by Clare Callow

Created on: February 13, 2008

With the move to naturalistic and community-based theatre, a lot of the old school techniques of the stage have fallen by the wayside. In most ways this has been of benefit, getting rid of stiff movements or awkward acting that used to bring the audience out of their world of make-believe. However, one element of old-fashioned stagecraft is sorely missed: stage etiquette.

In some cases, a lack of stage etiquette is simply due to not knowing the rules. This is perfectly forgivable, and may be corrected by reading below:

*do NOT cross someone else's stage. If you are at a performance and you are not a performer, or crew member, for the show currently on stage, do not set your foot on the stage. This is applicable even if you are sharing the space, or if the theatre is empty of audience. Not only is it rude to invade another show's space, it is dangerous: the performers and crew have been briefed on the hazards present on the stage, but you have not.

*do NOT move a prop that is not yours. This rule should be obvious, but strangely is frequently broken in practice. If you move someone else's prop, they might not know about it until they are cued to go on stage. Not fun.

*report to the stage manager when you arrive. It's the polite thing to do, and means you don't get irate phone calls when you are already at the theatre.

*arrive on time for your call. You may not consider that you need one and a half hours to prepare for the performance, but if your stage manager tells you to be at the theatre at that time, you do it. Much like with a regular boss, if you are running late, call to notify and pray you have a good reason.

*do not touch the wings. If you touch, lean against, brush past or even walk too near the curtains that screen the sides of the stage in a theatre, the curtain will ripple and the audience will see it. Not only does this distract from the action on stage, it makes the production look amateurish.

*ask the stage manager's permission to walk on the stage. This is a simple courtesy which also has a safety aspect. Stage managers are the only people who know precisely what is happening on the stage at any time, and can warn you not to step on if a lighting truck is likely to reverse over you.

*do not muck around during tech rehearsals. Technical rehearsals are possibly the most tedious things involved in theatre, resembling as they do some form of army training exercise where cadets are forced to stand still for hours. They are, however, vitally important to the smooth running of the show. Not only is mucking about bad manners, it means that a significant portion of the time is dedicated to the stage manager shouting for people to pay attention, resulting in a longer tech.

*do not touch anyone else's costume. The reasoning behind this rule is similar to the rule on props. An actor's costume is also sometimes a very personal thing comparable to touching their underwear. Eew.

*do not talk backstage while a performance is on. The audience can hear you, and you distract your fellow actors.

*tread lightly backstage. If you are wearing loud shoes, take them off for the distance you need to walk.

*be polite to lighting and sound crew. This is more of a tip than a rule of etiquette, strictly. Most actors forget that the crew running the show is just as important as their director. The director may help you get your character in place, but the lighting and sound crew will make sure the audience can see and hear you.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of etiquette, but will give you the basics to ensure your fellow thespians do not consider you a troglodyte. Any further rules are welcomed.

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