Front curtain

A front curtain, also known as a house curtain, act curtain, grand drape, main drape or main rag, is the stage curtain or curtains at the very front of a theatrical stage.

Typically, the front curtain is opened at the beginning of a performance to reveal the stage set and closed during intermissions and at the end of a performance. The most common material for the front curtain is a heavy velour material, often with pleated fullness sewn into the fabric to create a more opulent appearance.

Types

There are several types of house curtains, which vary in construction, operation, and cost. Depending on a curtain's type, its fabric may be flat or pleated, and it may drape, hang, or do both. Some types open by rising into the fly space above the stage; other types travel horizontally, or travel vertically but gather near the proscenium top and thus do not require a fly space. Some require mechanical power to operate whereas others may be operated by a person, by pulling an operating line (a rope) or directly pulling the curtains.