SETTING THESAURUS

PERFORMING ARTS THEATER



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HELPFUL TIP:

Settings should always be chosen with care. Consider the emotion you want your viewpoint character to feel and how setting choices, weather elements, and symbolism might build a specific mood in the scene, create tension and conflict, or even raise the stakes.
SIGHTS:
A bright marquee with the name of the show or its famous performers
Posters advertising the production being given
A box office where tickets are bought
Scalpers on the sidewalk
Rope lines indicating where people waiting should stand
Lines of people waiting to get in
Patrons smoking last-minute cigarettes before a show
A lobby with people milling about
Attendants selling programs and merchandise
A coat check counter
A bar or concession counter with snacks and beverages for purchase (candy, water, sodas, alcoholic drinks)
A set of bathrooms
Stairways leading up to the balcony seating areas and private boxes
Multiple sets of doors that open into the seating area
Rows of cushioned seats
Viewers reading programs and chatting with neighbors
Children sitting on booster seats, carpeted aisles with dim light
Balconies and boxes overhead
Ushers with flashlights directing guests to their seats
An orchestra pit
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SOUNDS:
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SMELLS:
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TASTES:
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TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS:
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POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT:
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PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND IN THIS SETTING:
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SETTING NOTES AND TIPS:
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SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE:
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TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES USED:
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DESCRIPTIVE EFFECTS:
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