proscenium

A proscenium is a stage arrangement in which the performance takes place behind a large vertical plane called the proscenium arch, which frames the view for the audience. The opening beneath the arch, the proscenium opening, separates the stage from the seating area and is typically aligned with the audience’s eye line. The space behind the arch, the stage house, contains the stage itself, a fly tower for scenery and lighting, and backstage facilities.

In traditional theatres, the audience faces the arch, creating a “fourth wall” illusion that preserves a perceived separation between performers and spectators. The arch and its surrounding plasterwork or ornamentation, the use of masking panels to control sightlines, and a main front curtain or traveler are common features. A fly system and lighting equipment are integrated into the stage house to move scenery and control illumination independently of the audience.

The proscenium stage emerged from 17th-century Italian theatre design and became widely adopted in Europe and the Americas. The Teatro Farnese in Parma (1628) is often cited as an early permanent example. The format facilitated large, painted backdrops, scenic perspective, and sophisticated stage machinery, reinforcing the era’s conventions of illusion and the “fourth wall.” Over time, proscenium theatres remained prevalent, though other stage forms—such as thrust and arena stages—offer different audience-performer relationships. Today, many theatres retain a proscenium frame while integrating modern technology for flexible production needs.