Stage Maps Slides Stage Maps and Movement
Introduction to Stage Configurations
STAGE ARCHITECT ACADEMY
The Essential Question
"How does the physical environment of a stage tell the audience where and when a story takes place... before the actors even speak?"
The 3 Big Stages
PROSCENIUM
Proscenium
The "Picture Frame" stage. The audience sits on one side and looks through an arch.
Audience on 1 side
THRUST
Thrust
The stage "thrusts" out into the audience. More intimate and close to the action.
Audience on 3 sides
ARENA
Arena
Also called "Theater-in-the-round." The stage is in the center like a sports stadium.
Audience on ALL sides
Stage Geography
Upstage Right
UPSTAGE (US)
Upstage Left
Stage Right
CENTER STAGE (CS)
Stage Left
Downstage Right
DOWNSTAGE (DS)
Downstage Left
AUDIENCE IS HERE
DESIGNER TIP:
Stage Left and Right are based on the ACTOR'S perspective facing the audience!
The Mystery of "Up" and "Down"
Downstage
Upstage
The Raked Stage
In history, stages were tilted (raked). The back of the stage was physically HIGHER than the front.
So, to walk away from the audience, actors had to walk UP the hill!
Stage Map Worksheet Stage Map Mastery
Scenic Design: Lesson 1
NAME:
DATE:
1
The Proscenium Map
Label the 9 areas of the stage below from the ACTOR'S perspective (facing the audience).
AUDIENCE IS HERE
Upstage Left Stage Right Downstage Right Center Stage Upstage Center Downstage Left Stage Left Upstage Right Downstage Center
2
Stage Configurations
STAGE
AUDIENCE
A. Audience on 3 sides
"The stage reaches out toward the people."
STAGE
Surrounded!
B. Audience on 1 side
"The theater-in-the-round."
PROSCENIUM ARCH
STAGE
C. Audience on ALL sides
"Like looking at a framed picture."
3
The "Up" Mystery
Why is the back of the stage called "Upstage"? (Hint: Think about the history of theater stages!)
Stage Architect Academy | Lesson 1: Stage Geography Mastery Worksheet
Stage Shuffle Guide Teacher Resource
Stage Shuffle Guide
Kinesthetic Stage Geography Game
L1
Activity Overview
Time: 20 MinutesGroup: Whole ClassGoal: Movement-based recall of stage areas.
Setup Note
Clear a large area in your classroom. Use tape to mark a "Proscenium Line" (the front edge of the stage). Ensure students know that the "Audience" is at the front of the room.
How to Play
1
Assemble the Ensemble
Have all students stand in the center of the designated "stage" area. Remind them: Stage Left/Right is the ACTOR'S left and right when facing the audience.
2
Call the Cues
The teacher acts as the Director and shouts out locations (e.g., "Downstage Left!"). All students must run to that area as quickly as possible.
3
Elimination (Optional)
Last student to arrive or anyone who runs to the wrong area is "out" and becomes an assistant director to help spot the next round.
The Director's Calls
"Center Stage!"
Middle of everything.
"Downstage Center!"
Right in front of the audience.
"Upstage Right!"
Back corner (Stage Right).
"Wings!"
Step off the stage entirely.
ADVANCED: "Cheat Out!"
Turn body 45 degrees to face the audience.
ADVANCED: "Arena!"
Students must circle around the edge of the stage.
Post-Game Debrief
Why does Stage Left feel like "right" to the audience?
Because it's named for the actor who is facing the opposite direction of the audience.
Why is it important for every designer to know these areas?
So the Director, Set Designer, and Actors can all talk to each other without getting confused about where pieces go.
Script Detective Slides Lesson 2: Script Analysis
The Script Detective
Finding clues in the text to build the world of the play.
Detective Challenge: The Messy Room
IMAGINE: A room with half-eaten pizza, three open suitcases, and a map with a red 'X' on it.
What do you know?
Who lives here?
What are they planning?
When did they leave?
"A Scenic Designer is a detective. Before you draw a single line, you have to find the clues left by the playwright."
Needs vs. Wants
MUST
SCENIC NEEDS
Entrances/Exits: Where do actors come and go?Required Furniture: Does the script say they "sit on the sofa"?Environmental Facts: Is it raining? Is it 1920?
IDEA
ARTISTIC CHOICE
Style & Mood: Is it scary? Happy? Realistic?Color Palette: What colors tell the story best?Metaphor: Does the room feel like a prison? A forest?
How to Spot a Clue
DIALOGUE:
"Wow, it's freezing in here. Close that window , would you?"
NEED: WINDOW
STAGE
[SARAH enters from the kitchen and places her book on the table .]
NEED: DOOR & TABLE
Time to Analyze!
Open your packets to The Midnight Attic. Highlight the clues and fill out your Scenic Needs List.
Start Detective Work
Scenic Needs Worksheet Case File #2
Setting the Scene
The Script Detective's Field Guide
DESIGNER:
DATE:
Script Excerpt: "The Midnight Attic"
[SETTING: A dusty attic filled with old boxes. There is a single window in the back wall where moonlight shines through. A heavy wooden trapdoor in the floor leads downstairs.]
LEO: (Dusting off a trunk) This place is even spookier than I remembered. Look at all these cobwebs!
MAYA: (Walking to the window) At least the moon is bright tonight. I can see the whole garden from up here.
LEO: Don’t go too close to that window, Maya. The glass is loose. Come over here and help me open this chest. It’s locked tight.
MAYA: [She moves toward Leo, but trips over a pile of old canvases leaning against the wall.] Whoa! Who leaves art supplies in the middle of the floor?
LEO: (Sighs) Just sit on that stool and hold the flashlight. I’m going to try to pry the lid open.
Scenic Needs (The "Must-Haves")
Identify 5 items required by the script:
Entrances/Exits:
Artistic Choices (Your Ideas)
What is the Mood/Atmosphere?
Suggested Color Palette (Choose 3):
Texture Idea (How do things feel?):
Detective's Summary:
"Based on my analysis, the most important physical feature of this set that will help tell the story is..."
Property of Stage Architect Academy | Confidential Script Analysis Document
Detective Key Teacher Guide Answer Key / Teacher Guide
The Detective's Key
Script Analysis: "The Midnight Attic"
L2
Scenic Needs (Key)
Required Items:
Window: Mentioned as being in the back wall.Large Trunk/Chest: Leo is dusting and prying it open.Old Boxes: Mentioned in the setting description.Pile of Canvases: Maya trips over these.Stool: Leo tells Maya to sit on it.Flashlight: A prop that requires Maya to hold it (implies darkness).
Entrances/Exits:
The Trapdoor: The only mentioned way in or out. Important for the floor plan later (must be on the floor, not a wall door).
Artistic Choice Guide
Potential Moods:
Spooky, Mysterious, Forgotten, Dusty, Old, Secretive.
Discussion Questions for Class:
"If the glass in the window is 'loose,' how can we show that without breaking real glass?"
Answer ideas: Crooked window frame, spider-web cracks painted on plexiglass.
"The moonlight is important. Where should the light come from?"
Answer: Through the window in the back wall (backlighting).
"How can we make a stage floor look like an old attic?"
Answer: Painted wood grain, 'dust' made of gray powder or lighting effects.
Common Designer Mistakes to Watch For:
Ignoring the Trapdoor
Students often put a regular door on the wall. Remind them the script says "trapdoor in the floor."
Adding "Too Much"
Students might add a bed or a TV. Ask: "Is that in the script? Does it help tell the story of an attic?"
Blocking Action
If the trunk is the main focus, it shouldn't be hidden in a far corner.
Stage Architect Academy | Teacher Facilitation Key: Lesson 2
Bird's Eye Slides Blueprint to Bird's Eye
Translating Ideas into Floor Plans
Project: Stage Architect Academy // Scale: 1/4" = 1'0"
The Bird's Eye View
Looking STRAIGHT Down
A Floor Plan is a map of the stage that shows exactly where every set piece goes.
Actors use it to learn movement.
The Director uses it to plan action.
Builders use it to know where to build walls.
The Secret Language of Architects
FLAT / WALL
A solid thick line shows where a wall stands.
PLATFORM
Shows an area that is raised off the floor.
SOFA
FURNITURE
Basic shapes like rectangles and circles.
DOOR
Shows which way the door swings open!
The Sightline Rule
STAGE
TALL CABINET
"I CAN'T SEE!"
The Sightline Rule:
If a set piece blocks the audience's view of the actors, it's OUT OF SIGHT.
Always put TALL furniture Upstage (in the back) and SHORT furniture Downstage (in the front).
Draw Your Attic
1 Start with your Needs List from Lesson 2.
2 Place the Trapdoor and Window first.
3 Use pencil! Plans change often.
4 Check your Sightlines !
Blueprint Worksheet Attic Blueprint
Scale: 1 Square = 1 Foot
Designer:
Draft No: 001-A
Upstage Wall (Back)
Stage Right
Stage Left
Acting Area
Extreme Left
Audience Seating
Extreme Right
Drafting Key
WALL / FLAT
TR
TRAPDOOR
FURNITURE
WINDOW
Sightline Check & Logistics
Is the Window in the UPSTAGE wall?
Can "Extreme Left" see the Trunk?
Is the Trunk near Center Stage?
Is the Trapdoor clear of furniture?
Drawing Number: DS-001 Stage Architect Academy Technical Division (C) 2026 Theater Dept.
Sightline Guide Teacher Guide Teacher Resource
Sightline Check Guide
Workshop Facilitation: From Paper to Vision
L3
Lesson Objective
Students will apply geometric spatial reasoning to ensure that set pieces are arranged logically and visibility is maintained for all audience members.
The "Flat" Rule
Remind students that walls (flats) should usually be at the back or sides. If they put a wall across Center Stage, nobody can see the actors!
Floor Plan Review Checklist
Symbol Consistency
Are they using the symbols from the slide? (e.g., solid lines for walls, rectangles for furniture).
Spatial Balance
Is all the furniture crowded on Stage Left? Encourage them to use the whole Acting Area.
The "Trapdoor" Logic
Is the trapdoor in a spot where an actor could actually climb through? (Not under a heavy trunk).
Activity: The String Sightline Test
Use this kinesthetic activity to help students understand sightlines before they finalize their blueprints.
Step 1: The Audience
Have two students sit in chairs at the extreme left and right corners of your 'audience' area.
Step 2: The Obstacle
Place a tall object (a bookshelf or teacher’s desk) in the middle of the 'stage'.
Step 3: The String
Run a piece of string from the Audience Student's eyes to a spot on the stage behind the object. If the string touches the object, the sightline is BLOCKED!
Apron
The part of the stage in front of the proscenium arch.
Elevation
A drawing showing a front view (Lesson 4 teaser!).
Scale
The ratio of the drawing to the real size (1" = 1').
Sightline
The unobstructed line of vision from audience to actor.
Stage Architect Academy | Lesson 3: Drafting & Sightlines Teacher Guide
Maquette Maker Slides Lesson 4: 3D Construction
The Maquette Maker
Building Your World in Miniature
2D Blueprint $\rightarrow$ 3D Maquette
Ma·quette (ma-KET)
A small scale model of a set design. It is the designer's way of testing if their ideas work in three-dimensional space.
Test Scale
Test Color
Professional Maquette Example
The Builder's Toolkit
Building Flats
Use cardboard for your walls. To make them stand up, create a "Jack" (a triangle brace on the back).
Jack Diagram
Scale Objects
Small boxes (like matchboxes) make great sofas. Use toothpicks for chair legs!
"Think like a toy maker!"
Adding Texture
Sandpaper = Stone
Feel the world!
Color Choice = Audience Feeling
DARK BLUES & GRAYS
Mystery, Night, Sadness, Fear.
WARM BROWNS
Comfort, History, Home, Old Attics.
BOLD REDS
Danger, Passion, Anger, Energy.
MUTED GREENS
Nature, Sickness, Envy, Calm.
Designer's Choice
You aren't just making it "look like an attic." You are making it FEEL like Leo and Maya's attic.
"Is your attic a friendly place of memories, or a scary place of secrets?"
Open the Shop!
1
Prepped Shoebox
2
Final Blueprint
3
Craft Materials
"Let's build the Midnight Attic."
Maquette Planning Worksheet Construction Log #4
The Maquette Plan
From 2D Drafting to 3D Building
BUILDER:
Bill of Materials
List the items you will use for your major set pieces.
1. THE WALLS (FLATS)
Example: Heavy Cardboard + Gray Paint
2. THE MAIN FURNITURE (TRUNK/STOOL)
3. ATMOSPHERIC DETAILS (DUST/WEBS)
Color Palette Selection
Color 1
Color 2
Color 3
Why did you choose these colors?
Construction Sketch
Draw a quick sketch of how one of your 3D pieces will look from the FRONT (not bird's eye!).
Drafting Space
Item:
Construction Challenge:
"How will you make sure your tall set pieces (like the back wall) don't fall over when the audience laughs or the actors move?"
Stage Architect Academy | Construction Planning Document DS-004
Maker Shop Guide Teacher Guide Teacher Resource
The Maker Workshop
Classroom Management for Maquette Construction
L4
"The Shop" Station
Organize materials into stations to reduce crowding.
Cardboard Depot: Extra scraps for walls and Jacks.Cutting Zone: Safe area for scissors and craft knives.Texture Bar: Sandpaper, felt, cotton balls, mesh.
Safety First
1. Scissors are for cardboard, not play.
2. Hot glue (if used) stays at the "Hot Zone" with the teacher.
3. Clean your scrap bin every 15 minutes.
Instructional Hacks
The "Jack" Brace
If students struggle to make walls stand, show them how to cut a right triangle of cardboard and glue the 90-degree edge to the back of the wall and the floor.
The Human Figure
Give each student a 2-inch tall paper "actor" cut-out. They should use this to check if their trunk/stool is the right size!
Texture Layering
Encourage students to paint their cardboard before gluing on textures like cotton or webs.
Trapdoor Logic
Instead of cutting the bottom of the shoebox (structural risk), have them paint the trapdoor on or build a 1-inch platform with a hole in it.
Questions to Ask as You Circulate
"Where is the audience sitting? Is that wall going to block their view of Maya tripping over the canvases?"
"If the script says it's 'midnight', how can your color choice show the moon's light in this attic?"
"Does your trunk look 'locked tight' or is it too small for Leo and Maya to work with?"
Stage Architect Academy | Lesson 4: Maquette Maker Teacher Guide
The Designer Pitch Slides Final Presentation
The Designer Pitch
Selling your vision to the director.
The Purpose of the Pitch
"A designer's job isn't just to make art—it's to convince the Director that this art tells the RIGHT story."
1
Explain the WHY behind every choice.
2
Use TEXTUAL EVIDENCE from the script.
Your 4-Step Presentation
1. THE ENVIRONMENT
Where and when are we? How did you use color to show the time of day or the mood of the attic?
2. THE SCRIPT CLUES
Point out the Window , the Trunk , and the Trapdoor . Why did you put them in those specific spots?
3. SIGHTLINES
Show how the audience (even the extreme left/right) can see the most important action happening at the trunk.
4. ARTISTIC FLAIR
What textures did you use? Why those cobwebs or that specific paint color? What feeling does it give?
Speaking like a Pro
Instead of saying:
"I put the box here because it looked cool."
Try saying:
"I placed the Trunk at Center Stage because the script says it's the focus of the scene, and I wanted to ensure perfect Sightlines for the whole audience."
Acting as the "Director"
While your peers are presenting, you are the Director. Listen for their justifications and look at their craftsmanship .
GIVE A STAR:
One thing they did that made the world feel real.
GIVE A WISH:
One thing they could add to help the actors tell the story.
Director's Review Worksheet Director's Notes
The Director's Review
Peer Feedback & Evaluation
REVIEWER (DIRECTOR):
As you watch each designer pitch their "Midnight Attic" maquette, fill out one review block. Look for evidence from the script and smart use of stage space!
DESIGNER:
Script Evidence?
Sightlines?
The "Star" (What worked?):
I loved how you used...
The "Wish" (Improvement?):
I wish you could add...
DESIGNER:
Script Evidence?
Sightlines?
The "Star" (What worked?):
The "Wish" (Improvement?):
DESIGNER:
Script Evidence?
Sightlines?
The "Star" (What worked?):
The "Wish" (Improvement?):
Final Designer Reflection
After watching your peers and hearing their feedback, what is the one thing you are MOST PROUD OF in your final Midnight Attic design?
I am proud of...
Stage Architect Academy | Master Designer Feedback Document
Production Rubric Teacher Guide Grading & Evaluation
Production Rubric
Scenic Design & Presentation Mastery
L5
Category Expert (4) Proficient (3) Developing (2) Beginner (1) Script Evidence Maquette includes all 5+ script needs. Pitch explains exact textual clues used. Maquette includes most script needs. Pitch mentions text briefly. Some script needs are missing or added items contradict text. Design does not match script requirements. Floor Plan & Sightlines Blueprint is clear with symbols. All audience members have clear sightlines. Blueprint is mostly complete. Most sightlines are clear. Blueprint is messy or missing key symbols. Some sightlines are blocked. Blueprint does not match maquette or sightlines were not considered. Maquette Craft Exceptional texture/color use. Walls are sturdy. Highly creative use of materials. Good use of color and texture. Model is stable. Minimal texture use. Some pieces are unstable or fragile. Model is incomplete or very fragile. No color/texture used. Design Pitch Confident, clear voice. Justifies all choices with "Designer Speak." Uses evidence. Speaks clearly. Explains major choices. Uses some technical terms. Voice is quiet or unclear. Choices are "because I liked it" rather than evidence. Does not present or lacks explanation for any choices.
Director's Notes (Teacher Feedback)
Final Performance Score
/ 16
"Artistic justification is the bridge between a craft project and a design project. Look for students who can explain how their environment helps the audience understand Leo and Maya's journey."
Stage Architect Academy | Production Grading Rubric DS-005
