To bring your creative idea to life, you will need a little bit more than just a stage. Yes, actors and props are important too, but one of the best and easiest ways of elevating the stage is using theatrical drapes.
Since they come in many materials, shapes, sizes, and colors, we made this guide that will help you choose the perfect drapes for your next show.
Types of Theatrical Drapes
Since we offer an entire collection of drapes available for rent, to make browsing easier, we separated them into several different categories, assigned by the type of drape.
These categories include Austrian puffs, cycloramas, damask drapes, lame, rain curtains, sheer chiffon, velour, and velvet.
These categories include drape materials as well, because the material makes a big difference in the way the drape behaves on the stage, especially combined with different lighting.
Austrian Puffs
Austrian puffs are a type of theare drapery with vertical rows of stitching that run from the top to the bottom edge of the fabric. The fabric between two rows is rather loose, so when the drape is lifted, the fabric bulges outwards, creating round, puffy scallops.
Our collection of Austrian puffs, available for rent, comes in a variety of sizes and colors, including red, gold, green, yellow, and others.
Red Satin Austrian Puff is an absolutely stunning piece that features satin fabric in a glowing, silky red.
The drop adds opulence and beauty to any stage.
The Silver Austrian Puff curtain is a fantastic stage element to have for your show. It is liquid metal in appearance and can be used as a grand backdrop in place of a themed or illustrated background.
It is opaque when front lighting is used and sheer or translucent when it is lit from behind.
Our Gold Satin Austrian Puff drapery is another stunning stage addition. This elegant drapery is made with lustrous satin and pleated fabric.
It works well on both small and big stages.
White Super Vel Austrian Puff is absolutely stunning with its ruched super-vel fabric in a gorgeous white.
It stands firm as a neutral base for creative expression because it blends into any stage.
Peach Melange Brocade Austrian Puff is a gorgeous piece of light pink drapery that shimmers and takes light like no other drapery could. The delicately pleated ruffles of the Austrian puff make this piece look breathtaking.
Different colored lights can reflect and change the look of the drapery.
Cycloramas
Cycloramas are curtain walls positioned at the back of a semi-circular theater recess, covered with a semi-circular dome. They are often used to project scenes, special effects, gobos, and other lighting effects, such as creating the illusion of having a sky onstage. They are also typically paired with scrims, muslin, or opera plastics.
Our collection of cycloramas includes a number of white muslins that can serve as a base for your images and backdrops. We have white seamless muslins, white poly cycloramas, and painted white muslin cycloramas, as well as day sky blue cycloramas and daylight sky blue cycloramas.
Our Seamless White Muslin Cyclorama is a large stage element typically used for depictions of the sky or as a backdrop for other stage design components. It is made of Trevira muslin instead of cotton, which makes it more flame-retardant and resistant to moisture.
This seamless piece is ideal for front lighting and projection since there is no seam to disrupt the visible image.
Seamless Beige Cyclorama is another large piece that can be used as a backing for your upcoming stage presentations or theatrical stage performances.
Polysheen White Cyclorama is made of a polysheen, lightweight, synthetic fabric. It has a lustrous sheen and is often used for lighting effects due to the shimmer and the semi-transparent quality. This cyclorama is best used for lighting effects and not projecting since it has vertical seams every 4 to 5 feet.
Rain Curtains
Rain curtains are a type of theatrical drapery that features long, thin ripples of colorful material that look a lot like rain.
In the theater industry, rain curtains are often employed for special scenic effects and to reflect and play with lights. Our collection consists of several pieces in metallic blues, reds, pinks, and blacks, as well as gold and silver rain curtains, giving you the flexibility in terms of the effects that you want to produce.
Red Rain Curtain is a great addition to any production, event, or show!
These Mylar Strip Curtains will give your next event a great elegance as each strip shines with its metallic flair.
Green Rain Curtain will give your next event a great pizzazz as each strip shines with its metallic flair. The rain curtain is not solid, so you may see people or props behind it.
Gold Rain Curtain will jazz up your next event. The gold has a fine metallic shine that works very well with different types of lighting.
Silver Rain Curtain is another amazing shimmery piece that is a great choice for many different shows or events.
Lame
Lame is a type of woven fabric made of thin ribbons or metallic yarns, often used for backdrops and drapes. We offer a variety of lame drapes that will add glamour to every scene.
Our lame drapes are available in variants of metallic blues, pinks, reds, yellows, greens, browns, purples, and classic black and white combinations.
Blue Casino Drapery is made of stunning fabric that looks and feels like mirrolahm drapery in a beautiful, regal royal blue.
Violet Casino Drapery is another similar item that shines in bright metallic purple.
If green is more of your color, then our Green Mirrolahm Drape is a great choice for your next production.
Or if you prefer a lighter, but more neutral color, then Silver Casino Drapery might be a good option.
Damask Drapes
Damask is a fabric created by using a special form of weaving that originated from the Byzantine Empire. It creates elaborate patterns on fabrics through alternating satin and sateen weaves. The satin weave imbues portions of these patterns with a soft luster. The technique can be used on a lot of different fabrics, including those made from natural fibers like silk, cotton, wool, and linen, as well as those produced from synthetic ones like rayon.
Our collection includes pieces of different colors, like red, gold, green, maroon, tangerine, orange, and a combination of these. These draperies also come in various types, including those that can be used as main drapes, stage legs, stage borders, swags, and festoons.
Ornate Red Damask Drape is an elegant piece of drapery made from damask fabric, woven by periodically reversing the action of the warp and weft threads. This gorgeous woven fabric is designed with a base of deep red, accented by the elegant patterns in an eggshell color.
Tangerine Damask Drape is designed with a stunning tangerine that perfectly blends into the stage.
Gold Damask Drape fabric is designed with a regal gold. This drape can accentuate many different productions that require a royal ballroom.
Maroon Damask Swag is an elegant piece of drapery made from vibrant, regal red damask fabric with a golden fringe hanging from the bottom of the drape. The style of this drape is perfect for adding opulence to your stage.
Sheer Chiffon
Chiffon is a type of lightweight, plain-woven, sheer fabric that can be made from different materials, including natural fibers like silk and cotton, as well as synthetic fibers like polyester. The net-like weaving structure affords chiffon curtains and drapes a semi-transparent quality, making it useful for draping purposes where minimal light control is desired.
Our chiffon drapery comes in a variety of colors, including pink, cloud, oyster, sky blue, turquoise, ivory, and black.
White Voile Drape is a versatile piece of sheer fabric very similar to chiffon. The beautiful white fabric gives every stage an ethereal look and feel. It can help you achieve special lighting effects on the stage, allowing your imagination to run free with our gorgeous drapery.
Pale Pink Chiffon drape has a lustrous texture that responds well to different lighting effects. It may even change color with the right lighting.
Sky Blue Chiffon is an ideal addition to scenes that call for a view of the tranquil sky. At the same time, the gentle, flowing color of this theatrical curtain can enhance stages and scenes that require an air of peace and calm.
Turquoise Chiffon is another beautiful piece that can enhance your stage and scenes that require an airy, light background.
Velour/Velvet
Velour is a type of woven fabric that is generally regarded as one of the best kinds of fabrics that can be used as stage curtains and drapes. This rich-looking and velvety-feeling fabric can be made of either natural fibers like cotton or synthetic ones like polyester.
Velour can also range from lightweight to heavyweight, depending on what it will be used for. Decorative elements like bunting swags, for instance, are generally made of lighter velour fabrics, while velour intended for use as grand drapes is usually heavier because it is typically used for masking light and sound, as well as for hiding stage elements and equipment.
Velvet is similar to velour, but has a finer structure and is almost always made from natural materials like silk or cotton, which makes it more expensive.
Our collection of velvet and velour drapery includes a dozen pieces in different colors and sizes.
Regal Red Super Vel brings wonder and amazement to your theatrical stage. This gorgeous piece of drapery is made up of our special super-vel material, a stunning and eye-catching fabric in an electrifying red. Under stage lightning, the drop looks incredible as its ability to take lightning only makes it more desirable.
Royal Blue Lightweight Velour Drape is a classic theatrical fabric known for its rich texture and plush finish. Ideal for stage productions such as Cinderella, stage curtains, photo ops, and elegant events. This drape offers a luxurious look with excellent light absorption and a soft velvety feel.
Black Crushed Velvet has a deep black color that reminds you of the theater drapes from years gone by. There is a fine golden fringe along the bottom of the drape.
Dark Green Crushed Velvet Drape is a similar piece that also features golden fringe along the bottom. This drape looks complete with the Green Crushed Velvet Border and Green Crushed Velvet Swag.
Where to Use Drapes?
Theatrical drapes are far more versatile than most people assume. For example, you can use them on practically any stage to mask the equipment, define performance areas, or create dramatic reveals. You can also use them in dance recitals that need a clean canvas, or in all sorts of formal or informal events.
In other words, you can use them as a blank background for basically any show, or you can combine them with other pieces to achieve that layered, lavish look.
If you are looking for rentable theatrical drapes, browse our collection and order them through our website. If you need any help or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We will be happy to help you!
