Tech theatre exam #3

2d scenery

Non weight bearing scenery, primarily used as background

Drapery

2d scnery- curtains, legs, borders, act curtains, cycs, and scrims

Built scenery

Mostly flats

Flat

Rectangular frames covered with lightweight material often used to create walls

Stock flats

Flats with standard sizes determined by the theaters dimensions

Height

Typically in even numbered, 2 foot increments to reduce waste

Width

Best practice is to use 6 inch increments

Maximum width

Generally, 4 feet for ease of storage and movement

Jogs

Narrow flats less than 1 foot wide used to create architectural details, like columns or beams

Headers

Flats placed above door openings or on the floor for window openings

Flat materials

Typically built from one by three or one by four lumber

Rails

Top and bottom pieces, full width of the flat

Stiles

Side pieces fits between the rails

Toggles

Internal cross supports placed every 4 feet on center

Corrugated fasteners

For hard covered flat

Keystones and corner blocks

For soft covered flats

Scabs (keystones)

Trapezoidal pieces of plywood used to join stiles to toggles

Corner blocks

Triangular pieces of plywood used to join rails to styles

Hard covered flats

Covered with utility plywood

Soft covered flats

Covered with unbleached cotton, Muslin

Broadway style

Covering attached to the width of the framing material

Hollywood style

Covering attached to the thickness of the framing material

3d scenery

Weight bearing scenery, anything that can be stood or climbed on

Types of 3d scenery

Platforms, ramps, and rakes

Platform purpose

To elevate actors, enhanced visibility and suggest spaces

Triangular platforms

Used to force action on a diagonal the strongest movement

Frame

2×4 lumber framed on the edge

Top

¾ inch plywood

Fiber board

Sound dampener, cushion the platform

Hardboard (Masonite)

Provides a durable and paintable surface

Profiling

Adding material to the edge of a flat to change its dimension or shape

Booking a flat

Folding a flat in half for storage or transportation

Scabbing

Joining flats from behind using strips of plywood

Footing

Placing a foot against the base of a scenery to prevent sliding

Floating

Allowing air resistance to cushion the fall of scenery

Nailer

Piece of wood attached to the stage floor for securing scenery

Stage Jack

Triangular shaped flat used to support scenery

Stiffener

Device used to keep flats aligned

Hog trough

L-shaped piece of lumber used as a stiffener or nailer

Dutchman

Strip of Muslim used to hide seams and prevent light leaks

Casters

wheel assemblies that make platforms mobile

Wagon

A platform mounted on casters

Fixed based casters

Allow movement in one plane

Swivel based casters

Allow movement in any direction

Caster plate

Piece of lumber used to attach casters to a platform

Jackknife stage

Wagon that pivots 90° from a storage position to a playing position

Slip stage

System of multiple wagons that roll on an offstage

Revolve/turntable

Rotating platform used for multiset staging

Tabling

Carrying an object flat