Hollywood and Broadway Flats

Flats are used to represent walls. They are designed to be light weight and should not be used to support loads. Broadway flats are low profile and are normally hung in a fly system. The surface may be either canvas or 1/8" plywood. Hollywood flats are framed like walls and are usually surfaced with 1/8" plywood. Because of their thickness Hollywood flats can include features such as windows and non-functioning doors. Both types of flats are commonly used on our stage.

Vocabulary

    • Broadway Flat - Set wall made with 1x3 or 1x4 boards edgewise

    • Hollywood flat - Set wall made with 1x3 or 1x4 boards laid flat and connected with keystones and corner blocks

    • Rail - Horizontal base and top boards that run the width of the prop

    • Stile - Vertical boards running between the rails

    • Toggle - boards running between Stiles for stiffening

  • Corner block - plywood triangle used to connect rails and stiles

  • Keystone - plywood used to connect toggle to stiles

Image Courtesy http://www.ia470.com/primer/shop.htm

Certification

    • Describe the differences between Hollywood and Broadway flats.

    • Identify parts of a flat by name

    • Build a Broadway OR Hollywood flat