A. Stage
In theatre, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in stagecraft) is a
designated space for the performance
of theatrical productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a
focal point for the members of the audience. As an
architectural feature, the stage may consist of a platform (often raised) or
series of platforms. In some cases, these may be temporary or adjustable but in
theaters and other buildings devoted to such
productions, the stage is often a permanent feature. Stage is a designated
space for the performance
of theatrical productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a
focal point for the members of the audience.
There
are several types of stages that vary as to the usage and the relation of the
audience to them.
1.
The proscenium
stage.
In this type is the most common form found in the West, the audience
is located on one side of the stage with the remaining sides hidden and used by
the performers and technicians. The audience directly faces the stage—which is
typically raised several feet above front row audience level—and views only one
side of the scene. Since the Italian Renaissance,
the most common stage used in the West has been the proscenium stage which may
also be referred to as a picture frame stage. The primary feature is a
large opening known as the proscenium arch through which the audience views the
performance. The audience directly faces the stage—which is typically raised
several feet above front row audience level—and views only one side of the
scene. This one side is commonly known as the invisible fourth wall of the
scene. The proscenium arch evolved from the proskenium in Ancient Greek
theatres. This was the space in front of the skênê
or backdrop where the actors actually played.
The first indoor theatres were created in French tennis courts and
Italian Renaissance palaces where the newly-embraced principles of perspective
allowed designers to create stunning vistas with buildings and trees decreasing
in size toward a "vanishing point" on the horizon. Stage floors were
raked upward slightly from front to back in order to contribute to the
perspective illusion and also to make actors more visible to audiences, who
were seated on level floors. Subsequently, audience seating was raked, and
balconies were added to give audiences a fuller view. By the end of the 19th
century most stages had level floors, and much of the audience looked down on,
rather than up to, the stage.
Advantages of the proscenium stage:
a.
The numerous advantages of the
proscenium stage have led to its popularity in the West.
b.
Many theatrical properties and
scenery may be utilized. Backdrops, curtains and lighting can be used to
greater effect without risk of rigging being visible to the audience.
c.
Entrances and exits can be made
more graceful; surprise becomes possible.
d.
The actors only have to
concentrate on playing to the audience in one direction.
May be similar to proscenium stages but with a platform or
performance area that extends into the audience space so that the audience is
located on three sides. A thrust stage is one that extends into the audience on
three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its up stage
end. A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between the audience and
performers than a proscenium,
while retaining the utility of a backstage area. Entrances onto a thrust are
most readily made from backstage, although some theatres provide for performers
to enter through the audience using vomitory
entrances. An arena, exposed on all sides to the
audience, is without a backstage and relies entirely on entrances in the house
or from under the stage.
As with an
arena, the audience in a thrust stage theatre may view the stage from three or
more sides. If a performance employs the fourth wall, that
imaginary wall must be maintained on multiple sides. Because the audience can
view the performance from a variety of perspectives, it is usual for the blocking, props and scenery to receive thorough
consideration to ensure that no perspective is blocked from view. A high backed
chair, for instance, when placed stage-right, could create a blind spot in the stage left action.
Advantages of thrust of stage
A thrust has
the benefit of greater intimacy between the audience and performers than a proscenium, while
retaining the utility of a backstage area.
3.
Stage or theatre in
the round.
The audience is located on all four sides of the stage. The fourth
type of stage incorporates created and found stages which may be constructed
specifically for a performance or may involve a space that is adapted as a
stage. This method of stage design consists of a stage situated in the centre
of the theatre, with the audience facing it from all sides. The audience is
placed quite close to the action which provokes a feeling of intimacy and
involvement.
Disadvantages of in the round
stage
a.
Scenery that does not obscure
actors and the rest of the stage from parts of the audience.
b.
Backdrops and curtains cannot
be used, thus the director must find other ways to set the scene
c.
The actors need to ensure that
they do not have their backs turned to any part of the audience for long periods
of time, in order to be seen and heard clearly.
4.
Black Box.
Now this one is interesting. The venue where the performance is held
is literally rectangular shaped and painted in black. It's really like entering
a giant black box! There are no fixed seating. That means you configure the
audience according to the stage set up. The ONLY Black Box that I know of and
have been there is The Actors Studio.
Stage
or pulpit gets to refer to:
a.
Bandstand (theatre),
hall for fashioned theatrical production
b.
Theatre, art branch
parades, often at conceive of bandstand
c.
Bandstand (sport),
structure for seat to stop the show in sporting contest, usually races
d.
Bandstand (politics),
pulpit for member delegation passes on
its view before one general election
e.
Reviewing stand, pulpit
to raise something in distance near upstairs its vicinity
B. Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive
style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer
to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or
other circumstances represented or described, or to a particular style of clothing worn to portray the wearer as a character or type of character other than
their regular persona at a social event such as a masquerade, a fancy dress party or in an artistic theatrical performance.
Costume categories:
1.
Theatrical costume.
One of the more prominent places
people see costumes is in theatre, film and on television. In combination with
other aspects, theatrical costumes can help actors portray characters' age,
gender role, profession, social class, personality, ethnicity, and even
information about the historical period/era, geographic location and time of
day, as well as the season or weather of the theatrical performance. Often,
stylized theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character; for
example Harlequin and Pantaloon in the Commedia dell'arte.
2.
National costume.
National costume or regional costume expresses local
(or exiled) identity and emphasises a culture's unique
attributes. It is often a source of national pride. Examples of such are a Scotsman in a kilt or a Japanese person in a kimono.
3.
Holidays and festivals.
The wearing of costumes has become
an important part of such holidays and festivals as Mardi
Gras
and Halloween (see Halloween
costume
for more information), and (to a lesser extent) people may also wear costumes
in conjunction with other holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. Mardi Gras costumes usually take
the form of jesters and other fantasy characters, while
Halloween costumes traditionally take the form of supernatural creatures such as ghosts, vampires, pop culture icons and angels. Christmas and Easter costumes
typically portray mythical characters such as Santa
Claus
(by donning a santa
suit
and beard) or the Easter
Bunny
by putting on an animal costume. Costumes may serve to portray various other
characters during secular holidays, such as an Uncle
Sam
costume worn on the Independence day for example.
In Judaism, a common practice is to dress up
on Purim. The Jews celebrate the change of
their destiny. They were delivered from being the victims of an evil decree
against them and were instead allowed by the King to destroy their enemies. A
quote from the Book
of Esther,
which says: "On the contrary” is the reason that wearing a costume has
become so popular among the Jews on this holiday.
4.
Children costume.
Costumes also serve as an avenue for children to
explore and roleplay. Children can dress up in various forms; for example
characters from history or fiction like pirates, princesses or cowboys, common jobs like nurses or police
officers, or animals such as those seen in zoos or farms.
