Overview

The three main types of stages are the proscenium stage, a four-sided stage built like a box with one side cut away; the arena stage, a stage constructed so that the audience can sit on all sides of a production; and the thrust stage, a stage that extends into the seating area of the audience. A performance space that cannot be classified as proscenium, arena, or thrust is called flexible staging. Nowadays almost anything (from a school cafeteria to a park) can be turned into a stage. The many places where plays can be performed lend credence to Shakespeare's old adage: “All the world's a stage.”

Before participating in a play, an actor needs to plan or be directed on how to move around onstage. Planning the movement for a play is called blocking. In order to block a play, an actor must learn an array of terminology, such as offstage, onstage, stage right, stage left, etc., that is based on the type of stage where the actor will perform. Body position, movement, and placement are keys to enhancing a play for its audience.