DG 1110.3.120
DESIGN GUIDE: MUSIC AND DRAMA CENTERS
JANUARY 1981
C H A P T E R 3: ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT
2. Masks, Screens, Closures
flames, smoke and toxic gases in the event of
These are usually the function of draperies,
fire, providing a margin of safety for evacu-
which define acting and scenery spaces; screen
ating the building. (See also remarks under
equipment, sets and actors entries from view;
3-6a).
surround stage space with light and color, or
frame it in darkness; and close off or screen the
Non combustible construction of asbestos fabric
stage from view between scenes. Draperies are
and/or steel slats similar to a coiling tambour
discussed at greater length in Chapter 4.
door is typical. It has been found that asbestos
cloth loses its structural integrity under high
The relationship of draperies, lights and scenery
heat; when used, it is incorporated in a steel
within the stagehouse is best understood in
frame. In some circumstances (see NFPA Stand-
terms of flyloft layout for the traditional Pros-
ard 101), a water-flood system may be used to
cenium Stage. It also makes clearer the concep-
soak the house curtain or the fire curtain for a
tual differences of the Open Stage. (See 3-9e and
specified period, in lieu of or additional to
Chapter 4 regarding the mechanical workings of
shuttering.
the flyloft).
b. Forestage
Rigging flyloft stage equipment is accomplished
Depending on Room configuration and uses,
with parallel pipes slightly longer than the pros-
certain functions can take place in front of the
cenium is wide, normally able to be hung every
proscenium. The stage may be equipped with
six inches from the proscenium to the back wall
a forestage or motorized pit lift capable of
of the stagehouse. These pipes are suspended
forming an apron in front of the principal cur-
by hemp and wire ropes from a gridiron high
tain. In some cases, the proscenium is ex-
above the stage floor, in order that drops and
panded in depth over this region and may con-
drapes may be drawn up clear of the acting
tain supplemental borders and drapes, lighting,
space. A large number of lines is required be-
acoustical equipment, loudspeakers and movie
cause of the many pipes (or battens) and because
screen.
each batten has several suspension points to
limit deflection.
This arrangement can be useful where music or
small scale performances are interspersed with
Rigging the open stage is accomplished from a
full drama productions, allowing rehearsal and
lighter-weight grid fixed 25-30 feet above the
set up to take place within the stagehouse with-
stage floor, about where the top of a proscenium
out interference from ongoing programs. Fore-
would be. It functions as an attachment network
stage draperies, etc., are typically simple by com-
for light pipes and drops, but very little is ever
parison, especially since the fire curtain function
drawn up (or flown) above it. This grid is often
cannot be effective.
a series of catwalks to which lines, pipes and
lighting instruments are clamped directly. Vari-
3. Backgrounds
ations include wire net "trampoline" grids through
Including the fabric drops mentioned above,
which lines are dropped.
backgrounds may be the blank backwall of the
stagehouse, or elaborate "`murals". One useful
The proscenium wall is a substantial piece of
form of background is the cyclorama, which
structure, since it must span a large opening,
wraps around the scene space and may curve in
bear part of the heavy gridiron load and separate
two directions-vertically and horizontally. The
the audience from the stagehouse with fire re-
cyclorama used to be a curved white plaster wall,
sistive construction.
but is now more often constructed of cloth, hung
or stretched over a pipe frame at the back wall,
a. Fire Curtain
white or medium gray in color. It has the advan-
tage of portability and ease of maintenance, and
It is hoped this apparatus need never be used,
can accept film projections from either side.
and certainly will not be in the normal course
of performance. Although it is not a vision-re-
4. Sets And Properties
lated accessory, it is always the first line of
Scene elements are created or selected for the
actual closure between the stage and house,
specific literature presented. Scene pieces are
operating automatically and independent of
constructed and vary in complexity from painted
performance rigging upon activation of smoke
drops and flats to elaborate multilevel structures,
and heat detectors. It retards the passage of
3-49
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