A curtain raiser is a performance or performer that opens a show or event for the main attraction; it is usually shorter than the main attraction, but not always. The term is derived from the act of raising the stage curtain.
The fashion in the late Victorian era and Edwardian era was to present long evenings in the theatre, and so full-length pieces were often presented together with, usually shorter, companion pieces.[1] Each full-length work was normally accompanied by one or two short companion pieces. If the piece began the performance, it was called a curtain raiser. One that followed the full-length piece was called an afterpiece. W. J. MacQueen-Pope commented, concerning the curtain raisers:
This was a one-act play, seen only by the early comers. It would play to empty boxes, half-empty upper circle, to a gradually filling stalls and dress circle, but to an attentive, grateful and appreciative pit and gallery. Often these plays were little gems. They deserved much better treatment than they got, but those who saw them delighted in them ... they served to give young actors and actresses a chance to win their spurs ... the stalls and the boxes lost much by missing the curtain-raiser, but to them dinner was more important.[2]
In Australian rules football, it is customary to have a youth game or lower-division "curtain-raiser" game prior to the start of some games.[3][4]
curtain, raiser, this, article, about, stagecraft, term, missile, combat, competition, united, states, force, missile, combat, competition, curtain, raiser, performance, performer, that, opens, show, event, main, attraction, usually, shorter, than, main, attra. This article is about the stagecraft term For the missile combat competition see United States Air Force Missile Combat Competition Curtain raiser A curtain raiser is a performance or performer that opens a show or event for the main attraction it is usually shorter than the main attraction but not always The term is derived from the act of raising the stage curtain The fashion in the late Victorian era and Edwardian era was to present long evenings in the theatre and so full length pieces were often presented together with usually shorter companion pieces 1 Each full length work was normally accompanied by one or two short companion pieces If the piece began the performance it was called a curtain raiser One that followed the full length piece was called an afterpiece W J MacQueen Pope commented concerning the curtain raisers This was a one act play seen only by the early comers It would play to empty boxes half empty upper circle to a gradually filling stalls and dress circle but to an attentive grateful and appreciative pit and gallery Often these plays were little gems They deserved much better treatment than they got but those who saw them delighted in them they served to give young actors and actresses a chance to win their spurs the stalls and the boxes lost much by missing the curtain raiser but to them dinner was more important 2 In Australian rules football it is customary to have a youth game or lower division curtain raiser game prior to the start of some games 3 4 See also editSupport actReferences edit Lee Bernard Swash buckling Savoy curtain raiser Archived 2008 10 15 at the Wayback Machine Sheffield Telegraph 1 August 2008 MacQueen Pope Walter James Carriages at Eleven 1947 London Robert Hale and Co p 23 Girls school final to be curtain raiser to AFLW opener AFLVIC Retrieved 2023 10 01 2022 NAB AFL Futures to feature on biggest stage afl com au 2022 08 31 Retrieved 2023 10 01 nbsp This stagecraft related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Curtain raiser amp oldid 1180220002, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
