An auditorium is where the audience is located to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.
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Etymology
The term is taken from Latin Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe. Romance languages such as Catalan, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish are descended from Latin, while many others, especially European languages, have inherited (from audītōrium, from audītōrius (“‘pertaining to hearing’”)); the concept is taken from the Greek auditorium, which had a series of semi-circular seating shelves in the theatre The theatre of ancient Greece, or ancient Greek drama, is a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political and military power during this period, was its centre, where it was institutionalised as part of a festival called the Dionysia,, divided by broad 'belts', called diazomata, with eleven rows of seats between each.
The auditorium of the Municipal Theatre, Regensburg, GermanyModern auditorium structure
The audience in a modern theatre are usually separated from the performers by the proscenium arch A Proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage. The use of the term "proscenium arch" is explained by the fact that in Latin, the stage is known as the "proscenium", meaning "in front of the scenery.", although other types of stage In theatre, the stage is a designated space for the performance of theatrical productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience. As an architectural feature, the stage may consist of a platform (often raised) or series of platforms. In some cases, these may be temporary or are common.
The price charged for seats in each part of the auditorium (known colloquially as the house) usually varies according to the quality of the view of the stage. The seating areas can include some or all of the following:
- Stalls or arena: the lower flat area, usually below or at the same level as the stage.
- Balconies Balcony , a kind of platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade. The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a wall or galleries: one or more raised seating platforms towards the rear of the auditorium. In larger theatres, multiple levels are stacked vertically above or behind the stalls. The first level is usually called the dress circle or grand circle. The highest platform, or upper circle is sometimes known as the gods, especially in large opera houses, where the seats can be very high and a long distance from the stage.
- Boxes Box describes a variety of containers and receptacles for permanent use as storage, or for temporary use often for transporting contents: typically placed immediately to the front, side and above the level of the stage. They are often separate rooms with an open viewing area which typically seat five people or less. These seats are typically considered the most prestigious of the house. A state box or royal box is sometimes provided for dignitaries.
See also
- Concert hall A concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. Many concert halls exist as one of several halls or performance spaces within a larger performing arts center and, where appropriate, the name of the arts centre is included
- Noise mitigation Noise mitigation is a set of strategies to reduce noise pollution. The main areas of noise mitigation or abatement, are: transportation noise control, architectural design, and occupational noise control. Roadway noise and aircraft noise are the most pervasive sources of environmental noise worldwide, and remarkably little change has been effected
- Smoking ban Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces. Legislation may also define smoking as more generally being the carrying or possessing of any lit tobacco product
- Auditorium Building The Auditorium Building of Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois is one of the best-known designs of Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. The building is located on South Michigan Avenue, at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975
- Auditorium Magazine Blog for West End Theatre
External links
Categories: Parts of a theatre | Stage terminology
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
West High Principal Dr. Gail Moon, left, presents a miniature of the Martin Luther King bust unveiled at the grand re-opening of Kersenbrock Auditorium to ...
