proscenium

/proʊˈsiniəm/

Other forms: prosceniums

The proscenium of a theater stage is a structure in front of the stage that frames the action of the play. It can be square or arched, and the stage curtain is generally directly behind it.

The ancient Greeks gave us the modern concept of theater and, with it, the proscenium, one of the divisions of the stage. The word itself can be broken down into prō-, "in front of," and skēnē, "scene": The proscenium is thus the part "in front of the scenery." In a modern theater, the proscenium makes up the so-called "fourth wall," the invisible barrier that separates the stage from the audience and through which the audience watches the action.

Definitions of proscenium

1. noun

   the part of a modern theater stage between the curtain and the orchestra (i.e., in front of the curtain)
   synonyms: apron, forestage

   type of:

   stage

   a large platform on which people can stand and can be seen by an audience
2. noun

   the wall that separates the stage from the auditorium in a modern theater
   synonyms: proscenium wall

   type of:

   wall

   an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure