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Historical attributions of the term
Some theories have attempted to identify specific historical origins for the term. For example:
Richard Southern, in his studies of Medieval
theatre in the round, states that in this period the acting area was called The Green. This central space, often grass-covered, was used by the actors, while the surrounding space and circular banks were occupied by the spectators. From this source then The Green has been a traditional actors' term for the
stage. Even in
proscenium arch theatres there was a tradition that a green stage cloth should be used for a tragedy. The green room could thus be considered the transition room on the way to the green/stage. Technical staff at some West End theatres (such as the London Coliseum) still refer to the stage as the green.
[edit]"Tiring
house", "scene-room" and "green room"
In Shakespeare's day, the actors waited in a tiring house. Here it is mentioned by Peter Quince as he plans for his acting troupe to rehearse in the woods:
QUINCE: Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient place for our rehearsal. This green
plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house; and we will do it in action as we will do it before the duke.
—Midsummer Night's Dream (approx 1595) - Act 3 Scene 1
Samuel Pepys mentions these locations at the Drury Lane Theatre Royal in 1667:
...she took us up into the Tireing-rooms and to the women's
Shift, where Nell was dressing herself and...then below into the Scene-room, and...here I read the Qu's (cues) to Knepp while she answered
me, through all her part of Flora's Figarys...
—Samuel Pepys, [8]
It is possible that "green room" might be a corruption of scene room, the room where scenery was stored which doubled as the actors' waiting and warm-up room.[6]
In his Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), James Boswell mentions visits by his subject to the Green Room at the Drury Lane Theatre.[9]
[edit]Citations
Thomas Shadwell's Restoration comedy, "A True Widow" (1678), mentions in Act Four: Stanmore : "No madam: Selfish, this Evening, in a green Room, behind the Scenes, was before-
hand with me..." [6][10][11]
The term "green room" is mentioned in Colley Cibber's Love Makes a Man (1701). "I do know London pretty well, and the Side-box, Sir, and behind the Scenes; ay, and the Green-Room, and all the Girls and Women~Actresses there.' [10][11][12][13]
In his Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), James Boswell mentions visits by his subject to the Green Room at the Drury Lane Theatre.[9]
Jerome K. Jerome's first book comically describes his stint in English theatre during the late 1870s. "There was no green room. There never had been a green room. I never saw a green room, except in a
play, though I was always on the lookout for it." [14]
The green room is mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes short story "The Man with the Twisted Lip" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [15]
The musical 'The Green Room' is set in the green room of St. Nordoff Theatre. The 4 person musical follows the progress of 4 musical theatre majors and their journey to Broadway. Music and Lyrics by Chuck Pellitier.
[edit]Folk etymology
In addition to the preceding explanations, the term green room has also been attributed to numerous alternative folk etymologies, including the following:
The room was originally painted green to "relieve the eyes from the glare of the stage."[16][17] On the other hand, early stage lighting was by candlelight, so the "glare" might be apocryphal, a modern reference to
electric stage lighting.[18]
It is sometimes said that the term green room was a response to
limelight,[10] though the name is merely a coincidence -- "limelight" refers to calcium oxide, not to the fruit or colour. Furthermore limelight was invented in 1820 and the term "green room" was used many years prior to that.
Many actors experience nervous anxiety before a performance and one of the symptoms of nervousness is nausea. As a person who feels neauseous is often said to look "green", so the "Green Room" is the place where the nervous actors wait.[10]
Some studies state that the green room was originally called the retaining room. The ensemble of a production would wait there for their appearance onstage, listening to the performance of the principal actors and critiquing their acting. When made aware of this practice, the leads began to
call the retaining room the green room, mocking the (green) envy of these actors.[citation needed]
In Restoration theatres, the main, seasoned actors waited for their entrances in the wings - or sometimes even at the sides of the stage - while the minor players, usually young, less experienced "green" actors, were banished behind the scenes. Hence, the backstage room was for the "green" players and came to be called the green room.[citation needed]
According to one theory, long before modern makeup was invented the actors had to apply makeup before a show and allow it to set up or cure before performing. Until the makeup was cured, it was green and people were advised to sit quietly in the green room until such time as the makeup was stable enough for performing. Uncured makeup is gone, but the green room lives on.[19]
In Shakespearean theatre actors would prepare for their performances in a room filled with plants and shrubs. It was believed that the moisture in the topiary was beneficial to the actors' voices. Thus the green room may refer to the green plants in this stage preparation area.[20]
The term green room can alternatively be traced back to the East End of London, England. In Cockney rhyming slang, greengage is stage, therefore greengage room is stage room and like most rhyming slang it gets shortened, hence green' room. This info came from the late, great comedian and dancer Max Wall.
Green is also thought to be a calming and soothing colour.
It has been suggested that the original green room was in a London theatre converted from office buildings. The room behind the stage had previously been used to cut deals and was known as the agreeing room, and the phrase has become corrupted over the years.[citation needed]
In English theatres, a green floor-cloth was traditionally spread on the stage for tragedies. During the Restoration, when virtually all performances were comedies, the green floor-cloth for tragedies was stored in the actors' waiting room and used to deaden their footsteps so the sound of pacing actors would not disturb the performance. As tragedies were rarely performed, the green floor cloth became a routine
fixture of the actors' lounge and the room became known as the green room.[citation needed]
[edit]Other meanings
In some theatre companies, the term green room also refers to the director's critique session held after a rehearsal or performance, since it is often held in the green room. This session is used for a pep talk, bonding among actors, and/or warmup exercises.
Green room is also a term for a room where plants are grown as the windows are made of glass, making it a perfect habitat for plants.
In international trade, and in particular in the context of negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO), where decisions can only be reached by consensus, the "Green Room" refers to a process in which heads of delegation seek consensus informally under the chairmanship of the Director-General.Green Room meetings serve a useful purpose in that their informal nature allows negotiators to explore new approaches to settling difficult issues. Ministerial Green Room consultations deal with the most sensitive political issues — including tariff or subsidy cuts, or the degree of flexibility regarding those cuts. Green Room meetings often run until the early hours of the morning and can stretch out for days. They can also be tense and dramatic settings in which nerves are taut and tempers evident. When
convergence is reached in the Green Room, co-ordinators report back to their groups (such as the G20, G90, least developed countries, or trade blocks, such as the EU)) to
relay their accounts of the meeting. Group members react to these reports and may approve or reject proposals. They could also ask the co-ordinator to go back to the Green Room to seek clarification or more concessions from trading partners. At the end, the Director-General may consult such members in an effort to accommodate their concerns and thereby
enable them to join the consensus[21].
The green room is sometimes a location where theatre patrons or fans may meet and greet any famous musicians or performers after a concert. A fee is usually paid to
gain access to this area.
In the White House, the Green Room is one of three state parlors located on the state floor, it is traditionally decorated in green.
In surfing, the green room is the inside of a
barrel that is produced by a wave. This term was coined due to the colour of light reflected into the barrel.[22]
The Green Room is an Off-Broadway theatre in New York.[23]
Green Room Club was a long-time London club for actors, now defunct.
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Why do we call it a greenroom?
Originally Posted by derekleffew
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