# Stage Directions: How do you label your stage?



## CrazyTechie (Mar 13, 2012)

I am curious to see how everyone labels their stage. Here is a diagram of a stage broken down into five sections from SL to SR. How would you fill it out?



align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .
|-








Audience is located here.

In a week I'll post what my TD says is the most common way.


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## damjamkato (Mar 13, 2012)

I would use the following:

USR USRC USC USLC USL

SR SRC CS SLC SL

DSR DSRC DSC DSLC DSL


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## DuckJordan (Mar 13, 2012)

align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UCL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .CR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .CCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .CC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .CCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .CL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DL
|-


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## Van (Mar 13, 2012)

I expect the Technicians to know the parts of the stage I don't label it for them.......

No, I actually use the same format as damjamkato. I place the side before c modifier. But then I don't typically break things down into twelve sections, six usually works for me. I think the 12 section system is more for Acting.


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## derekleffew (Mar 13, 2012)

My preference:


align="left" width="500" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USRR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USLL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | MSRR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | MSR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" |
MSC

| class="cms_table_grid_td" | MSL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | MSLL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSRR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSLL
|-









Thus CC/CSC becomes MSC, but highly unlikely it will be mistaken for Midi Show Control.


See also the wiki entry stage directions.
-----
Related question (more applicable to dance than theatre):
A stage has one center line,
SL and SR quarter line s, 
and four remaining eighth line s.

|---*1/8*---1/4---*1/8*---C.L.---*1/8*---1/4---*1/8*---|

How should the four 1/8 lines be identified?


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## Grog12 (Mar 13, 2012)

derekleffew said:


> -----
> Related question (more applicable to dance than theatre):
> A stage has one center line,
> SL and SR quarter line s,
> ...



Inside 1/8th and outside 1/8th followed or preceded by the side of the stage
Inside 1/8th SR as an example.


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## Morte615 (Mar 13, 2012)

Can someone write out the acronyms? I recognize most of the (IE SR = Stage Right) but not all of them. Though I think I could probably figure it out, better to ask and be correct.


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## chausman (Mar 13, 2012)

Morte615 said:


> Can someone write out the acronyms? I recognize most of the (IE SR = Stage Right) but not all of them. Though I think I could probably figure it out, better to ask and be correct.



USR - Up Stage Right
USRC - Up Stage Right Center
USC - Up Stage Center
USLC - Up Stage Left Center
USL - Up Stage Left
SR - Stage Right
SRC - Stage Right Center
CS - Center Stage
SLC - Stage Left Center
SL - Stage Left
DSR - Down Stage Right
DSRC - Down Stage Right Center
DSC - Down Stage Center
DSLC - Down Stage Left Center
DSL - Down Stage Left

Or Dereks...
USRR - Up Stage Right Right
USR - Up Stage Right
USC - Up Stage Center
USL - Up Stage Left
USLL - Up Stage Left Left
MSRR - Mid Stage Right Right
MSR - Mid Stage Right
MSC - Mid Stage Center
MSL - Mid Stage Left
MSLL - Mid Stage Left Left
DSRR - Down Stage Right Right
DSR - Down Stage Right
DSC - Down Stage Center
DSL - Down Stage Left
DSLL - Down Stage Left Left


CrazyTechie said:


> I am curious to see how everyone labels their stage. Here is a diagram of a stage broken down into five sections from SL to SR. How would you fill it out?


Here's how I've always written it.




align="left" width="500" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | URC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | USC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | ULC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | SR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | SRC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | ¢
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | SLC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | SL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DSL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DL
|-









UR - Up right
URC - Up Right Center
USC - Up Stage Center
ULC - Up Left Center
UL - Up Left
SR - Stage Right
SRC - Stage Right Center
¢ - Center
SLC - Stage Left Center
SL - Stage Left
DR - Down Right
DSR - Down Stage Right
DC - Down Center
DSL - Down Stage Left
DL - Down Left


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## Morte615 (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks!


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## rochem (Mar 13, 2012)

I don't really know what way I "usually" do it. Looking back at lightwrights from past shows, I've done it a bunch of different ways without any discernible rhyme or reason. However, this is one way that I like to see it.



align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .URoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .ULoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .MR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .MRoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .MC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .MLoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .ML
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DRoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DLoC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | .DL
|-


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## chausman (Mar 13, 2012)

Morte615 said:


> Thanks!



Do I need to do Rochem's method as well? I think it's the same, just "o" stands for "off".


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## Grog12 (Mar 13, 2012)

I find it funny that no one has referred to center as center center.


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## chausman (Mar 13, 2012)

Grog12 said:


> I find it funny that no one has referred to center as center center.



I find it redundant. If its upstage, then it's "up center" or "UC". If it's downstairs, then it's "down center or "DC"


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## rochem (Mar 13, 2012)

chausman said:


> Do I need to do Rochem's method as well? I think it's the same, just "o" stands for "off".



Didn't even see that request. In my example, the small "o" stands for "of" (not off). The directions would be read as "Upstage Right," "Upstage Right of Center," "Upstage Center," and so on.


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## derekleffew (Mar 13, 2012)

chausman said:


> Do I need to do Rochem's method as well? I think it's the same, just "o" stands for "off".


Of. As in URoC = Up(stage), Right *of* Center. Else, "o" could just as easily stand for "on" as "off."
-----

Grog12 said:


> I find it funny that no one has referred to center as center center.


Post #3, and 

derekleffew said:


> Thus CC/CSC becomes MSC, ...


But CC means "Color Changer" or "Changes Color".
-----

Grog12 said:


> Inside 1/8th and outside 1/8th followed or preceded by the side of the stage
> Inside 1/8th SR as an example.


I think I call your "inside 1/8" as 3/8. 
"SR 3/8 line" for example.
SR |---1/8---1/4---*3/8*---C.L.---3/8---1/4---1/8---| SL


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## ruinexplorer (Mar 13, 2012)

Grog12 said:


> I find it funny that no one has referred to center as center center.



Duckjordan did in post 3.


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## SteveB (Mar 13, 2012)

UR. UR-C. UC. UL-C. UL
DR. DR-C. DC. DL-C. DL


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## Grog12 (Mar 14, 2012)

derekleffew said:


> -----
> I think I call your "inside 1/8" as 3/8.
> "SR 3/8 line" for example.
> SR |---1/8---1/4---*3/8*---C.L.---3/8---1/4---1/8---| SL



Yep my inside 1/8 is your 3/8. Both get the job done. Both will get you looked at funny by a stage hand who hasn't worked dance. 


chausman said:


> I find it redundant. If its upstage, then it's "up center" or "UC". If it's downstairs, then it's "down center or "DC"


But if you have a line of people from USC to DSC they are all on center. Center isnt one point, it's the line that divides the stage in half. I can be on center for nearly 45' in my theatre. 

ruinexplorer said:


> Duckjordan did in post 3.


Well color me blind.


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## chausman (Mar 14, 2012)

Grog12 said:


> But if you have a line of people from USC to DSC they are all on center. Center isnt one point, it's the line that divides the stage in half. I can be on center for nearly 45' in my theatre.



When I'm talking about center, I mean center center, I just don't write it out or say it twice.

Oh, and for the record, center for most places I'm at, is about 5' wide.


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## DuckJordan (Mar 14, 2012)

Reason for cc is because of a crew that decided center was any where center(up, down, middle, left, right) and I got specific and got results.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


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## Grog12 (Mar 14, 2012)

chausman said:


> When I'm talking about center, I mean center center, I just don't write it out or say it twice.
> 
> Oh, and for the record, center for most places I'm at, is about 5' wide.



See DuckJordan's post. Specificity is a good thing. Center Line is abbreviated as center in just about any theatre you walk into.


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## Jsamuels201 (Mar 14, 2012)

USR USRC USC USLC USL
MSR MSRC MSC MSLC MSL
DSR DSRC DSC DSLC DSL

I don't know if using M for midstage is convention but for some reason that's how i've always done it. I feel like if you label midstage as just SC (etc...) I feel like that would denote the entire US to DS range. I also rarely say Down Stage Right I usually just say Down Right (etc..).


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## chausman (Mar 14, 2012)

Grog12 said:


> See DuckJordan's post. Specificity is a good thing. Center Line is abbreviated as center in just about any theatre you walk into.



Thats just how I've done it.

I should add, it does somewhat make a difference on who I'm talking to. In notes for myself, I'm usually very vague, because I remember most of the cues fairly well. If I'm talking to the person sitting next to me (who I've worked with for years), usually not much explanation is needed because we both usually are looking at the same thing. Now, talking to someone I've never worked with before, or someone onstage, then I try to be more descriptive.


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## mstaylor (Mar 15, 2012)

Derick's method is extremely confusing. I feel you would be correcting half the time until the techs figure it out. Personally when I focus I don't give stage directions, I give area numbers. If I am talking to a director or designer, I would use stage directions. With dance I have never labeled the stage with anything except numbers. Most I have worked with do 0 at C and go up in either direction. I have seen 1 to whatever from SR to SL.


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## CrazyTechie (Mar 19, 2012)

I'm quite intrigued at how similar yet different all the answers are so far. However, all the replies so far would get marked down by my TD on a test (even though I agree with most of them and they make more sense) which leads me to wonder if there is a right/wrong way to label a stage.


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## Grog12 (Mar 19, 2012)

CrazyTechie said:


> I'm quite intrigued at how similar yet different all the answers are so far. However, all the replies so far would get marked down by my TD on a test (even though I agree with most of them and they make more sense) which leads me to wonder if there is a right/wrong way to label a stage.



So out with it then.


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## CrazyTechie (Mar 20, 2012)

This is what is supposed to be the most common way:



align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | URC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | ULC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | R
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | RC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | C
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | LC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | L
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DRC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" |
DLC

| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DL
|-







I'm fine with everything on it except for how the center row is labeled. To me it seems that saying "go to R/L/C" would cause to many problems and therefore they should be CR/CL/CC.

This is the way I would label the stage (at least the way I labeled it on the mid-term):



align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DL
|-


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## mstaylor (Mar 24, 2012)

To me, labeling a stage is a personal preference. As long as you know what it means, who cares. If you are the one labeling it then that means the crew has to learn your method. I find some of the methods a little confusing, simply because it tries to be too exact, but none that couldn't be easily deciphered. 
One thing that I have always taught is there is no one way to do something and I don't the market cornered on how to do something. If it is safe, it works for you and the end result is correct, I don't care how you get there. Too many get hung up on my way is the only way. Now there are industry standards but no absolutes.


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