Theater (structure)

A theater, or playhouse, is a structure where theatrical works, performing arts, and musical concerts are presented. The theater building serves to define the performance and audience spaces. The facility usually is organized to provide support areas for performers, the technical crew and the audience members, as well as the stage where the performance takes place.

There are as many types of theaters as there are types of performance. Theaters may be built specifically for certain types of productions, they may serve for more general performance needs or they may be adapted or converted for use as a theater. They may range from open-air amphitheaters to ornate, cathedral-like structures to simple, undecorated rooms or black box theaters. A thrust stage as well as an arena stage are just a few more examples of the multitude of stages where plays can occur. A theatre used for opera performances is called an opera house. A theater is not required for performance (as in environmental theater or street theater), this article is about structures used specifically for performance. Some theaters may have a fixed acting area (in most theaters this is known as the stage), while some theaters, such as black box theaters have movable seating allowing the production to create a performance area suitable for the production.

Stalls or arena (in North America, "orchestra"): the lower flat area, usually below or at the same level as the stage. The word parterre (occasionally, parquet) is sometimes used to refer to a particular subset of this area. In North American usage this is usually the rear seating block beneath the gallery (see below) whereas in Britain it can mean either the area in front near the , or the whole of the stalls. The term can also refer to the side stalls in some usages. Derived from the gardening term parterre, the usage refers to the sectioned pattern of both the seats of an auditorium and of the planted beds seen in garden construction. Throughout the 18th century the term was also used to refer to the theater audience who occupied the parterre.

orchestra pit

Balconies or galleries: one or more raised seating platforms towards the rear of the auditorium. In larger theaters, multiple levels are stacked vertically above or behind the stalls. The first level is usually called the dress circle or grand circle. The next level may be the loge, from the French version of . A second tier inserted beneath the main balcony may be the mezzanine. The highest platform, or upper circle, is sometimes known as "the gods", especially in large opera houses, where the seats can be very high and a long distance from the stage.

loggia

(state box or stage box): typically placed immediately to the front, side and above the level of the stage. They are often separate rooms with an open viewing area which typically seat up to five people. These seats are typically considered the most prestigious of the house. A "state box" or "royal box" is sometimes provided for dignitaries.

Boxes

House seats: these are "the best seats in the house", giving the best view of the stage. Though each theater's layout is different, these are usually in the center of the stalls. These seats are traditionally reserved for the cast and crew to invite family members, agents, and others. If they are not used, they usually go on sale on the day of the performance.

The Tampere Theatre in Tampere, Finland

The Alley Theatre, home to the Alley Theatre Company, Houston, Texas

Queen's Theater (Ganta, Liberia)

The Sydney Opera House

Theatre of São Paulo

Efteling Theatre in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands

Auditorium

Entertainment

Learning space

List of national theaters

the smallest theater in the world

The Theatre of Small Convenience

(pictures of theaters)

Carthalia – Theatres on Postcards

Contains archive material on hundreds of British Theater buildings.

Music Hall and Theatre History

A database of theatre buildings in Europe.

European Theatre Architecture

Definition of a thrust stage in a theater.

Theater Spaces

Definition of an arena stage in theater

Arena Stage

Definition of Hashigakari