
Step to Follow on How to Make a Stage Curtain Open and Close
- Step One: Determine The first thing to do is determine what kind of curtain you are going to make. ...
- Step Two: Mark If you are using a purchased curtain, carefully remove it from its bag or casing so that it can be measured. ...
- Step Three: Cut You will now cut out the fabric for this project. ...
- Step Four: Attach ...
- Step Five: Hang ...
Full Answer
What are theater drapes and stage curtains?
Theater drapes and stage curtains are large pieces of cloth that are designed to mask backstage areas of a theater from spectators. They are designed for a variety of specific purposes, moving in different ways (if at all) and constructed from various fabrics.
How do they drop a curtain on stage?
The drop is rolled onto it from the back, and is deployed by rope rigged through blocks (pulleys) to be pulled from offstage to release the tension holding the batten up, thus unrolling it slowly until completely unfurled. There is also a form of drop used in Vaudeville days, which may still be seen in older theaters, called an olio.
Why are curtains pocketed at the bottom of the curtains?
Theater curtains are often pocketed at the bottom to hold weighty chain or to accept pipes to remove their fullness and stretch them tight. Proscenium stages use a greater variety of drapes than arena or thrust stages.
What is a safety curtain in theatre?
The safety curtain or fire curtain is used to separate the stage from the audience in case of a fire onstage. It may be made of heavy fireproofed fabric or solid steel sheet.

How do stage curtains open?
Rings are sewn onto the curtain so that cables running through the rings draw the curtain up to open it. There is no visible difference between a curtain that opens on a track and a Brail curtain, until the curtain opens by gathering up its rings as the cables move through the rings that are raised.
How do you close stage curtains?
1:002:07Opening and Closing Stage Curtains - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo when you're closing a curtain. You want to make it kind of look like a machine is closing it soMoreSo when you're closing a curtain. You want to make it kind of look like a machine is closing it so we just want to make sure it's real steady we don't want anything jerking motions like this.
What is the curtain which opens to the sides of the stage called?
Side (masking) stage curtains This is where side stage curtains come into play. Also called masking curtains, they are used in the wings of the stage to hide (mask) equipment, gear, rigging and technical hardware that is present from the audience's view, such as lighting bars and curtain tracks.
What is it called when the curtains open on a play?
Scrims. A scrim, sometimes gauze, is a curtain made of an open-weave fabric that appears opaque when lit from the front, but transparent when a person or object behind the curtain is lit. Scrims can be painted and used as both a backdrop and a scrim in some situations.
How do you fold Theatre curtains?
0:222:21How to Fold a Theatrical Backdrop - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOnce you've created that accordion fan-fold effect starting from the side without ties and grommetsMoreOnce you've created that accordion fan-fold effect starting from the side without ties and grommets begin rolling up the backdrop.
What are three types of curtains used on the stage?
Although the possibilities for custom stage curtains are endless, there are three basic types of theatre curtains: proscenium curtains, masking curtains and backdrops.
Why are stage curtains red?
Red does not absorb light as much as other colours, such as blue or green. This means that if the production team want to cast a spotlight onto the stage, having a red background will help to make it stand out. Red is also the first colour that we lose in low-light conditions.
What are teaser curtains?
The teaser is a horizontal masking border that is lowered to reduce the height of the opening. It is attached to a batten and suspended just upstage of the proscenium, directly behind the grand drape or act curtain. The teaser can be lowered into position to set the stage height as required by the current scene.
Which machine is used to draw the curtains on or off the stage?
Theatre Curtains Here, the pulley is used for the purpose of reducing the efforts required to draw the curtains on or off the stage.
What kind of fabric is used for stage curtains?
The most common theatre curtain fabrics: While there is a wide range of materials that can be used for the main curtain, the most common fabrics include cotton, polyester and mohair.
How long does fire retardant last on stage curtains?
FR (Flame Retardant) Treated with a flame retardant chemical such that the fabric meets the minimum requirements of flame resistance established by the NFPA 701 Test. The flame retardancy has a life expectancy of one year, but is likely to be effective for much longer.
What is a theater drop?
noun Theater. a drop curtain, often of painted or dyed canvas, located downstage and used as the backdrop for a scene played while the set upstage is being changed. a scene or act played with less intensity than the preceding one. the last scene of an act or play.
How do I close a curtain in Powerpoint?
If the presenter presses the 'close' button on the last slide, it goes like this: 1. move to slide #2 where the curtain effect is applied 2. send a(ny) key to stop the previous transition effect. 3.
What does the closing curtain mean?
Definitions of closing curtain. the concluding part of any performance. synonyms: close, finale, finis. type of: finish, finishing.
What does it mean to draw the curtains?
Block or conceal somethingBlock or conceal something. For example, Let's draw the curtain over this matter; no one needs to know more.
How do you make curtains for a play?
0:002:18Make & Attach Curtains to Puppet Theater - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTheater now i'm using a jersey type material that when you cut it it doesn't fray so that's a goodMoreTheater now i'm using a jersey type material that when you cut it it doesn't fray so that's a good choice you can also you could make a curtain if you if you sew you can trim it nicely.
How to make a curtain for stage?
Sew together panels of fabric to create the desired width for your stage curtains. Hem the bottom with a 6 inch hem and both sides with 2 inch hems. Using pins or a fabric marker as appropriate, mark your pleats. Press and pin the pleats into place, being sure to hide the joining seams in the pleating. Stitch your pleats into place
What are stage curtains?
Stage curtains add color, style and function to theaters large and small. Typically, the curtains are hung on tracks to be opened and closed when appropriate. Choose rich colors that work in the space and heavy fabrics with a good drape. They can be a huge project for the home sewer. They only require simple, straight seams; however, you will be handing massive amounts of heavy fabric. If you enjoy a challenge, this project is sure to be rewarding when you watch the curtains open to reveal a grand production at your local theater.
How to measure for stage curtains?
Measure the desired length for your theater curtains. They should reach from the top hanging hardware to the stage or lower. . Allow for a 6 inch bottom hem and a 2 inch top hem. Decide how wide the stage curtains should be. Obviously, they will need to cover the full width of the stage, but additional fullness will make for prettier and richer looking stage curtains if desired. Pleating is the most common way to add this fullness, whether through box or knife pleats. Smaller theaters may opt for 50 percent fullness, but 100 percent fullness is ideal for formal theater curtains. An average size for rental stage curtains is 22 feet wide by 25 feet high, and two panels of this size are required.
What is a curtain on a stage?
Stage curtains (or drapes) are large pieces of fabric or cloth used to close specific areas of the stage off from the audience’s view. There are many different types of stage curtains, including the front curtain, masking, cross-stage and backdrop curtains.
How do border curtains work?
Border curtains work in conjunction with legs, sitting upstage and supporting them in hiding backstage equipment by concealing any hung rigging from the audience. 3. Cross stage curtains. Cross stage curtains do what it says on the tin. They span the entire width of the stage and have various purposes.
Why are curtains important in theatre?
Curtains that are fire-resistant or retardant are extremely important for the safety of any theatre space. Some curtains are more retardant than others and there are certain regulations in place that set the standard for what curtains are acceptable for different situations and applications.
Why do theatres use curtain tracks?
Larger venues and professional theatres will prefer this type of curtain track as they will have complex and heavy scenery and curtains to move across larger stages.
What are curtain effects?
There are also acoustic curtains and curtain effects that are used to alter the ambience and visuals of a performance. These various types of stage curtains are used in different areas of the stage in different ways to support the delivery of a magical, breath-taking performance.
What is a mid stage traveler?
There are also mid stage travelers, also called mid stage by part travelers or mid stage centre overlap curtains that span only the middle width of the stage. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. An error occurred while retrieving sharing information. Please try again later.
What are masking curtains called?
Masking curtains come in the form of swivel arm carriers, also called legs, which are rotating side curtains that cover backstage areas from the audience’s view. Because of this, they are subsequently also called tormentors.
How to stop curtain from opening at full limit?
Now, if the curtain opens at the full limit or if you want to stop it in the middle of its way, you just need to push the switch S2. The switch S2 is connected to the Pin4 of the IC 1. The purpose of this Reset pin here is to stop the rotation of the motor when the curtain is to be stopped by resetting the state of IC1.
How to close curtain on a IC1?
Now if you want to close the curtain, press switch S3 for a while. This switch is connected to pin8 of the IC1. pin8 of the IC1 is also a set pin.
How efficient is a curtain opener circuit?
Many curtain opener circuits are available in the market. They are very efficient but very costly. The main aim of this article is to design a circuit that will be used to open or close the curtains just by a press of a button. This solution will be as efficient as the circuit available in the market and will be very low in cost.
Do curtains have to be pushed by hand?
We see that in our homes and offices, curtains on the windows, doors and terrace etc, are to be pushed by hand to open and close them. This requires a little human effort because we have to get up, move to the window and push the curtains both of the times while closing and opening them.
What are stage curtains?
Different types of curtains. Theater drapes and stage curtains are large pieces of cloth that are designed to mask backstage areas of a theater from spectators. They are designed for a variety of specific purposes, moving in different ways (if at all) and constructed from various fabrics.
Why are curtain pockets at the bottom of stage?
Theater curtains are often pocketed at the bottom to hold weighty chain or to accept pipes to remove their fullness and stretch them tight. Proscenium stages use a greater variety of drapes than arena or thrust stages.
What is a drape in a proscenium?
In proscenium theaters, drapes are typically suspended from battens and can be controlled by a fly system (i.e., They are "flown," in theater terminology). When a drape is flown, the task of adjusting its height for best masking effect is simplified and, in the case of a drape that must be moved during a performance, ...
What are the legs on a stage?
Legs are tall, narrow drapes hung parallel to the proscenium at the sides of the stage. They're used to frame the sides of the acting space as well as to mask the wings, where actors and set pieces may be preparing to enter the stage. Borders are short drapes hung above the stage, spanning its width. They're used to mask equipment and hidden ...
What are drapes used for in theater?
Theater drapes and stage curtains are large pieces of cloth that are designed to mask backstage areas of a theater from spectators. They are designed for a variety of specific purposes, moving in different ways (if at all) and constructed from various fabrics. Many are made from black or other darkly colored, light-absorbing material (In North America, for example, heavyweight velour is the current industry standard ). Theater drapes represent a portion of any production's soft goods, a category comprising any non-wardrobe, cloth-based element of the stage or scenery. Theater curtains are often pocketed at the bottom to hold weighty chain or to accept pipes to remove their fullness and stretch them tight.
What is a cyclorama curtain?
A cyclorama, or cyc for short, is a large curtain, often concave, at the back of the stage that can be lit to represent the sky or other backgrounds. Traditionally white or natural colored cloth, cycloramas now come in various colors of white, grey, light blue and the green or blue curtains used in Chroma key (greenscreen) work may also be called cycloramas.
What is a border on a stage?
Borders are short drapes hung above the stage, spanning its width. They're used to mask equipment and hidden scenery above. Borders hung close to lights are backed with heat and flame-resistant material. Legs and borders are typically made from a heavy, light-absorbing material similar to that of other stage drapes.
