what is a thrust stage

A thrust stage is a type of theatrical stage that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its upstage end. It is also known as an open stage or platform stage. The audience in a thrust stage theatre may view the stage from three or more sides, which allows for greater intimacy between performers and the audience than a proscenium stage. The thrust stage is the earliest stage type in western theatre, first appearing in Greek theatres, and its arrangement was continued by the pageant wagon. Many of Shakespeares works were performed on a theatre with an open thrust stage, such as those of the Globe Theatre. The thrust stage has come into use again in modern productions that stress actor-audience contact rather than illusionistic effects. The thrust stage is used to approximate the original conditions under which William Shakespeares plays were performed.