Active Topics 
Memberlist 
Calendar 
Search 
Help
Register 
Login |
Active Topics Memberlist Calendar Search Help |
| Register Login |
| Set Design and Construction | |
 Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction |
 Topic: Doors on stage( Topic Closed) |
  |
| Author | Message |
|
laurielu
Walk-On 
Joined: 4/07/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
 Topic: Doors on stagePosted: 4/07/07 at 1:25am |
|
Which way should doors on the side of the stage open? On to the set or into back stage. Should the hinges be upstage or downstage? Or are there standards? Thanks!
|
|
|
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
|
|
 IP Logged |
|
|
Spectrum
Celebrity 
Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176 |
Posted: 4/07/07 at 10:05am |
|
Which way do doors swing on stage? It depends on what the purpose of the door is. If it is supposed to be an EXTERIOR door (a door leading to the "outside," like a typical front door), the door swings into the set. The hinges should be on the upstage side (or stage left if the door is on an upstage wall) if there is room to put a "background" behind the door to block the audience's view of "back stage." That way the audience will see who is coming through the door much sooner, since the door will have swung upstage of the actors standing at an opening door and not hidden by it.
If the door is an INTERIOR door (like a door from the living room setting to an "off stage" kitchen or bedroom), just the opposite should happen. The door swings out of the set with the hinges on the upstage side. Doing it that way allows the audience to see who comes through the door much sooner while at the same time using the door to mask the audiences sightline into whatever is "back stage."
Confusing? Just always make "outside" doors swing inward, and "inside" doors swing outward, and think in terms of what your audience will see (or not see) when determining which side the hinges should go and you will probably be okay.
|
|
|
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
|
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
laurielu
Walk-On
Joined: 4/07/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 4/07/07 at 12:33pm |
|
Thanks for your insight, Spectrum!
|
|
|
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
|
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
Topper
Celebrity
Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543 |
Posted: 4/08/07 at 12:45pm |
|
Spectrum is right, however, there are a couple exceptions to this rule:
If your "interior" set is a house, then a screened door or storm door (to a porch or backyard), is an exterior door that swings OUTward (towards off-stage). This is typical on most home construction in America.
If your "interior" set is an apartment, then the front door (to the hallway, foyer or common area) needs to swing INward (into the set). This is standard building code to prevent somebody from leaving their apartment, throwing open the door, and whacking somebody coming down the hallway with an armload of groceries.
I agree that hinges should always be placed UPstage, unless your goal is conceal something (like in a mystery or thriller, where the audience cannot see who is behind the door until the last moment).
|
|
|
"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
|
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
teridtiger
Star 
Joined: 10/24/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 69 |
Posted: 4/09/07 at 11:32am |
Unless you're in Florida, then an exterior door opens inward. Hurricane code. :)
|
|
|
IP Logged |
|
| |
||
Forum Jump |
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
|
