Designing a stage for a special event is an important task that can quickly turn into chaos if you don’t prioritize the right factors. But don’t let that stress you out—learning which factors to prioritize is actually pretty easy, even for beginners. To get you started on the right foot, this guide will introduce you to the basic features of stage design, which you can effectively use across an eclectic array of events.
Purpose
First and foremost, you need to have a purpose. Why are you decorating the stage? Maybe you’re a local church or school putting on a riveting theatre production, or maybe you’re designing the stage in preparation for a company event. Whatever the purpose may be, you need to solidify your goals before moving forward and considering the next two features. This is because the purpose of your production will directly influence how you bring those subsequent features to life, starting with visual appeal.
Visual Appeal
When it comes to the basic features of stage design, this one is probably the most obvious because suffice it to say, the stage should look nice. However, as we mentioned in the previous point, how you capture that visual appeal depends on the purpose of the occasion. If you’re putting on a theatre production, you have to create a stage that complements the elements you’ve used when designing costumes, props, and other stage elements, such as brilliant colors and intriguing textures.
Furthermore, you should creatively establish your lighting situation in advance to accent the stage design in a striking, captivating way. If you’re planning something more formal, such as the aforementioned business event, you should prioritize the inclusion of event curtains and drapesin order to catch the eyes of guests.
Taking the time to obtain some ravishing curtains and drapes for your event will add an instant touch of class, but we’ll delve more into that in the next point. The stage should be the focal point of your event, and using methods like visual appeal will help draw the audience’s attention to center stage. However, this is entirely case by case. If you feel that the stage could benefit from a bright, vibrant color palette, then go with it. Similarly, some events may call for a more pulled back, low-key color scheme.
Atmosphere
The color palette you choose, as well as additional elements on the stage, such as the lighting, play a large role in creating the atmosphere for your event. The atmosphere you create will have the biggest effect on the audience’s mood. There are specific color combinations you can use to bring out a series of emotions in anyone who attends your event.
Cool colors like purple and blue can create a calming atmosphere throughout your event. If you want to go the other direction and bring the event to life in a more energetic, fun way, you should lean into more vibrant colors such as bright red and orange on stage. For a classier, more professional atmosphere, consider bringing these colors to life in the drapes, the lights, and any furniture you place onstage, including podiums, couches, and so forth. To put it simply, the way you design the stage should reflect the feelings you want to imbue in the audience.