Rotating performance stage

Abstract

A theater area includes audience seating that faces outwardly in an “inverted-theater-in-the-round” arrangement towards a ring-shaped performance stage. The performance stage is designed to rotate around the audience area so that each section of the audience can see each part of the stage at different times.

1 . A performance stage comprising:
 at least one performance platform encircling an audience-area;   support structures capable of providing mechanical support for the performance platform; and   a movement mechanism movably coupling the support structure and the performance platform, wherein the movement mechanism is operable to move the performance platform around the audience.   
     
     
         2 . The performance stage of  claim 1 , wherein the performance platform is substantially ring-shaped and wherein the movement mechanism is operable to move the performance platform in a circular pattern around the audience area. 
     
     
         3 . The performance stage of  claim 1 , wherein the performance platform comprises a first platform section and a second platform section, wherein the first platform section is independently moveable with respect to the second platform section. 
     
     
         4 . The performance stage of  claim 3 , wherein the first platform section and the second platform section are annular in shape and positioned concentrically, and wherein the second platform section is positioned radially outside of the first platform section. 
     
     
         5 . The performance stage of  claim 3 , wherein the second platform section is substantially motionless in use. 
     
     
         6 . The performance stage of  claim 3 , further comprising sliding electrical contacts capable of transferring electrical power from the support structure to the performance platform during movement of the performance platform relative to the support structures. 
     
     
         7 . The performance platform of  claim 1 , further comprising sensor controls configured to determine a proximity of a performer to an edge of the performance platform, wherein the movement mechanism is configured to:
 receive, from the sensor controls, warning signals indicative of the determined proximity of the performer to the edge being less than a predefined threshold; and   in response to the received warning signals, reducing the movement of the performance platform relative to the environment beyond the edge of the performance platform.   
     
     
         8 . The performance stage of  claim 6 , wherein reducing the movement of the performance platform comprises stopping all movement of the performance platform. 
     
     
         9 . The performance stage of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor controls are configured to send any of a plurality of warning signals to the movement mechanism, wherein each of the plurality of warning signals is indicative of a different proximity of the performer to the edge, and wherein the movement mechanism is configured to reduce the stage to any of varying speeds in accordance with the proximity with which the warning signals are associated. 
     
     
         10 . The performance stage of  claim 1 , further comprising display screens mounted on the performance platform. 
     
     
         11 . The performance stage of  claim 9 , wherein the display screens are mounted onto a moveable portion of the performance platform. 
     
     
         12 . The performance stage of  claim 9 , wherein the display screens comprise mechanically controllable mountings. 
     
     
         13 . A theater area comprising:
 at least one audience-platform;   one or more performance stages substantially encircling the at least one audience platform, wherein the at least one audience platform is movable in a circular fashion with respect to the performance stages; and   an audience-seating area on the at least one audience-platform.   
     
     
         14 . A method of using a performance stage that is moveable around an audience-area, the method comprising:
 positioning performance elements in different areas of the performance stage such that visibility of each performance element varies based on location in the audience-area;   moving the performance stage in a movement pattern around the audience-area, wherein the movement pattern causes each respective performance element to be sequentially (a) optimally observable to a portion of the audience-area at a respective time and (b) substantially non-observable to the portion of the audience area at another time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the movement pattern is substantially circular around an outward-facing audience-area. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the performance elements are performers in a performance group and wherein at least two of the performers are performing at the same time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 displaying, on at least one secondary screen adjacent to a first performer, a real-time video of a second performer from the performance group; and   moving the displayed video in accordance with movements of the first performer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein moving the displayed video comprises moving the secondary screen upon which the video is displayed in unison with the first performer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the secondary screen comprises a holographic display apparatus configured to display the second performer in life-size at a position on the rotating performance stage. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the performance elements are scenes in a narrative performance, and wherein the scenes the method comprising moving the
 scenes in accordance with scene changes in the narrative performance.