# Auditorium, or Theatre?



## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 21, 2009)

Hello everyone,

Well, I call the facility I "work" in at my school a Theatre because it is a Proscenium Theatre. But the plaque outside, and the faculty call it an Auditorium. Is there really a difference? Or is just what you prefer? I just usually associate an Auditorium as either an outside arena type place, or inside place where seats are 180 degrees around the stage, And a theatre, or a proscenium theatre at least, a place where all seats face straight to the stage and no wings of seats. 

: P I like politcally correct, if anyone has an answer I can be in this as well : )


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## hhslights (Sep 21, 2009)

I have personally always considered an auditorium a multi-purpose indoor venue with a stage with a stage, lights, house, microphones, speakers and other related things. The main thing is though that it is not used for just theatrical performances. I do not consider my venue at my school a theater because it is used by more than the drama department, in fact, it is mainly used by the music department. My class is called Auditorium Technology, not Theater Technology like most. It is also under the Music Department and not the Drama Department. That is probably a supporting reason to my opinion that my venue is an auditorium.

A theater on the other hand in my opinion is a venue that is almost exclusively used by theatrical performances. I like to base my concept of a theater off of the Festival Theater in Stratford, Ontario. A theater in my opinion has more of what you would expect from a venue supporting theatrical productions full time. A theater also does not need a size requirement. Smaller, cozy, venues would also be considered theaters in my opinion. A theater is a venue used to bring the audience into another world, used to tell a story or whatever.

This is my opinion on the matter, I do not know if there are set definitions or if it is left up to opinion on the matter. I do feel however that there are very strong distinctions between an auditorium and a theater. High Schools usually have auditoriums because they are usually multi-purpose venues used to serve a purpose more than just drama.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 21, 2009)

Dang it xD 
We have an auditorium then. : ) Used by dance schools, the mucis department, drama, and other clubs.

I like Theatre better : P


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## Les (Sep 21, 2009)

This has been debated before. The general consensus was that the theatre is the complex in which the auditorium (performance hall) is located. So, theatres have auditoriums. 

The theatre will house the offices, dressing rooms, scene shop(s), storage spaces, restrooms, technical areas, and you guessed it -- the auditorium!


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 22, 2009)

ooh. Thanks


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## cdub260 (Sep 22, 2009)

My main venue is an outdoor theatre, commonly referred to as an amphitheatre. Some people call it the Laguna Amphitheatre, but its actual name is the Irvine Bowl.

Other venues onsite include the Forum Theatre, a 236 seat enclosed proscenium arch theatre which is used for all kinds of different shows and events by various local groups. Due to its classical Proscenium layout, it could in no way be mistaken for a multi-purpose room, but is in fact used for multiple purposes.

Then we have a third stage out at the center of the Festival Grounds which we call the Frog Pond Stage, which is simply a wooden deck surrounded by grass and concrete. This one is nether a theatre nor an auditorium, but is still a stage.


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## derekleffew (Sep 22, 2009)

Ah, but the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles is actually an amphitheatre! (Affectionately called a "shed" by those in the concert touring industry.) MillburyAuditorium, notice how some of the words you typed have turned yellow? Click on them sometime.

Lisa Simpson: "It IS a good school. Their gym and auditorium are actually _two_ different rooms!"

Words to add to wiki:
shed
amphitheatre
cafetorium
gymatorium
auditeria


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## SHARYNF (Sep 22, 2009)

To get around the semantics I have seen that many locations are now using Performing Arts Center

Sharyn


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## Grog12 (Sep 22, 2009)

SHARYNF said:


> To get around the semantics I have seen that many locations are now using Performing Arts Center
> 
> Sharyn



Wait do you work for the same companies I do?

Oi...Honestly I've been trying to get the falculty/staff/students to use theatre because all of them look at an auditorium as a place to trash.


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## SHARYNF (Sep 22, 2009)

;-))))))

At least it is better than Multi Purpose Room

Sharyn


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 22, 2009)

lol, I hate gymnatoriums, cafetatorioms, etc : P Our elementary and middle school have cafetoriums, but they have no kind of theatrical, anything, No lighting, sound, or real curtain system. So Doesnt really mater : P

I went to a local college to see a performance of some show, I forget the name, was something for the Army. "-something- Time" 
Anyways, it was in their gym, and they brought absolutely everything from their theatre out and installed it in there, it looked pretty strange


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## Les (Sep 22, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> Dang it xD
> We have an auditorium then. : ) Used by dance schools, the mucis department, drama, and other clubs.
> 
> I like Theatre better : P



Haha that's ironic, given your screen name. If you're in denial why don't you just change your name to MillburyTheatre


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 22, 2009)

lol Les, 
Well, I really never actually thought of why I called it a Theatre until someone mentioned it


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## dramatech (Sep 22, 2009)

My opinon on the definition of Auditorium and theatre is as follows: A theatre usually has a proscenium that is about half as high as the opening. An Auditorium has a proscenium that is about a third to a fourth as high as it is wide. 
I know that there is nothing to support my opinion, other than school auditoriums are generally quite wide in order to support band concerts where the orchestra or band can fit compfortably and a low proscenium and generally no fly space so that the music/ sound is not lost above the stage. Also auditoriums generally have seating wider and fanned out, where theatres generally have the seating narrower and projected back further.
The definition offered about the auditorium being in a theatre, is probably the closest to accurate. What most of we theatre geeks call the house, is probably more correctly the auditorium. 
Then to muddy the waters a bit more, The theatre built in 1939 on Indiana University campus, and one of the most beautiful theatres that I have ever seen is called the "Auditorium". It truly meets all the requirements that I would ask for to be a theatre.


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## spiwak2005 (Sep 23, 2009)

Side note - I was always taught that "THEATER" was the correct spelling for the building and "THEATRE" referred only to the art form.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 23, 2009)

I suppose everyone's though of an Auditorium is what we have : P
The proscenium wall is not as large as the opening, maybe 1/4 and the arch is fairly small. 
Although the backstage is fairly high actually. Although we don't have a real fly system. Really I don't know what we have.

The counter weights and towers are right next to whatever they are holding up, and they can't make a curtain go up so it is out of site, just a few feet above what they should be at when in use.'
Anyone know the name for these kind of flys?


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## MillburyAuditorium (Sep 23, 2009)

spiwak2005 said:


> Side note - I was always taught that "THEATER" was the correct spelling for the building and "THEATRE" referred only to the art form.



I always thought of a Theater as a Movie Theater, and a performing arts place as a Theatre.


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## spiwak2005 (Sep 23, 2009)

Actually in early 20th century America, "theatre" referred to the venue where movies were shown (on screens without a stage).


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## Les (Sep 23, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> I suppose everyone's though of an Auditorium is what we have : P
> The proscenium wall is not as large as the opening, maybe 1/4 and the arch is fairly small.
> Although the backstage is fairly high actually. Although we don't have a real fly system. Really I don't know what we have.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you have a 'Quarter-Fly' or '1/4 Fly'.


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## tjrobb (Sep 23, 2009)

As my though, I echo the theatre BUILDING and auditorium ROOM, as auditorium has the same root as auditory - and thus may be a room where one listens.

Also, theatERs to me are places that show movies, theatREs have stage performances, concerts, etc.


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## cprted (Sep 23, 2009)

I think this is all largely a case of semantics. While there may be subtle differences in the use of terms (which also inevitably is dependant on locale), they all basically mean the same thing. Whether you work in a theatre, a theater, an auditorium, or a performing arts centre is largely dependant on what the naming authority wanted it called.


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## museav (Sep 24, 2009)

I think that the reason you often see signage referring to an auditorium is that the term is being used to refer to the audience area, as the public space that is probably what most signage would reference. That makes sense to me as while they all include some form of audience area or auditorium, the performance and support areas are what often define the difference between a theatre, concert hall, lecture hall or meeting room.


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