When audiences step into a theater, they’re stepping into another world, if only for a few hours.
Drape curtains facilitate the transition between reality and story, as well as between scenes. Most theaters use a variety of drapery to create the right atmosphere, enhance dramatic elements, and ensure the safety of the cast, crew, and audience.
Understanding each type of curtain is essential for crafting a spectacular performance.
Wipe and Traveler Curtains
Stages have several layers of curtains arranged from downstage (closest to the audience) to upstage (closest to backstage). Curtains are mobile, allowing stagehands to move them on- and offstage. Some drapings, such as backdrops, move vertically. However, wipes and travelers move horizontally, sweeping into the wings instead of the fly grid.
Traveler drape curtains have two sections separated in the middle. When opened, each side will sweep toward its respective wing. Wipes, on the other hand, are a single piece of fabric. They move (or “wipe) to one side as they open.
Masking Curtains
As the name implies, masking curtains “mask” or hide certain stagecraft aspects from the audience:
- Curtain tracks
- Rigging
- Lighting bars
Since these drapes are black, they’re completely opaque when lights hit them, allowing them to fade into the shadows. Unlike travelers and wipes, masking curtains remain on the sides of the stage, as they’re not part of the performance.
There are two types of masking drape curtains: borders and legs. Borders hang upstage, obscuring the very top of the stage where lighting and other gear reside. They typically don’t move during a performance.
Legs hang along the sides of the stage. Also called “tormenters,” these curtains are usually on braked carriers or fixed positions with a swivel function. Both options allow stagehands to better hide the backstage by adjusting the angle at which the drapery hangs.
Tableau Drapes
Tableaus (often abbreviated to “tabs”) are the quintessential theater curtains, and many individuals associate them with drama due to their numerous depictions in popular culture. Tabs hang at the very front of the stage, hiding everything from view until it’s time for the show to commence. Like backdrops, these drape curtains move horizontally, which is why their British nickname is up-and-downers.
However, tabs are unique among all theater curtains. Like travelers, tabs are two pieces of fabric that meet in the middle. Unlike travelers, they don’t move directly to the side but diagonally upwards. The bottom corners where the two curtains meet track up and opposite, creating a unique reveal. Ironically, this “quintessential” curtain type is actually the most rare, as the rigging is incredibly complicated.
Austrian Drapes
If you visit any of the U.S.’s 3,533 theaters, you’ll likely come across Austrian drapes. These hang at the foremost part of the stage, similar to tabs, but the design is much more elaborate. Instead of hanging flat, Austrian drapes have rows of pleats, called swags or scallops, that create a grand effect. As a result, Austrian drapes are popular as Grand Drapes.
Using Drape Curtains
To find the right drape curtains you need, determine what your production calls for such as masking or creating effects. Drape curtains can make or break a theater production if used incorrectly.
