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It has been suggested that Cyclorama (theater) be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) |
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It has been suggested that front curtain be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) |
Theater drapes and stage curtains are pieces of cloth that fully or partially cover a stage. They come in many different types.
The front curtain (also called a grand drape, act curtain, house curtain, house drape or main drape) hangs upstage of the proscenium arch. It is usually made from heavyweight material as its purpose is to hide the stage and muffle sounds. In smaller theatres, they usually consist of two curtains which part horizontally (known as a traveler). In larger theatres, they usually open vertically, disappearing out of sight into the fly tower. This style of opening is known as a guillotine reveal, after the famous execution tool. A single curtain which covers the entire opening by moving horizontally is called a wipe. A tab or tableau curtain gathers the two sections of fabric up and to the sides and usually forms a draped effect when it is opened.
The Austrian, braille or contour curtain is suspended from a "gridiron" and either raised or lowered by a counterweight system in order to expose, or close, the stage. It has a characteristic set of folds. The Venetian or profile curtain is similar in appearance to the Austrian drape, but each individual pleat can be flown independently, allowing the curtain to be opened to various heights or configurations.
Teasers and tormenters are horizontal and vertical curtains (respectively) that obscure portions of the stage and act to reduce the size of the proscenium. These can also be called legs or border
A scrim is curtain made of a special fabric that is opaque when lit from the front, but transparent when backlit.
A backdrop is a painted curtain that hangs in the back of the stage to indicate scenery..
A cyclorama or cyc is a large curtain that encircles the stage and provides a background.
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