THE STAGES

THE USUAL ARRANGEMENT OF ACTING AREAS IN AN

OUTDOOR THEATER IS A LARGE MAIN STAGE AND TWO SMALLER
SIDE STAGES IN FRONT OF THE PROSCENIUM WALL AND TO THE
RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE MAIN STAGE. THIS PLAN ALLOWS FOR
FLEXIBLE AND CONTINUOUS ACTION SINCE, BY TAKING A SCENE
OFF TO ONE OF THE SIDE STAGES, IT PERMITS THE TECHNICAL
CREW TO CHANGE A SETTING ON THE MAIN STAGE. THUS, THE
PLAY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BROKEN AT ANY POINT, EXCEPT FOR
THE INTERMISSION.
THESE FEATURES ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THE MAIN (CENTRAL)
STAGE:
1. A LEVEL 3 IT ABOVE THE BASE OF THE LOWEST ROW OF
SEATS IN THE AUDITORIUM.

2. A PROSCENIUM OPENING OF ABOUT 70 FT

3. A DEPTH OF ABOUT 40 IT FROM THE LINE OF THE

PROSCENIUM WALLS. (THE APRON IN FRONT OF THIS LINE
SHOULD BE AS NARROW AS POSSIBLE).

4. PLENTY OF WING SPACE-AT LEAST 50 FT-AT EACH SIDE OF

THE ACTING AREAS.

5. A HEIGHT FOR THE PROSCENIUM WALL ON EACH SIDE OF THE

OPENING OF 16 TO 18 FT AND OF A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO
MASK FROM THE AUDIENCE ALL ACTIVITY BACKSTAGE.

6. AN APPEARANCE FOR THE PROSCENIUM WELL WHICH IS

SIMPLE, NEUTRAL, AND THOROUGHLY IN KEEPING WITH BOTH
THE NATURAL SETTING OF THE THEATER AND THE STYLE OF
THE PLAY BEING PERFORMED (LOG, BOARD, STONE, OR
BRICK).
7. LEVEL GROUND, WELL DRAINED AND PREFERABLY
SURFACED WITH EITHER CEMENT OR ASPHALT (WHERE
SCENE CHANGING DOES NOT REQUIRE A SMOOTH CLEAR
FLOOR, THE DANCERS CAN BE HELPED BY GIVING THEM
SEVERAL INCHES OF SEND AS A DANCE COVER). 8 SOME
AMPHITHEATERS HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A SECOND,
SLIGHTLY HIGHER, LEVEL WITH ONE OR TWO LONGITUDINAL
STEPS LEADING UP TO IT, ABOUT 20 FT UPSTAGE, IN AN
EFFORT TO INCREASE THE VARIETY OF ACTING SPACES
AVAILABLE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO
ITS EFFECT ON SCENE SHIFTING, DANCING, OR OTHER
THEATER USES BEFORE THIS IS INCORPORATED AS PART OF
THE PERMANENT DESIGN.

8. IN SOME CASES, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO INCLUDE

ANCHORING DEVICES FOR JACKS, FLANGES, AND STAGE
BRACES SUPPORTING HEAVY MOVABLE SCENERY SET
DIRECTLY AND PERMANENTLY INTO THE HARD SURFACE OF
THE STAGE FLOOR.

9. ELECTRICAL OUTLETS FOR STAGE LIGHTING AND FOR THE

CONVENIENT ATTACHMENT OF CABLE TO SPECIAL EFFECTS
SUCH AS CAMPFIRES.

10. CIRCUITS FOR AN INTERCOMMUNICATION SYSTEM

BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.

11. UNLESS A STEEP EMBANKMENT OR A CLUMP OF TALL

TREES CAN SERVE AS AN ACOUSTICAL BACKGROUND, A HIGH
WOODEN OR MASONRY WALL SHOULD BE ERECTED BEHIND
THE STAGE TO PROVIDE A SOUNDING BOARD AT THE REAR
OF THE ACTING AREAS. THERE SHOULD BE MASKING WINGS
FOR SIDE ENTRANCES ON THE MAIN STAGE AND FOR
MOUNTING OF LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND FOR CONVENIENT
SCENE SHIFTING SPACE A BACK WALL FOR A 70-FT.
THESE FEATURES ARE SUGGESTED FOR EACH OF THE TWO SIDE
STAGES (RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE PROSCENIUM OPENING):
1. A LEVEL 2 FT ABOVE THAT OF THE MAIN STAGE (5 FT ABOVE
THE BASE OF THE LOWEST ROW OF SEATS), WITH EASY
ACCESS FROM BOTH BACKSTAGE AND THE MAIN STAGE.
2. THE AREA COVERING A QUARTER OF A CIRCLE WITH A RADIAL
CENTER ON THE PROSCENIUM WALL OF THE MAIN STAGE,
STARTING ABOUT 30 FT BACK FROM THE OPENING (GIVING A
CUT-OF-PIE-SHAPED ACTING SPACE ON THE SIDE STAGE OF
ABOUT 30 BY 30 FT WITH THE CURVE TOWARD THE
AUDIENCE).
3. NO PROSCENIUM FRAME OF ANY KIND IS NEEDED FOR THIS
SIDE STAGE (THE PROSCENIUM WALL OF THE MAIN STAGE
FORMS THE REAR WALL FOR THESE SIDE STAGES).
4. THREE STEPS OR A RAMP AT THE FRONT CORNER TO
CONNECT THE AIDE STAGE WITH THE APRON OF THE MAIN
STAGE.
5. LEVEL GROUND DRAINED AND SURFACED LIKE THE MAIN
STAGE.
6. A DOOR OR CONCEALED PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING THIS
STAGE TO THE WING OF THE MAIN STAGE FOR THE USE OF
ACTORS.
7. CONSIDERABLE WORKING SPACE, RIGHT OR LEFT, BEYOND
THIS ACTING AREA FOR THE MANIPULATION, AND POSSIBLY
THE STORAGE, OF SCENERY AND PROPERTIES TO BE USED
ON THIS STAGE (IF THESE ARE TO BE STORED BACKSTAGE IN
A WING OF THE MAIN STAGE AND BROUGHT OUT FRONT
WHEN NEEDED AN ADEQUATELY CONCEALED PASSAGE
SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR THEM.)

CAREFUL THOUGHT MUST BE GIVEN TO THE FAT

BACKGROUND OF THE THREE STAGES. THE VIEW OF THE STAGE
AND BEYOND IT TO THE TREES OR DISTANT MOUNTAINS SHOULD
 BE ATTRACTIVE AND MOOD CREATING FROM THE MOMENT THE
SPECTATOR FIRST COMES INTO THE THEATER AREA.
THE BACKSTAGE AREA
IN THE WINGS:
1. THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF FREE SPACE FOR THE
ASSEMBLING OF ACTORS, THE ORGANIZING OF GROUPS, AND
THE MASSING OF CROWD VOICES FOR OFFSTAGE EFFECTS.
2. PROPERTY TABLES SHOULD BE PLACED IN LOCATIONS
CONVENIENT TO BOTH SIDES OF THE MAIN STAGE AND THE
ENTRANCES TO THE SIDE STAGES.
3. THERE SHOULD BE ADEQUATE SPACES FOR THE STORING
AND SHELTERING OF THE PORTABLE SCENERY UNITS AND
PROPERTIES.
4. THERE SHOULD BE PROPER DRAINAGE IN EVERY PART
5. ALL THE PERMANENT WIRING SHOULD BE RUN UNDER
GROUND WHERE IT CANNOT TRIP THE ACTORS OR INTERFERE
WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SCENERY AND PROPERTIES.
6. SOME CONTROLLED ILLUMINATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED
FOR BACKSTAGE OPERATIONS, WELL SHIELDED SO NO
DIRECT OR REFLECTED LIGHTING WILL BE SEEN BY THE
SPECTATORS
7. THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT SPECS FOR THE DRYING OF
SCENERY, COSTUMES, AND PROPERTIES THE MORNING
AFTER A RAIN
8. A BULLETIN BOARD FOR NIGHTLY DIRECTIONS TO ACTORS
AND TECHNICIANS SHOULD BE SET UP IN S FREE AND
CONVENIENT SPOT, A LITTLE AWAY FROM ANY OF THE MAIN
TRAFFIC LANES ONTO THE STAGE.
9. THERE SHOULD BE AN EFFICIENT INTERCOMMUNICATION
SYSTEM OVER WHICH MESSAGES CAN BE SENT FROM ONE
SIDE OF THE STAGE TO THE OTHER, FROM THE STAGE
MANAGER TO THE ELECTRICIAN, THE ORGANIST, AND THE
HOUSE MANAGER.
THE ORES BEHIND THE MAIN STAGE SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR
ANY LARGE OPERATION. THERE SHOULD BE NO LIGHTING HERE
EXCEPT WHAT MAY BE PLANNED FOR STAGE EFFECTS, AND ALL
TREES SHOULD BE LEFT STANDING TO MAINTAIN A GOOD
BACKGROUND SCREENING FOR THE STAGE PICTURES.
A SPACIOUS PASSAGEWAY SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR THE
ACTOR’S END TECHNICIANS WHO HAVE TO CROSS BEHIND STAGE
FROM ONE WING TO THE OTHER.