Cyclorama (theater)

In theater and film, a cyclorama (abbreviated cyc in the U.S., Canada, and the UK) is a large curtain or wall, often concave, positioned at the back of the apse. It often encircles or partially encloses the stage to form a background. The world "cyclorama" stems from the Greek words "kyklos", meaning circle, and "orama", meaning view. It was popularized in the German theater of the 19th century and continues in common usage today in theaters throughout the world. It can be made of unbleached canvas (larger versions) or muslin (smaller versions), filled scrim (popularized on Broadway in the 20th century), or seamless translucent plastic (often referred to as "Opera Plastic"). Traditionally it is hung at 0% fullness (flat). When possible, it is stretched on the sides and weighted on the bottom to create a flat and even surface. As seams tend to interrupt the smooth surface of the cyclorama, it is usually constructed from extra-wide material. Cycloramas are also used in photography, architecture, and are useful to artists if referring to painted backdrops or walls.

In photography, cycloramas or cycs also refer to curving backdrops which are white to create the illusion of no background, or green for chroma keying.

An infinity cyclorama (found particularly in television and in film stills studios) is a cyc which curves smoothly at the bottom to meet the studio floor, so that with careful lighting and the corner-less joint, the illusion that the studio floor continues to infinity can be achieved. An example of this would be in Apple's advertisement series "Get a Mac", in which two actors stand in front of a cyclorama representing a Mac and a PC. Popular TV show The Mandolorian uses a cutting edge cyclorama to create a 3D render of the fictional planet the scene is set in, allowing for actors to feel immersed while filming.

Cycloramas are often used to create the illusion of a sky onstage. By varying the equipment, intensity, color and patterns used, a lighting designer can achieve many varied looks. A cyclorama can be front lit or, if it is constructed of translucent and seamless material, backlit directly or indirectly with the addition of a white "bounce" drop. To achieve the illusion of extra depth, often desirable if one is re-creating a sky, the cyclorama can be paired with a "sharkstooth scrim" backdrop. A dark or black scrim, by absorbing the extraneous light which is commonly reflected off the floor of the stage can further achieve deeper colors on the cyclorama. Cycloramas are also often illuminated during dance concerts to match the mood of a song.

Occasionally, the cyc may be painted with a decorative or pictorial scene to fit a specific show; these are generally referred to as backdrops.

Examples of Use in Stage Production

One example of the documented use of the cyclorama was made by Irene Sharaff for a Broadway production of Alice in Wonderland in the year 1932. In this production, Sharaff painted a cyc backdrop.

The 2022 Broadway production of The Lion King features the use of a cyc as a colorful background to highlight the actors on stage.

Lighting Designer Donald Holder uses the cyc in his work for productions of The Lion King and South Pacific, both of which he has received Tony Awards for.

See also

• Cyclorama Building, Boston
• Stage lighting
• Striplight
• Theater drapes and stage curtains

Sources

• Phyllis Hartnoll, ed. (1972). The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. p. 126. ISBN 0192811029.