UpstageThe part of the stage farthest from the audience.
DownstageThe stage area nearest the audience.
Stage leftThe actor's left when facing the audience. The right side as the audience sees it.
Stage rightThe actor's right when facing the audience. The left side as the audience sees it.
Center stageThe area in the middle of the stage.
Proscenium archThe frame round the stage opening that the audience watches through.
ApronThe stage floor forward of the proscenium arch.
WingsOffstage areas at the sides, hidden from the audience.
HouseThe auditorium's seating area.
Front of the stage: 5 2
Orchestra pitA sunken area in front of the stage where musicians play.
Main drape (grand drape)The front curtain just behind the proscenium arch.
Wings and back: 4 3
LegsTall narrow curtains at the sides that hide the wings.
Cyclorama (cyc)A large curved backcloth at the back, often lit as sky.
TrapA hatch in the stage floor for quick appearances and exits.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) Pacific University, An Introduction to Technical Theatre, module 5, Our Stages and Their Equipment, https://commons.pacificu.edu/downloads/61qg8-geh81/006-Module5_0cccc935-04af-438f-bedb-a1775f5f03fa.pdf : directions from the actor facing the audience; downstage, mid-stage and upstage, each left, right and center; the apron in front of the proscenium arch, which may become an orchestra pit; the wings; legs and tormentors; the main or grand drape just behind the proscenium; cyclorama; traps; house right and house left for the auditorium; the fly loft. (2) Wikipedia: Stage (theatre), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_(theatre) (upstage, downstage, stage left and right, wings hidden by legs, the proscenium arch, the apron, the orchestra pit); Theater drapes and stage curtains, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theater_drapes_and_stage_curtains (front curtain or grand drape; legs; cyclorama); Cyclorama (theater), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclorama_(theater) ; Trapdoor, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapdoor (traps for fast appearances on stage); Auditorium, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditorium (the house). (3) Wiktionary, center stage, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/center_stage . Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The parts of a stage in a proscenium theatre, seen from above with the audience at the bottom. Start with the 9 main parts, then the stage areas, the front of the stage, and the wings and back.
Read the full guide
The stage areas
Directions are the actor's, facing the audience. Upstage is furthest from the audience and downstage closest. Stage left is the actor's left, which is the right side as the audience sees it. Center stage is the middle.
Around the stage
The audience in the house looks through the proscenium arch, behind which hangs the main drape. In front is the apron, and sometimes an orchestra pit. Legs hide the wings at the sides; a cyclorama curves round the back.
Mix up stage left and stage right? Stand on the stage facing the audience: your left is stage left.
Questions and answers
Is stage left on the left or the right?
Stage left is the actor's left when facing the audience, so from the seats it is on the right. House left and house right go by the audience's view.
What is the apron of a stage?
The part of the stage in front of the proscenium arch, nearest the audience. In some theatres part of it can become an orchestra pit.
What are the wings of a stage?
The offstage areas at the stage's sides. Tall, narrow curtains called legs hide them from the audience.