Stage set vs scenery

[Simo Ita]

Hi there,

Do these two words mean the same thing in English?

I could bring some paint brushes to paint the stage set / scenery.

Thanks in advance.

 

[elroy]

Hmmmm… what exactly are you painting?

(“paintbrushes” is one word.)

 

[Simo Ita]

Hmmmm… what exactly are you painting?

(“paintbrushes” is one word.)

Thanks for your reply elroy!

I think that paintbrush can be written both as a single word and as two separate words. Are you suggesting that it's more common to write it as a single word?

Anyway, what I'm trying to express is that I could paint the different panels that make up the "setting".

I hope that it's clearer.

P.S. Can you please explain what the two words mean anyway?

 

[Wordy McWordface]

(“paintbrushes” is one word.)

It's often two words in BrE.

For example, this page from the UK's biggest DIY supplier:

Paint brushes | Decorating tools & supplies | B&Q

Home
Painting & decorating
Decorating tools & supplies

Paint brushes

Paint brushes​

 

[elroy]

I've only ever seen it written as one word in American English. It looks odd to me as two words.

Anyway, what I'm trying to express is that I could paint the different panels that make up the "setting".

Hmmm... there's the backdrop, but that's usually just one cloth, not multiple "panels."

stage set = backdrop + props

scenery = what the backdrop and/or props depict

Here are the American Association of Community Theatre's definitions of these terms:

backdrop: A large curtain, usually painted to represent the sky, a landscape, or some other background, dropped upstage to form the back of a wing set and to mask the backstage space; now commonly supplanted by a cyclorama.

(stage) set: The complete stage setting for a scene or act, usually referring to the combination of flats, platforms, doors, windows, furniture and accessories.

scenery: The elements of a stage setting, especially those made of wood and canvas, or any other material used to construct platforms, flats, walls, doors and backdrops.

Theatre Terms | AACT

 

[Simo Ita]

I've only ever seen it written as one word in American English. It looks odd to me as two words.


Hmmm... there's the backdrop, but that's usually just one cloth, not multiple "panels."

stage set = backdrop + props

scenery = what the backdrop and/or props depict

Here are the American Association of Community Theatre's definitions of these terms:

backdrop: A large curtain, usually painted to represent the sky, a landscape, or some other background, dropped upstage to form the back of a wing set and to mask the backstage space; now commonly supplanted by a cyclorama.

(stage) set: The complete stage setting for a scene or act, usually referring to the combination of flats, platforms, doors, windows, furniture and accessories.

scenery: The elements of a stage setting, especially those made of wood and canvas, or any other material used to construct platforms, flats, walls, doors and backdrops.

Theatre Terms | AACT

Thanks a lot elroy!

 

[Keith Bradford]

Hmmm... there's the backdrop, but that's usually just one cloth, not multiple "panels."

stage set = backdrop + props

scenery = what the backdrop and/or props depict

...

Theatre Terms | AACT

The set is more than the backdrop.

• The backdrop/cyclorama is the curtain, often painted with distant landscape or sky, which hangs upstage.
• The scenery consists of either drops (= curtains) further downstage or rigid built pieces such as flats, what you called in #3 the different panels that make up the "setting".
• Flats were typically cloth stretched over a wooden frame, like an artist's canvas, to represent interior or exterior walls. Today they are frequently covered with hardboard (= MDF) or plastic materials. I have used expanded polystyrene.
• There are other elements of scenery such as groundrows (low flats representing bushes or low walls) cutouts (flats with holes in them) etc. and of course all the varieties of steps and platforms.

 

[elroy]

The set is more than the backdrop.

…as I said.