Green room?
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2135
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Topic: Green room?
Posted By: Nanette
Subject: Green room?
Date Posted: 11/19/06 at 11:11pm
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Okay ... I've heard the one about "in the green". Anyone have any other ideas behind how the "green room" got it's name? For a giggle ... I sent one of my child actors to "the green room" the other afternoon. She searched every room in the place and came back announcing that she could only find a "red room" (note: the walls are painted red in our green room). ------------- In a world of margarine, be butter! |
Replies:
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 11/20/06 at 1:02am
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At least Nanette you now know the student is not colour blind at all! {red/green syndrome being the most common] We done this to death a while ago, some where on this site? I think as the meaning having been lost way back when, in some regards you can make up your own meaning. Except make it plausible enough, that no one can shoot holes in the theory. My potted explanation is steeped in some historical usage of the name green. Being known as a Common area, as in the village green or on the green sward. Where plays, entertainment & interludes would be staged at local village fairs, gatherings & moots. Therefore to me it is the common room area adjacent to the stage, erected on the village green, with the green grass as it?s flooring. I think off hand the words green room was first mentioned on the architectural plans of the Phoenix theatre in London by Indigo Jones in the 1600?s , as a common room set aside for performers. Which was built on the burn out site of the Cockpit Theatre off Whitehall in London. However there has since been a discovery of documents writen by Burbage, who was one of the builders of the Globe & various other Southwark theatres of the time, suggesting the mention of a greenroom, but I think the jury {or ?Drury?}is still out on that one? The more fanciful include a place where the actors can rest their eyes from the glare of the lights!- In the 1500?s candle light, sun shine or a bonfire was the biggest light on tap! One suggestion was that it was named after Green Gage? because of the type of apple available next to the Convent Garden theatre fruit market - ?Green Gage was cockney slang for ?Stage?. A place where actors divest them selves of all green clothing, because cues were given back stage by waving green flags - they were as well as red, white & most colours. Which included whistling as well - but that?s another topic! So try & think up something innovative Nanette! ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: avcastner
Date Posted: 1/19/07 at 3:55pm
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Although Gaafa's first theory sounds the most plausible, I was told in college that it's called the green room because the early ones were painted a soft green--apparently a very soothing color. (I prefer deep blue myself.) ------------- |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 1/20/07 at 1:08am
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It is just as plausible Avcaster, however at the time green room was first believed to be coined, there was little reason to have a soft colour to rest the performers eyes from harsh theatre lighting. As it wasn’t until David Merricks [famous London Theatre Manager] adopted the oil lamps created by Aime Ardant, to replace candle light as stage illumination. {The Arden burner lamp was 10 times brighter than candles & it had no flicker because of the unique glass chimney over the burner. Also having a circular wick it allowed air to be vented through the lamps base, thus it was brighter & burnt the oil fully & more economically.} So it was not until then that bright footlights [floats] were used & much later the ‘Gurney’ burner was developed using the mixture of oxygen & hydrogen. {Lime light was introduced much later, where coal gas burnt a lime block with a gas burner, hence the "lime’ followspot, also known as the ‘Drummond’ lamp after it’s developer. Besides all that twoddle, I still stick to the theory of ‘Green’ meaning Common, as in the village green also known as the ‘Common’ - Therefore the common room {green room} as mentioned in the drawings of Indigo Jones of the Phoenix Theatre, which he designed as the first proscenium arch stage in London. He built the theatre on the burnt out ‘Cockpit’ bating arena/theatre site. He included notation of an Apparel/Common Room in the plans. {As an aside the Appareler was actually the first lighting techie as such, responsible for the lighting of the candles & trimming the wicks} ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |