What is an arena stage?



What is arena stage?

~ ARENA, where the audience totally surrounds the stage. Arena is also known as theatre-in-the-round staging. Arenas are ancient of course, but drama in-the-round — performed for an audience surrounding the stage — is largely a 20th-century American development.

What was the purpose of the arena stage?

Arena stages are thought to create a strong sense of community among the audience members and an easy flow of energy between the audience and the actors.

What are the pros and cons of an arena stage?





Arena stage

Pros: The audience feel included. Creates an intimate atmosphere. Cons: Sight lines might be an issue so there needs to be lots of movement around the space.

Where are arena stages?

Arena Stage

Theatre Logo
Formation 1950
Purpose American Plays & Playwrights
Location 1101 Sixth Street Southwest, Washington, D.C.
Artistic director(s) Molly Smith

What type of theatre is the arena stage?

Arena theatres are large scale auditoria and have a central stage area with audiences on all sides, similar to theatres in-the-round. The stage area is usually rectangular, more like a sports arena, with tiered seating.



How many seats are in the arena stage?



510 seats / 4,400 sq.

What is the difference between arena and theatre-in-the-round?

theatre-in-the-round, also spelled theater-in-the-round, also called arena stage, central stage, or island stage, form of theatrical staging in which the acting area, which may be raised or at floor level, is completely surrounded by the audience.