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How to Make a Stage Smaller

Small stages can give a performer focus, and they can give the audience a sense of intimacy with the members of the cast. Making a stage appear smaller than it is can be quite easy. You can create the illusion of a small stage without having to do any major construction. Your lighting design, along with the way you use curtains and dividing panels, can help you achieve a smaller performance area.

Things You'll Need

  • Curtains
  • Lights
  • Divider panels or scrims
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Instructions

    • 1

      Open stage curtains only halfway to create a smaller playing area. If there is some stage surface in front of the curtains, consider leaving the curtains closed to create a narrow strip of playing area close to the audience.

    • 2

      Drop a scrim from the rafters of the theater to the stage floor to block off some of the upstage area. Wheel divider panels onto the stage to create a similar effect.

    • 3

      Set your stage lights so they illuminate only a small segment of the stage. Using the barn doors on your lights, angle them so the light is focused on just the area you want to use.

    • 4

      Place floor lights and audio monitors on the stage floor. They are normally placed flush with the front edge of the stage, but you can create a smaller playing area by placing them as far upstage as possible. Arrange them in a semicircle curving away from the audience, and use the area within the semicircle for your performance.

Stage Productions

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