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Welcome back everyone.

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In today's session
we're going to explore space.

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Space... space... space...

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Space is a very important
element of theater.

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In this session
we'll learn about blocking.

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That's how actors move through space

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from one part of the stage to another.

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The space between actors
and scenery on stage,

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affects what an audience sees and hears.

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So movement on stage is very carefully
planned out by the director.

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During rehearsals for a play or musical,

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the director gives blocking to the actors.

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Blocking refers to where
and how each character moves on stage.

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To make rehearsals easier,

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everyone in theater refers to the parts
of the stage with a common vocabulary.

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A long time ago,
many indoor stages were built on ramps

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up toward the back, so audience
on a flat floor could see all the action.

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We call these raked stages.

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Even though most stages are now flat,

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we still call the part of the stage
furthest from the audience, upstage,

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and the part closest
to the audience, downstage.

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Actors on raked stages,

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literally move down the ramp
when they approach the audience.

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Now when we talk about left and right,
we use the actor's point of view.

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So it's our left and right.

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Even though people in the audience
will see the opposite.

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To avoid confusion during rehearsals,
we always say

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stage left, stage right and center stage.

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Think you've got it down?

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Let's give blocking a try in the studio.

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Here I am upstage, right?

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So how did you get up there?

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Cross downstage left.

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I need to tell you something.

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All right.

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Here I am.

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Now, it may look to you
like I moved to the right.

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But remember, blocking directions
are from the actor's perspective.

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I moved closer to you and to my left.

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Downstage left.

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Now, what did you want to tell me?

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I was thinking we should

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walk upstage left, instead.

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Actors write in their scripts all the time.

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It's important
to carry a pencil in rehearsal,

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to write down all of your blocking
so you don't forget.

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Since there's so much blocking
for an actor to write down,

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we use abbreviations to make note
taking easier.

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US means upstage.

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L means left.

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Check it out.

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I can use an X to mean
I cross the stage, and write USL.

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That's upstage left.

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Today
we learned about using space on stage.

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Now it's your turn to practice
the parts of the stage and

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block a scene from The Lion King Kids
with Simba,

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Nala, Timon and Pumbaa.