2.4: Venue/Space
Early in the process of directing you need to determine what your performance space will be. Until you make this decision you will not be able to get designs for your show, you will not be able to create a ground plan and you will not be able plan blocking or staging. There are 3 common types of performance space configurations and each offers advantages and disadvantages. Every theater is different and some theaters have truly unique configurations but if you can learn to stage in the three most common configurations you will have the experience and knowledge to stage in any location. The differences between configurations is all about how the audience is positioned around the stage. The 3 types of performance space configurations are Proscenium, Thrust, and Round.
Proscenium
A proscenium stage is most common in schools, community venues, and large theaters. The proscenium stage has the audience directly in front of the stage and usually has a large proscenium arch that frames the stage and makes it resemble a large picture or television screen. When producing a show in a proscenium theater all of the theatrical elements are larger than life. This is the type of space that lends itself more towards spectacle. These spaces are perfect for musicals or shows with large elaborate sets. Because these spaces are very large your acting and movements will also need to be exaggerated in order to fill the space. If actors were to perform in a realistic fashion the performance would appear flat or like the actors do not care. Your advantages in the space are that you can capitalize on spectacle and stage pictures. Your disadvantages are that plays with deep characterization and nuance can often lose their power.
Thrust
A thrust stage is where the audience surrounds the stage on 3 sides. The actors and performance extend into the audience and it provides a more immersive theatrical experience than that of a proscenium theater. Thrust stages are most common in regional theaters and some schools but can also be configured in smaller spaces. You will likely spend most of your professional career directing in thrust and the round. You retain some degree of spectacle yet the theaters are usually smaller and what you lose in spectacle you gain in refined acting performances. In staging a play within a thrust space you will need to adjust your blocking so that everyone in the audience can see the play free from obstructions. You can achieve this by moving to a different side of the stage each night to watch rehearsals as the director. This will allow you to experience the show and blocking the way your audience will. Every thrust stage will have entrances and walkways for audience members to get to their seats. These entrances and walkways are usually on diagonal lines and you will want to utilize the diagonals for blocking in order to open up the stage so that every audience member has a good view of the action happening on the stage.
Round
Theater in the round is where the audience completely surrounds the performance space. This type of performance space eliminates backdrops and flats and now your set is suggested through small and unobstructive furniture pieces and flooring. This type of performance space will be hard to create stage pictures, but the audience will feel like they are part of the show. The acting in theatre of the round has to be fantastic because there are far less elements to distract the audience and the focus of the audience is not on spectacle but on story and acting. In this space you will need to have your actors cross the stage often and utilize the entrances and walkways of the space to create optimal sightlines.