doing theater: stage?

[richsc]

For those of you who have put on a play, did you create a stage to go with it? I've been corresponding with a fellow doing studies on Roman stages and he says Romans had traveling sets. If you've done theater, did you create a stage to go with it? I have plans in my head for a traveling, collapsible theater and wondered if anyone had done this.

[Salvianus]

I've not done any Roman theatre, but we did the York Mystery Plays 'on' a wagon, pulled by people (Viking re-eanctors, as it happened) to various staging places where we performed the same scene.

The action included a 'chorus' of onlookers in costume in front of the wagon to draw people into the action. The height of the waggon ensured visibilty and assisted audibility for gathered audience.

pics at Living in the Past

I've done other open air unamplified theatre and without either a height differential or a solid backdrop to reflect the sound, your'e pretty much miming to a sizeable crowd. We have used natural ampitheatres and sets of steps to good effect & I've seen ruined walls used well too.

I'm intrigued - what are you planning?

[richsc]

Those pictures of your wagon are very impressive. I wonder if the Romans did similar things, as that makes setup and the ability to move quickly to new audiences much easier.
What we in Legio XX are thinking about is doing a Plautus play at our Romandays, but I am mostly dependent upon one of our group coaxing the Univ of Md theater dept into participating. However, I have planned out a portable stage that folds down is quickly transportable, more along the lines of Prof Richard Beacham's suggestions. I designed and built our caupona using theatrical flat designs, and this is just another variation. If we do it, it will be the Roman type with three doors separated by panels and the walkway behind it for moving actors. We are dependent upon having a stage for a platform, as this wont' work on grass I think.
I will probably build and paint one door anyway, and make it a part of the caupona, but will have to make it slightly larger to accomodate a door large enough for an actor to get through easily.

[Salvianus]

Cheers

My partner dressed the stage & made our 'ordinary effect' - a quick release banner to show the dove of the Holy Spirit descending. The cut-outs brought in the natural background, but there was no 'back stage' - entrance was from left & right.

Doors on grass would be tricky, as one would really need a lower frame & trust the actors not to trip on them - not very actor-proof. If you could do without a back to the corridor this would save a lot of weight - but would rely on exposing a suitable natural background & not actors adjusting their underwear, having a snog or peeing in the distance - again not a safe bet.

We were lucky in getting the waggons (some museum pieces!) especially 'Health & Safety' standard re-inforced - e.g. with very solid brakes and hand rails. Safe staging is an art, some mates of our deck out several churches at the Edinburgh fringe every year with full stages & tiered seating without drilling anything at all - but they use builders scaffolding & often a day or two to get in & out.

[Arthes]

Greetings,
I would have thought the Romans did the same as the Greeks?
Usually performing in theatres or private villas but bringing along their own masks and props.
[url:f1nxig72]http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/roman.html[/url]
Unlike the Greek, Roman actors were not respectable...!
[url:f1nxig72]http://novaonline.nv.cc.va.us/eli/spd130et/roman.htm[/url] covers the different sorts of performances you would expect in Roman times.
regards
Arthes