theater-in-the-round
Audience surrounds performers
Theater-in-the-round is a staging arrangement where the audience surrounds the performance area on all sides, rather than viewing from one direction as in traditional proscenium theaters.
This configuration creates intimacy between performers and viewers, though it demands that actors project in all directions and that directors block scenes without favoring any single vantage point.
The format gained popularity in the mid-twentieth century as an alternative to conventional staging.
Primary performance area
- platformRaised flat structure
- apronWaist-tied protective garment
- vomitoryArena entrance tunnel
- entrancesOpenings for access, or beguiles
sightlines · blocking · revolving stage · trapdoor · flexible seating
State of being submerged
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- direct addressSpeaking to someone named
- shared spaceArea for collective use
- spatial awarenessSense of physical positioning
Turning on an axis
- peripheral awarenessIndirect sensory registration
- exit strategiesPlanned means of departure
central stage
Primary performance area
entrances · sightlines · blocking · revolving stage · trapdoor · flexible seating
immersion
State of being submerged
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- direct addressSpeaking to someone named
- shared spaceArea for collective use
spatial awareness · presentational · engagement · vulnerability · spontaneity
black box
Opaque system or device
- amphitheaterOpen-air tiered venue
rotation
Turning on an axis
- peripheral awarenessIndirect sensory registration
- exit strategiesPlanned means of departure
- arena theater360-degree view, open stage
- stagesbeginning, start, end, finish, middle
- black box theaterintimate space, bare stage, open floor, minimalist design
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