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Glite Dictionary
🌟 To outshine 🎭 Back of stage 🎭 To move back 😏 Aloof or distant 🎭 At back 🎭 Toward back
upstage

upstage

6.8
Located toward the back of a stage away from the audience
  • adjective
  • /ˈʌpˌsteɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : en el fondo del escenario
  • He took an upstage position during the scene to create a sense of distance.

Examples

  • The actor stood upstage during the performance.

  • The actor quickly moved upstage to avoid drawing attention during the main character’s speech.

  • Props that are placed upstage are less visible to the audience.

  • Can you move upstage a bit?

  • The actor delivered his lines confidently, but his performance was overshadowed by the stunning backdrop upstage.

  • During the rehearsal, the director pointed out how the set design was meant to emphasize the upstage area for dramatic effect.

  • In this scene, the main character stands upstage, allowing the audience to focus on the emotional dialogue between the other actors.

Antonyms

downstage
  • Specialized
4 6.3

At the front of a stage near the audience

How Upstage

upstage
  • Specialized
6.8
center stage
  • US
8 3.9
downstage
  • Specialized
4 6.3

Surface Forms

upstage positive

Morphology

upstage = stage (transparent) = up + stage

The adjectival meaning 'situated toward the back of the stage' follows directly from the compound 'up' + 'stage'. [Postprocessing: moved 'up' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Upstage (adjective) comes from up + stage, meaning 'toward the back' because the back of old stages was higher; so if something is upstage it is placed away from the audience.