proscenium
nounUK /pɹəʊˈsiː.ni.əm/ · US /pɹoʊˈsiː.ni.əm/
Etymology From Latin proscaenium (“in front of the scenery”), from Ancient Greek προσκήνιον (proskḗnion), from πρό (pró, “before”) + σκηνή (skēnḗ, “scene building”).
1
In a modern theater The stage area between the curtain and the orchestra.
- It looks like a film, a meticulous, detailed, visually balanced wide-screen Wes Anderson one. There’s no proscenium, no stage, no wings, no audience.2023 June 15, Manohla Dargis, “‘Asteroid City’ Review: Our Town and Country”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2
In an ancient theater The stage area immediately in front of the scene building.
3
In an ancient theater The row of columns at the front of the scene building, at first directly behind the circular orchestra but later upon a stage.
- The front of the scene-building and of the parascenia came to be decorated with a row of columns, the proscenium (πρό, "before"+σκηνή).1936, Roy C. Flickinger, The Greek Theater and Its Drama, 4th edition, page 58:
4
A proscenium arch.
- Screamers trumpeted from the roof of the supermarket, white storks rattled their bills as their surveyed the town from the proscenium of the filling-station.1979, J.G. Ballard, The Unlimited Dream Company, chapter 19:
- Derived terms
- proscenium curtain
- Coordinate terms
- auditorium, episcenium, logium, orchestra, parascenium, parodus, thymele