A green room is a designated area in a performance venue where performers can relax when they are not on stage. It’s usually separated from the stage and the audience so the performers can talk and do other things without being overheard the audience. This area is typically furnished with couches and chairs, as well as reading materials, food, and beverages. It’s also a popular hangout spot after the show.
Area for Recreation
A green room, unlike a dressing room — another popular hangout spot — is not equipped for on-stage preparations and is intended solely for enjoyment. It’s also not usually built with the intention of being a peaceful and quiet space; it’s more of a gathering spot. Actors who require silence before taking the stage usually seek out other areas of the venue where they can concentrate or meditate.
Characteristics
Video monitors are commonly found in modern green rooms, allowing actors to prepare for their on-stage appearances. A separate intercom is frequently used so that staff members can communicate with the actors. Guests and presenters often meet in the green room before a performance on television shows, allowing them to get to know each other or reacquaint themselves before appearing in front of an audience. Due to a lack of space, some smaller theaters do not have green rooms.
The Term’s Origins
The term’s origins are unknown. The True Widow, a play written in 1678, is thought to be the first time the term “green room” was used to refer to a backstage waiting area. Many theories have been proposed to explain the term, but two stand out as the most likely. Some actors practiced in a room filled with plants and topiary during the Shakespearean era because the plants provided humidity, which was thought to be beneficial to the voice. When you consider that not all theaters have space for plants, this explanation seems less likely.
The term’s most likely origin is the color green’s traditional association with actors. Many actors staged plays on “the green,” or grass, and some stages were draped or covered in green material. The stage was dubbed “the green” because the actors wore green costumes. Because the color green is associated with actors, and the green room can be a private place for them to socialize, calling it the “green room” would have distinguished it from other rooms that served a different purpose, such as dressing rooms, and emphasized that the green room was only for actors.