Dear friends! You, of course, know that to work productively you need to be able to rest. Visiting the theater has long been considered one of the pleasant and cultural ways to relax. But behind the very first doors, in the lobby, we find ourselves in a world full of secrets and mysteries. In the literal sense of the word. We are overwhelmed by a stream of unfamiliar and often incomprehensible words: foyer, administrator, stalls, mezzanine... What to do? Where can I find the administrator? Where is it better to take a ticket: to the stalls or the mezzanine? Where can I find the lobby? Let's try to figure it out.
Start over. What is theater?
Theater(Greek Θέατρον - main meaning - a place for spectacles, then - spectacle, from θεάομαι - I look, I see) - a form of performing art.
Theater is a synthesis of all arts, it includes music, architecture, painting, cinema, photography, etc. The main means of expression is the actor, who through action, using various theatrical techniques and forms of existence, conveys to the viewer the essence of what is happening on stage.
In this case, the actor does not have to be a living person. This could be a doll or some object controlled by a person. Theater is considered the most powerful means of influencing people, because, seeing what is happening on stage, the viewer associates himself with one or another character. Through catharsis (purification through suffering), changes occur within him. The main theater workers: directors, actors, make-up artists, cloakroom attendants, lighting technicians, ticket takers, choreographers, artists, stage workers. But more about them a little later.
Having opened the first entrance doors, we find ourselves in the lobby.
I, m. A large room separating the entrance from the internal parts of the building, mainly. public In many theaters, the ticket office and the administrator's window are located in the lobby.
IN box office You can purchase a ticket for the current performance or for future theater performances. If the performance is cancelled, you can return your ticket here or find out when the canceled performance will be given. The administrator window is also located there.
Administrator– a member of the theater team, responsible for the organizational side and daily work of cashiers, ticket takers and other theater personnel, often also for providing free or discounted tickets for and during a specific performance; responsible for compliance with safety rules and regulations while spectators are in the theater. Having passed through the second doors, you find yourself in the theater foyer.
Neskl., Wed. A room in a theater (cinema, circus) for the audience to stay before the start of a performance, show, performance, as well as for the public to relax during intermission. From the ground floor foyer you can access the cloakroom.
– a room or specially designated space in the entrance lobby where spectators can leave outerwear, hats, umbrellas (etc.) for storage during the performance. If the theater building contains several floors, then the foyer will be present on each of them.
And now you enter the hall. In front of you is a stage and rows of chairs that “diverge” from it in rows and tiers. How to figure out where to go? On the one hand, the hall administrators will always help you. On the other hand, here are our tips: the rows of seats that are located closest to the stage are called the stalls, followed by the amphitheater, around them and slightly above are the boxes and mezzanine, above them there is a balcony in tiers.
Parterre(French arterre - on the ground) - the lower floor of the auditorium in a theater with seats for the public in the space from the stage or from the orchestra to the opposite wall or to the amphitheater. The ancestor of the stalls was the bench for senators in the theaters of Ancient Rome. In the 17th century, after the appearance of the tiered theater building, the stalls also changed, taking on a more modern look. The stalls were intended for the lower class, so for a long time there were no seats - the stalls spectators had to watch the performance while standing. Seating in the stalls appeared at the beginning of the 17th century in private indoor theaters in England. Then the seats were arranged as needed. Nowadays, seats are most often arranged in rows that rise from the stage to the amphitheater and are parallel to the edge of the stage. The seats are separated by passages to exit the stalls.
Amphitheater– these are seats for spectators behind the stalls, located in a towering semicircle.
Lodge- This is a separate room in the auditorium, in the form of a small internal balcony, intended for several spectators. The boxes, as a rule, are located on the sides and behind the stalls, on tiers, as well as on the sides of the proscenium or adjacent to the orchestra pit (such boxes are called “benouir”). Characterized by insufficient visibility of the stage; sometimes used for lighting equipment.
Mezzanine– seats in the auditorium, usually located in a semicircle or along a curved line, behind and above the stalls and amphitheater. Sometimes considered as the balcony of the first tier of the theater.
Balcony– these are seats for spectators, located above the stalls, in various tiers of the auditorium. Note: often in English-language literature the word “balcony” means a balcony of the first tier. You took your seat and froze in anticipation of the performance...
Definitions of the terms presented are taken from the websites.
When this exciting moment of visiting the theater comes, it is not difficult to get confused. After all, the difficult task of buying tickets lies ahead. How to make the right choice? Is the stalls in a theater really the most convenient and expensive area? Let's try to take a short excursion and understand what you really should choose.
What is a parterre?
The concept of “parterre” came to us from ancient Rome. In the theaters of that time, located, as a rule, in the open air, around the stage with the actors there were semicircular platforms filled with spectators. The audience was varied. Both wealthy and poor people stood and watched the performance. Already at the end of the 19th century, there were 2 rows of seats near the stage. Behind them was a space filled with cheap-ticket audiences who enjoyed the spectacle while standing. The word “parterre” itself has French roots (par - by, terre - land) and means “on the ground”.
The general definition is as follows: stalls - seats in the theater located on the floor plane parallel to the stage and located below its level. In most theaters, the plane is slightly understood towards the back rows. This improves visibility. The stalls in the theater are considered the most sought-after and privileged place. Between the stage and the stalls there is an orchestra pit.
Pros and cons of parterre
It doesn't matter which genre you prefer. If it's a musical, dramatic play or opera, the theater stalls will allow you to:
Enjoy the richness and coherence of the musical accompaniment;
See and examine the faces and costumes of the heroes.
It should be noted that in different places on the ground these positive nuances are very individual. It all depends on the technical characteristics of the hall itself:
Acoustics;
Stage heights.
The disadvantages include the need to keep your head elevated.
If the acoustics of the room are not very lucky, in the front rows, as well as in the side parts of the stalls, on the contrary, the purity of the sound may be distorted. But this rarely happens. The central part of the seventh row is considered the most convenient and viewable.
In what cases do seats in the stalls really spoil the real pleasure of what is happening on stage? This can happen when the action is full-scale, where a large number of extras are involved. The partner will not allow you to see everything that is happening in more detail, in other words, to “grab” the whole picture. This often happens in ballet performances. The genre of music can also play an important role. The shortcomings of the stalls are felt especially acutely in the philharmonic society, and not in the theater.
In addition to all that has been said, places in the stalls impose certain obligations. This part of the hall is well visible, and many people may be looking at you. And this means that you need to look and behave accordingly.
Some performances place great emphasis on the audience. In such productions you can be not only a spectator, but also, in a sense, a participant in what is happening, because the stalls in the theater are considered as extras. Stay alert. Do not overuse perfume or cologne. Think about those sitting next to you. And if you really want to enjoy watching, you need to take care of buying tickets early. After all, the stalls in the theater are still the most comfortable and desirable place for any spectator.
It would seem that everything is simple: a large room, rows of chairs, a stage, bright light. In fact, the auditorium is much more complicated, and we will try to tell you exactly how.
Scene
Modern theaters often use a box stage. It got its name because it is a space closed on three sides, with the fourth side facing the hall. The architectural arch connecting the stage and the auditorium is called a portal, and the space inside the “box” is called a mirror.
The stage area is usually divided as follows:
- proscenium - front part;
- stage - the main part;
- rear stage - back part.
Decorations are stored on the rear stage, stage mechanisms, lighting elements are placed, and so on.
A curtain
The purpose of this element does not need to be explained - it separates the stage from the auditorium. There are several types of theater curtains. The following types are distinguished: intermission-sliding, lift-and-fall, Italian, Austrian, Venetian, Roman, French, Brecht curtain, Wagner curtain, polychinelle, walk-through, folding and fireproof.
They differ from each other in texture, in appearance, in the way the scene is revealed, and in the nature of the movement.
Auditorium
The size of auditoriums cannot be selected solely on the basis of expected capacity. It is necessary to take into account many other parameters, in particular: the dimensions of the stage portal, air cubic capacity, the elevation angle of the audience seats and the viewing angle in the vertical plane.
The auditorium can have no more than three staggered tiers (this does not include balconies). If there is a wide aisle in front of the stage, then the number of rows should be distributed as follows:
- the group of seats closest to the stage - no more than 7 rows;
- the group of seats farthest from the stage is no more than 6 rows;
- other groups - no more than 5 rows.
It must be taken into account that the number of seats in groups with seven and five rows should be approximately the same. The farthest group of seats must necessarily have a connection with the exit behind it, and not just with the side exits.
Components of the auditorium:
- Parterre. On this lower floor of the hall there are seats for the public. Directly between the stalls and the stage there is an orchestra pit. Initially, there were not even seats in the stalls, since it was intended for the lower class. Today, on the contrary, the stalls are one of the most popular places in the auditorium.
- Orchestra pit. This is a small room in front of the stage, located below the main level of the hall. From the name it is clear that it serves to accommodate an orchestra. The length of the orchestra pit is usually equal to the length of the stage portal.
- Amphitheater. This is the name given to the main part of the auditorium, where the seats are arranged in tiers. Unlike the stalls, where all the seats are on the same level.
- Balcony. Depending on the size of the theater, there may be several tiers of balconies. In the past, the nobility lived here, but today, seats in this part of the hall may vary in price. The fact is that balconies farther from the stage lose both in terms of viewing convenience and sound quality. Cheap tickets are sold for seats in the upper tier.
RATKO specialists know everything about the design of auditoriums. These are high-level professionals who are ready to equip any room to the highest standard. Call us or ask questions through the online contact form.
An educated person needs to understand the location of seats in the theater. The earliest theaters traditionally did not have an indoor performance space. Performances for spectators were held in the open air. We watched the performance while standing. That’s why the parterre is translated from French as “on the ground.” The places here were the most democratic and cheap. Nowadays, tickets to the stalls, on the contrary, are more expensive than others.
We offer you a diagram of the seating arrangement in the theater.
How are the seats located in the theater?
The rows of seats in the stalls are arranged in groups depending on the size of the auditorium. The first group of seats, closer to the stage, has 7 rows. The very last one, closer to the amphitheater - 6 rows. Between them there are groups of seats in 5 rows. In contrast to the stalls, seats on the paradise (by analogy with “paradise” - high), or gallery - this is the part of the audience seats farthest from the stage.
The boxes of the benoir are located on both sides of the stage, but slightly lower. Lodges can be Italian or French type. In Italian, the audience is not visible from the hall, but in French, on the contrary, they allow everyone to demonstrate the toilets and appearance of those present.
Behind the groups of stall seats are the amphitheater seats. This is a group of spectator seats, with smooth ledges going up.
Above the boxes of the benoir there are balconies. They can be located in several tiers. Different theaters have two, three, or less often four tiers of balconies. For example, the Mariinsky Theater has 3 tiers of balconies, and the Alexandrinsky Theater has 4.
The most comfortable seats are called the royal box. For the convenience of privileged spectators, the boxes are equipped with a separate entrance. From these places there is excellent visibility and acoustics, but visitors to the royal box can also be seen by everyone.
The scene also has zone names. The front part, closest to the audience, is called the proscenium. The very middle is the stage box, and the back of the stage box is the rear stage. The rear stage contains scenery, lighting and mechanisms for lifting stage parts.
The orchestra pit is so called because of its location below the stage area and has dimensions exactly the same as the stage, but is located much deeper than it. From the orchestra pit, the conductor directs the artists of the invisible front, who create the musical design of the performances.
They say that theater begins with the hanger, but in reality it begins with the purchase of tickets. The main question is which places to choose? There are stalls, boxes, mezzanine... In some theaters there are so-called uncomfortable seats - these are where you can’t see anything and hear little. However, such inconveniences are not always warned in advance.
Some places are too far away, while from others the edge of the stage is not visible. To choose the best seats, first let's look at the layout of the theater hall.
The stalls are the places in the auditorium area that are closest to the stage. The amphitheater is the space immediately behind the stalls. Usually the amphitheater area is slightly above the stalls. Seats in the mezzanine are even higher. At the very top there is a balcony. On both sides of the stalls there are boxes - these are small spaces with a separate entrance.
By tradition, seats in the box are considered the most prestigious - previously only rich visitors could sit there. Each box has a separate entrance, and besides this you can not only watch the performance, but also show yourself. More than a hundred years ago, representatives of high society came to the theater precisely for this reason. The officers sat in the stalls, and the titled persons sat in separate boxes. Leo Tolstoy described this in Anna Karenina.
Nowadays, the beautiful Vivienne, played by Julia Roberts, is introduced to the opera by businessman Edward Lewis of Richard Gere, having bought tickets in the box. But in fact, the places there are some of the most uncomfortable. The stage is not completely visible, and you have to watch the performance half-turned.
Today, to the question “What are the best seats in the theater?” Almost everyone will answer “on the ground.” Seats in the stalls are traditionally considered the best, and they are also the most expensive. Moreover, almost every theater has a so-called “sound pit” - it is located somewhere between rows 5 and 10. There the sound literally flies over the viewer. This is especially important if you are going to the opera.
A famous film example: Bruce Willis' character Corwin Dallas in the film The Fifth Element watches the opera from the front row. Many people will not recommend taking tickets to the first rows of the stalls. It is only from afar that it seems that the artists are fluttering around the stage like butterflies, but in the first row you will hear all the extraneous noises. In addition, you will have to watch the action with your head raised, and you will still see the back of the conductor’s head in front of you.
Choose seats in the middle of the hall or a little further. Tickets there are cheaper than in the front rows, and the view is better. In addition to the stalls, real theatergoers often choose the first rows of the dress circle.
In general, the most prestigious and expensive seats in the theater do not mean the best. Sometimes even on the balcony you can see and hear everything without interference.
