CHAPTER 17STAIRS
IT’S REALLY COMMON for stage sets to have different levels. Sometimes they are low and close to the stage floor, but often they are quite tall. A Shakespearean unit set often has a high level that serves as a balcony location. They all need stairs of some sort; performers can’t get from one level to another without them. Most stage settings include steps in some way, whether it’s just one step up to a low platform or as a long set of backstage escape stairs.
Three basic parts make up any set of stairs. The treads are what you step on when going up or down. Risers are the parts of the unit that “rise” from one tread to another, and the carriages are the side pieces used to “carry” the weight of the entire unit. Steps vary greatly ...
