toledo).

Answer 9

Profile theatre

Question 10

• These are outdoor theatres that do not have a roof, although sometimes parts of the stage or audience seating will be covered.
• These stages may make use of the natural light as it changes during the day, particulary sunset.

Answer 10

Open air theatre

Question 11

This type of theater is usually performed in a non-traditional theatre space such as pub, home, or warehouse, often reflecting the history, atmosphere or experiences of a particular location.

Answer 11

Site-specific theatre

Question 12

In theatre, ____ is the precise staging of actors in order to facilitate the performance of play, ballet, film or opera.

Answer 12

Blocking

Question 13

Stage Left is the actor’s ____; Stage Right is the actor’s ____.

Answer 13

left; right

Question 14

It is towards the audience.

Answer 14

Downstage

Question 15

It is towards the back wall of audience.

Answer 15

Upstage

Question 16

It is the running line from the back of one side of the proscenium arch to the other proscenium.

Answer 16

The Plaster Line (PL)

Question 17

• Anything the audience can see on the stage is ____.
• Anything on the stage but out of the audience view is ____ or ____.
• ____ are the sides of the stages.

Answer 17

• On-stage
• Off-stage/backstage
• Wings

Question 18

It is the space above the stage.

Answer 18

Fly Loft/Scene House

Question 19

The part of the stage located downstage of the proscenium is called the ____.

Answer 19

Apron (sometimes called the Thrust)

Question 20

The audience seating is ____ or the ____.

Answer 20

Auditorium/House

Question 21

What is the strongest position of the stage?

Answer 21

Front and center

Question 22

What is the entrance to a theater called?

Answer 22

Foyer (contains a box office where tickets are purchased)

Question 23

What is are under a stage called?

Answer 23

Orchestra pit (sunken are from w/c the orchestra plays)

Question 24

It is the movements and activities of the actors on stage during the performance. It involves props where the actors are not just acting, they are using the props in a scene.

Answer 24

Stage business

Question 25

What is the difference between blocking and stage business?

Answer 25

Blocking is the specific arrangement of actors and scenery on the stage, while stage business is the non-verbal movement and activity of the actors during a performance.