A proscenium theater is a type of performance space. A proscenium theater is defined several characteristics, and it is a very common theater layout; if you have ever attended a live performance, especially in a high school auditorium, chances are you have seen a proscenium theater. Aside from proscenium theaters, there are black box theaters, theaters with thrust stages, theaters in the round, and a variety of other stage and audience configurations.
The proscenium, an arch that frames the stage for the audience, is a classic defining feature of a proscenium theater. Furthermore, in a proscenium theater, the audience faces the stage directly, with no audience on the sides, and the stage is typically raised, allowing the audience to see more clearly. Modern proscenium theaters don’t always have a proscenium, but they’re still called “proscenium theaters” because they have the other features of this type of theater.
Proscenium theaters first appeared in the 1600s, and the 1700s, they had become extremely popular. A proscenium theater has some advantages, such as the fact that the stage does not have to be as open, allowing props, sets, and orchestras to be hidden in the wings or near the stage without being visible to the audience. The proscenium arch acts almost like a picture frame, giving the audience the impression that they are looking into a scene in a proscenium theater.
Curtains are used to conceal the stage during set changes and intermissions, rising up behind the arch to reveal the stage in traditional proscenium theaters. The apron is the area in front of the curtain that is always visible, and some performances are entirely performed on the apron. The wings, which are areas adjacent to the stage that are not visible to the audience and have steps that allow actors and crew to access the stage, are located behind the proscenium arch.
The proscenium design is considered restrictive some actors and crew members. Because actors do not need to play to a specific location for the audience to see them, the thrust stage allows for more natural staging because the audience surrounds a section of the stage. Black box theaters provide more flexibility than proscenium theaters, as well as a more intimate setting, whereas theaters in the round, in which the audience surrounds the entire stage, present unique and sometimes entertaining challenges and situations.