Set Design and Construction: Doors on stage

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Doors on stage

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2339
Printed Date: 11/23/24 at 8:28pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Doors on stage

Posted By: laurielu
Subject: Doors on stage
Date Posted: 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!

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Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Replies:

Posted By: Spectrum
Date 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.

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Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Posted By: laurielu
Date Posted: 4/07/07 at 12:33pm

Thanks for your insight, Spectrum!

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Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Posted By: Topper
Date 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).

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: teridtiger
Date Posted: 4/09/07 at 11:32am

Originally posted by Topper

Unless you're in Florida, then an exterior door opens inward. Hurricane code. :)