Theater seating is a style of commonly used event layout, comprised of chairs aligned in consecutive straight rows, generally facing a single direction. It is sometimes called stadium seating or auditorium seating. Here we explore the types of events during which theater seating is best to use, standard setup formats, a variety of customizations you can implement to achieve your events objectives, and some advantages and disadvantages of this unique seating arrangement.
- Types of Theater Seating
- Events that use Theater Seating
- Advantages of Theater Seating
- Disadvantages of Theater Seating
- A Visual Guide to Theater Seating
- How to Create Theater Seating in Social Tables
What is theatre seating called?
Seating and audience – Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown, Maryland, showing the stage, proscenium and seating All theaters provide a space for an audience. In a fixed seating theatre the audience is often separated from the performers by the proscenium arch. In proscenium theaters and amphitheaters, the proscenium arch, like the stage, is a permanent feature of the structure.
- Stalls or arena (in North America, “orchestra”): the lower flat area, usually below or at the same level as the stage. The word parterre (occasionally, parquet ) is sometimes used to refer to a particular subset of this area. In North American usage this is usually the rear seating block beneath the gallery (see below) whereas in Britain it can mean either the area in front near the orchestra pit, or the whole of the stalls. The term can also refer to the side stalls in some usages. Derived from the gardening term parterre, the usage refers to the sectioned pattern of both the seats of an auditorium and of the planted beds seen in garden construction. Throughout the 18th century the term was also used to refer to the theater audience who occupied the parterre.
- Balconies or galleries: one or more raised seating platforms towards the rear of the auditorium. In larger theaters, multiple levels are stacked vertically above or behind the stalls. The first level is usually called the dress circle or grand circle. The next level may be the loge, from the French version of loggia, A second tier inserted beneath the main balcony may be the mezzanine, The highest platform, or upper circle, is sometimes known as “the gods”, especially in large opera houses, where the seats can be very high and a long distance from the stage.
- Boxes ( state box or stage box ): typically placed immediately to the front, side and above the level of the stage.
How are seats arranged in a theatre?
Theatre style seating, as the name implies, mimics the seating of a movie theatre. Chairs are placed in parallel straight rows with aisles between them. Attendees face forward toward the stage or main speaker. This seating arrangement is one of the easiest to set-up and therefore one of the most common.
What are the 3 main sections of seating in the theater?
Broadway Theater Seating Sections – Most Broadway theaters have three sections, namely, orchestra, front mezzanine, and rear mezzanine. There are some smaller theaters, like the August Wilson, that have only two, orchestra and mezzanine. There are box seats on either side of most theaters too for patrons looking for a private theater viewing experience.
How many seats are in a theatre?
Like most movie theaters, a standard movie theater has rows of seats that face a large screen. The number of seats in a movie theater can vary, but most have between 200 and 300 seats. Some movie theaters have more than one screen, which means they can show more than one movie at a time.
In most auditoriums, the seating capacity is 150 people, with large ones and medium ones having even more. A large auditorium in a modern multiplex in a city typically seats between 150 and 250 people. This movie theater in Madrid is the world’s largest with an auditorium seating 996 people. The average movie theater seat capacity is somewhere between 200-300 people.
THX (formerly known as Lucas Electrical) produces audio/video sets. Polyurethane foam is commonly used to fill the seat filling. Velvoline, trevira, and alveolanobis are the most common fabrics for upholstery. At Panasonic IMAX Theatre Darling Harbour, there is a fixed projection screen measuring 35 feet by 6 meters and the world’s largest IMAX screen.
In a small drama theatre, there are usually 50 to 300 seats, with the exception of 400. Despite the fact that digital films are still sent via hard drives to theaters via the digital file format, known as DCP, they are still converted into DVDs. Stalls seats are located on the stage’s ground floor. Stall seats are typically considered some of the best seats in the theater due to their close proximity to the stage.
If you sit in the first few rows of stalls seats, you may be able to see a performer blink on stage as well as touch the stage. Theater seating, as the name implies, is a type of seating arrangement in which chairs are aligned in straight rows and face the same direction at the same time.
What are the best seats in a theatre called?
Premium Seats – Alluded to in their name, premium seats are usually regarded as the best seats in the theatre. Often, they’re not the closest seats to the stage. Typically, premium seats are a few rows back from the stage in the middle of the row, allowing audience members to see the entire stage without missing any action.
What is a row in theatre?
New Seating Plan 2022 – In 2016 Glenbroook Cinema commenced replacing many of the 25+ year-old cinema seats in selected rows. On Wednesday 20 July 2022 Glenbrook Cinema replaced the last remaining old cinema seats as follows: * D Row – Replacing 16 old seats with 15 new seats * E Row – Replacing 16 old seats with 15 new seats * F Row – Replacing 11 old seats with 10 new seats * M Row – Replacing 8 old seats with 8 new seats The configuration of F Row changed.
- Instead of entering in the middle of F row, the 10 new seats are centred in the row and patrons will be able to enter from either end of the row.
- F Row seats are now set further back from the safety rail to allow more room to move in and out of the row.
- The two wheelchair spaces are at each end.
- Being off to the sides, patrons seated in high wheelchairs and walker seats will no longer be blocking the direct line of sight to the screen for patrons seated in G Row (the row behind).
The new seats are slightly wider than the old seats, hence the reduction of the number of seats in each row. The new seats are the same style seats as the seats currently located in H, J and K rows which have been progressively installed over the past 5 years ago.
Where are the best theatre seats?
Movie Theater Seats: Front or Back – Let’s first settle this debate. It’s safe to say that the back is better. If you take the chance of sitting in the front row, your neck will probably start to feel sore looking directly up at a movie screen. You don’t want to ruin your movie-going experience with a bad neck.
How many rows are in a theatre?
Potential theater seating layouts are governed first and foremost by various rules and regulations from local, state and federal jurisdictions. For example, fire regulations will address aisle widths and the number of potential seats per row, and the number of rows allowed before the insertion of a “horizontal” aisle.What are the 9 parts of a stage?
See also – Anatomy of a Theatre ACOUSTIC SHELL (also known as BAND SHELL or CHORAL SHELL). A hard smooth curved surface which is designed to reflect the sound from the stage towards the audience. Some venues have shells which can be removed / repositioned or flown out of view to change the acoustics of the venue for different types of event.
- ACT DROP Victorian stretched framed and painted canvas.
- Used as a visual stimulation during scene changes, and to indicate that there was more to come (the end being indicated by the HOUSE TABS).
- There are believed to be only two operational today – an original one at Gaiety Theatre, Isle Of Man, and a 1996 reproduction at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
Term now used to refer to any front cloth or tabs lowered during intervals. Especially pantomime / musicals. In ballet, the act drop permitted pre-interval curtain calls to take place. Gaiety Theatre Her Majesty’s Theatre ACT NUMBER INDICATOR An indicator board visible to the audience on the proscenium arch of a theatre used for variety performances which showed the Act Number so the audience could tell who was on stage (after referring to their printed programme).
One type of board used replaceable numbers which were replaced by hand, another type used a paper scroll containing the numbers which was advanced either mechanically or electrically. The most popular type used an array of light bulbs which were illuminated in patterns to depict the numbers. AISLE A passage through seating.
AMPHITHEATRE Circular or oval open-air theatre with a large raked seating area (often semi-circular) sloping down to the stage. Originates from ancient Rome where vast amphitheatres were built for spectator sports and games. APRON The Apron is a section of the stage floor which projects towards or into the auditorium.
- In proscenium theatres, it’s the part of the stage in front of the house tabs, or in front of the proscenium arch, above the orchestra pit.
- Also known as Forestage,
- If an apron stage extension is added to an existing traditional proscenium arch theatre, this often results in poor sight lines from seats that are higher in the auditorium, leading to audience members having to lean forward in an attempt to see.
German: vorbühne (literally, forestage). ARENA Form of stage where the audience are seated on at least two (normally three, or all four) sides of the whole acting area. See END ON, THRUST, IN THE ROUND. AUDITORIUM The part of the theatre accommodating the audience during the performance.
- Sometimes known as the “house”.
- From the Latin Audio – “I hear”.
- German: Zuschauerraum BACKSTAGE The part of the stage and theatre which is out of the sight of the audience.
- The service areas of the theatre, behind, beside or underneath the stage.
- Also refers to the personnel who work in the technical departments that work to create the performance, alongside the actors and musicians.
German: Hinterbühne BALCONY (US) American term for the Circle – upper level in the auditorium. BASTARD PROMPT CORNER Used when the Prompt Corner is Stage Right instead of the usual Stage Left.
What are the parts of a play called?
Plot – A plot is a sequence of events within a play that tells a story. Essentially, a plot is what makes a story. Five components make up a plot: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution-conflict and theme help drive the plot forward. Although characters are introduced in the exposition part of the plot, a cast of characters is not a component of the overall structure.
Exposition – Introduces the setting, characters, and the story’s primary conflict. Rising Action – Begins after the introduction of the conflict and carries most of the story’s details. It builds intensity as it progresses toward the climax. Climax – The most intense part of the plot. The conflict is at its most intense moment. Falling Action – After the conflict has reached its peak, the story begins to wrap up. Any other minor disputes are now resolved. Resolution – All loose ends of the story have been resolved. The story concludes.
What are the rooms in theatres called?
House – The house can refer to any area which is not considered playing space or backstage area. Outside the theatre itself this includes the lobby, coat check, ticketing counters, and restrooms. More specifically, the house refers to any area in the theatre where the audience is seated. This can also include aisles, the orchestra pit, control booth, balconies and boxes,
Orchestra or Orchestra Pit : In productions where live music is required, such as ballet, folk-dance groups, opera, and musicals, the orchestra is positioned in front and below of the stage in a pit. The pit is usually a large opening ranging from 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m) wide, 20–40 feet (6.1–12.2 m) long and 6–10 feet (1.8–3.0 m) deep. Some orchestra pits have lifts or elevators that can raise the floor of the pit up to the same height as the stage. This allows for easier movement of instruments among other things. Often an orchestra pit will be equipped with a removable pit cover which provides safety by eliminating the steep drop off and also increases the available acting area above. In most cases, some sort of lattice or sound port is built into the front of the orchestra pit, to allow audience members in the front rows to hear the music while still having a wall to keep them separated from the orchestra. The orchestra pit is the closest to the audience. Auditorium : The section of the theatre designated for the viewing of a performance. Includes the patrons main seating area, balconies, boxes, and entrances from the lobby. Typically the control booth is located in the back of the auditorium, although for some types of performance an audio mixing positing in located closer to the stage within the seating. Vomitorium : A passage situated below or behind a tier of seats. Control booth : The section of the theatre designated for the operation of technical equipment, followspots, lighting and sound boards, and is sometimes the location of the stage manager’s station. The control booth is located in the theatre in such a way that there is a good, unobstructed view of the playing area without causing any (or minimal) distraction to the audience (i.e. preventing distracting light leak or noise), and is generally an enclosed space. Catwalks : A catwalk is a section of the house hidden in the ceiling from which many of the technical functions of a theatre, such as lighting and sound, may be manipulated.
What’s the average size of a theatre?
How Big Is A Small Theatre? – An average size theatre normally seats about 50 – 300 people, but can seat up to 400 if needed.The stage does not have its own stagehouse and is therefore surrounded by the audience.Typically, these small theaters contain an actor/audience who have an unusual or special relationship.
What is theatre terminology?
Glossary of Theatrical Terms
Term Definition Stage Left The left hand side of the stage when looking from the stage towards the audience. Stage Right The right hand side of the stage when looking from the stage towards the audience. Stalls Floor level seating for the audience. What are the box seats in theatres called?
In a theatre, a box, loge, or opera box is a small, separated seating area in the auditorium or audience for a limited number of people for private viewing of a performance or event.
What is the difference between circle and stalls?
A summary of words used in London Theatre and on this site. Those seeking definitions of more technical terms might like to visit www.theatrecrafts.com for more information. Stalls: Seats at ground floor level, in front of the stage. The sixth to eighth rows generally offer the best views.
In London Theatres the most legroom is generally found here. This site reviews each theatre by name. Dress Circle: Seats in the first balcony offering some of the best views in the theatre. Some theatres call this the Royal Circle or similar. Check on this site under theatre descriptions. Legroom is often cramped here.
Check each theatre listed for details. Upper Circle : Seats in the second balcony. Mostly quite high up and sold at similar prices to the rear stalls. Again this area sometimes gets a different name. Legroom is often cramped here. Again, check each theatre listed for details.
- Balcony or Gallery : Seats in the third level balcony.
- Not all theatres have them.
- Where they do, they are very high up – often 100 feet or more from the stage, vertically! The audience is caged in behind elaborate safety bars.
- Legroom is often cramped here.
- Once more, see each theatre listed for details.
Boxes : Small private rooms built into either the space beside the stage, either between the stage front and the rest of the theatre; or else built behind or to the side of the main blocks of seating, recessed into the wall. The front of these private rooms opens onto the theatre, and seats are placed near the opening to face the stage.
Often the seats are movable dining table type chairs – some people may find this more comfortable than conventional theatre seats, though the space can be limited around them. The view is often restricted as the boxes are often sideways to the stage, so you can’t see into the near corners or back of it.
Do note that seats in boxes are often individually numbered, and if you don’t buy all of them, then the other tickets will be sold to other people. House Seats : Tickets kept by the theatre until the last minute in case a visiting dignitary or friend of the producer wishes to see the show.
- Often good seats in the Stalls or Dress Circle, they can be offered to the public just before curtain up – if we are lucky.
- Returns : Tickets sent back to the box office by people unable to use them.
- For sold out productions, they are normally sold on the day of the performance direct from the theatre itself, traditionally from 10am.
A popular show will see a “returns line” form from around 5am – and some even sleep out overnight to ensure a ticket! When the seats returned to the box office are called “Mark backs” this means they were returned by an agency who was unable to sell them.
