Technical Worksheets Terms

• Proscenium – The proscenium stage is called the “picture frame” stage and is the most common type of stage configuration. The audience watches the action, which mostly takes place upstage of the proscenium arch (opening), and where the rigging is located.
• Thrust – A thrust stage may or may not have a proscenium arch, but most of the performing area extends out and the audience sits on threes sides of the stage.
• In the round – Theatre where the audience sits on all asides of the stage.

• Grid – A steel or wooden grating over the stage, capable of allowing a person to walk on. Channel iron – Steel in a “ [ “ shape and used to construct the floor of the grid. Spaces between the steel allow ropes or cables to pass through the openings.
• I-Beam – Theatre that does not have a grid, but may have pulleys attached to the bottom of large I-beams.
• Subway grading – A walk able grid that is constructed of steel or aluminum grated panels instead of steel channel iron.

• Single purchase – A type of mechanical counter-weight system with a steel pipe batten suspend by steel cables. Steel counter-weights are used to counter-balance the load on the batten. System usually operates from the stage level. (See drawing below).
• Double purchase – A type of mechanical counter-weight system with a steel pipe batten suspend by steel cables. Steel counter-weights are used to counter-balance the load on the batten. System usually operates from a catwalk above the stage level. (See drawing below).
• Dead hung – An arrangement where the battens do not move but instead are suspended by cables or chain attached directly to the steelwork above the stage. Pin rail – A rigging system that uses ropes and sandbags to suspend the battens.

• Batten – A steel pipe (bar) on which scenery, curtains, or lighting instruments can hang.
• Counter weight arbor – A metal frame on which the steel counter weights are placed in order to counter-balance the weight of anything placed on a batten.
• Trimmed Height and Trimmed Width – It is common for the height and the width of the stage (proscenium opening) to be reduced using either scenery or curtains (legs and borders). These reduced dimensions are referred to as the trimmed height and trimmed width.

• The BATTENS are the pipes that are suspended by the cables
• The COUNTER WEIGHT ARBORS are the frames that hold the counterweights
• Both drawing show I-BEAM construction (no GRID). If there were a GRID it would be on top of the I-Beams.
• Some theatres may not have a LOADING GALLERY (the catwalk above the stage floor that is shown in both drawings)