Stage Directions
When performing on a stage, actors need to know where to stand, when to move, and where to go. These instructions are called STAGE DIRECTIONS.
Stage areas (from the ACTOR's point of view, facing the audience):
STAGE RIGHT: the actor's right side
STAGE LEFT: the actor's left side
CENTER STAGE: the middle of the stage
DOWNSTAGE: closer to the audience (the front)
UPSTAGE: farther from the audience (the back)
Basic stage directions:
ENTER: come onto the stage. Enter stage right means walk onto the stage from the right side.
EXIT: leave the stage. Exit stage left means walk off the stage to the left.
CROSS: walk from one part of the stage to another. Cross to center means walk to the middle.
Why downstage is the front: in old theaters, the stage was tilted (raked) with the back higher than the front. Walking toward the audience was literally walking DOWN the slope. Walking away was going UP. The names stuck!