Thrust stage biography

Stage that extends into the audience on three sides

"Open Stage" redirects here. For the theatre at the University of Melbourne, Australia, see Open Stage, Melbourne.

In theatre, a thrust stage (a platform stage or open stage)^[1] is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its upstage end.

A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between performers and the audience than a proscenium, while retaining the utility of a backstage area. This is in contrast to a theatre in the round, which is exposed on all sides to the audience, is without a backstage, and relies entirely on entrances in the auditorium or from under the stage.

Thrust stage biography example

Entrances onto a thrust are most readily made from backstage, although some theatres provide for performers to enter through the audience using vomitory entrances. As with an arena, the audience in a thrust stage theatre may view the stage from three or more sides.

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