A green room is a room in a
theater,
studio, or other public venue for the accommodation of
performers or
speakers when not required on the
stage. The first recorded use of the term was in 1701 but the origin of the term is unknown and is the source of many
folk etymologies such as: In some explanations it is said that the colour was a response to
limelight – early stage lighting. Green is also thought to be a calming and soothing colour but this is according to 20th century psychological theories so can not be the origin of the term.The most widely accepted origin of the term dates back to Shakespearean theatre. Actors would prepare for their performances in a room filled with plants and shrubs. It was believed that the moisture in the topiary was beneficial to the Actors' voices.
Richard Southern, in his studies of Medieval
theatre in the round, states that the acting area was "The Green". The central space, often grass-covered, was used by the actors, while the surrounding space and circular banks were occupied by the spectators. Since then "The Green" has been a traditional actor's term for the stage. Even in
proscenium arch theatres there was a tradition that a green stage cloth should be used for a
tragedy. The green room is thus the room on the way to the green. Technical Staff at some West End theatres (such as the London Coliseum), still refer to the stage as "the green".It has been suggested that the original 'green room' was in a London theatre converted from office buildings. The room behind the stage had previously been used to cut deals and was known as the 'agreeing room,' and the phrase has become corrupted over the years.According to a professor of theatre history, long before modern makeup was invented the actors had to apply makeup before a show and allow it to set up or cure before performing. Until the makeup was cured, it was "green" and people were advised to sit quietly in the "green room" until such time as the makeup was stable enough for performing. Uncured makeup is gone, but the green room lives on.
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