proscenium

pro·sce·ni·um

noun \prō-ˈsē-nē-əm\

Definition of PROSCENIUM

1

a : the stage of an ancient Greek or Roman theater

b : the part of a modern stage in front of the curtain

c : the wall that separates the stage from the auditorium and provides the arch that frames it

2

a : foreground 1

b : foreground 2

Examples of PROSCENIUM

1. The host walked onto the proscenium.

Origin of PROSCENIUM

Latin, from Greek proskēnion front of the building forming the background for a dramatic performance, stage, from pro- + skēnē building forming the background for a dramatic performance — more at scene

First Known Use: 1606

Other Performing Arts Terms

diva, dramaturgy, loge, prestidigitation, supernumerary, zany

Rhymes with PROSCENIUM

hymenium, ruthenium, selenium

proscenium

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In a theatre, the frame or arch separating the stage from the auditorium, through which the action of a play is viewed. In ancient Greek theatres, the proskenion was an area in front of the skene that eventually functioned as the stage. The first permanent proscenium in the modern sense was built in 1618 at the Farnese Theatre in Parma. Though the arch contained a stage curtain, its main purpose was to provide a sense of spectacle and illusion; scene changes were carried out in view of the audience. Not until the 18th century was the curtain commonly used to hide scene changes. The proscenium opening was of particular importance to 19th-century realist playwrights, for whom it served as a picture frame or an invisible wall through which the audience experienced the illusion of spying on the characters.