Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb Toward, at, or on the front part of a stage.
  • adjective Of or relating to the front part of a stage.
  • noun The front half of a stage.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Theater) the front half of a stage. Opposite of upstage.
  • adverb (Theater) at the front half of the stage. Opposite of upstage.
  • adjective (Theater) of or pertaining to the front half of a stage. Opposite of upstage.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb toward or at the front of a theatrical stage
  • adverb towards a motion-picture or television camera
  • adjective At the front of a stage
  • noun the part of a stage that is closest to the audience or camera

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the front half of the stage (as seen from the audience)
  • adjective of the front half of a stage
  • adverb at or toward the front of the stage

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

down +‎ stage

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Examples

  • And these changes coincide with the stepping out from the five-wide line of Jackson brothers into the bright spotlight of solo fame downstage.

    Archive 2009-08-01 2009

  • Using the exit signs to center myself, I moved slowly downstage, putting both hands out in front of me.

    Dark Secrets 2: No Time to Die the Deep End of Fear Elizabeth Chandler 2011

  • "I had a break-out gospel number where I was supposed to let the holy spirit take me over and then convulse downstage," she said.

    What Are the LaChanzes? 2012

  • And these changes coincide with the stepping out from the five-wide line of Jackson brothers into the bright spotlight of solo fame downstage.

    The Curious Case Of Michael Joseph Jackson 2009

  • Mr. Oram's set often pushed the action downstage, which was good for vocal projection and showcased Mr. Grandage's careful detail in the scene work.

    Ladies' Man Heidi Waleson 2011

  • Ter Brugghen emphasizes the suffering young man's pallor, dwells on his strained arm muscles, and itemizes the arrow wounds, but where Caravaggio would have given us downstage gore, there are only delicate trickles of blood, neatly lined up with the picture plane.

    An Artist of Dual Allegiances Karen Wilkin 2011

  • And then, at the very moment we assume the performance has come to a close and a hearty applause is in order, the House of Whimsy performers line up downstage.

    Roya Rastegar: Justin Bond and the House of Whimsy: Re:Galli Blonde (A Sissy Fix) Roya Rastegar 2010

  • “Yes, I have been thinking about that scene…” I heard Lacy say as he and Hart moved downstage.

    Exit the Actress Priya Parmar 2011

  • And then, at the very moment we assume the performance has come to a close and a hearty applause is in order, the House of Whimsy performers line up downstage.

    Roya Rastegar: Justin Bond and the House of Whimsy: Re:Galli Blonde (A Sissy Fix) Roya Rastegar 2010

  • Most of Act I was set downstage in a kind of trench behind the stationary apron planks, which limited the singers' vocal projection.

    Where Intimacy Walked the Plank Heidi Waleson 2011

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