Knowra Stage machinery Stage machinery Stage machinery is the mechanical equipment used to move scenery, performers, and other elements during theatrical productions. It includes systems above, below, and on the stage.
Fly system : A rigging system that raises and lowers scenery, lighting, or performers above the stage. Counterweights or powered lines lift scenery out of sight and bring it back on cue.
Proscenium : The architectural frame separating a stage from the auditorium in many theaters. Its opening and surrounding space shape where scenery can travel and disappear.
Scene change : A transition between theatrical settings, made by shifting scenery, lighting, or other stage elements. Machinery can make scene changes rapid, silent, and integrated into the action.
Ancient Greek theatre : The theatrical tradition of ancient Greece, including drama performed in outdoor civic theaters. Greek theaters used devices such as the mechane to introduce elevated figures.
Black box theater : A flexible performance space, usually a simple room with adaptable seating and staging. Its minimal fixed architecture contrasts with theaters built around permanent machinery.
Counterweight system : A theatrical rigging system that balances a suspended load with adjustable weights. Its balanced lines let crews move heavy scenery with relatively little force.
Fly tower : The tall space above a stage that houses suspended scenery and rigging. Its height determines how much scenery can be lifted clear of the audience's view.
Trapdoor : A hinged or removable section of a stage floor that permits passage through the stage surface. Traps enable entrances, exits, and effects from beneath the stage.
Mechane : A crane-like device used in ancient Greek theater to lift actors above the stage. The mechane is an early documented machine for theatrical performer movement.
Projection mapping : A technique that aligns projected images with the shapes of physical surfaces. Projected transformations can replace some moving scenery while leaving objects stationary.
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