Stage Curtains and Drapes

Stage curtains and drapes can completely transform your stage, giving you the finishing touch to your play or performance.

Types of Stage Curtains

The drapes and curtains can be categorised into types:

• Borders & Valance Curtains
• Front of House
• Austrian Drape
• Pelmets
• Venetian Curtain
• Curtain Legs

Curtains and backdrops are synonymous within theatrical applications, and our comprehensive knowledge and experience has led to us supplying fabric to theatres up and down the country and internationally. Our expertise extends from small to large venues like arenas and theatres, town halls, churches, nightclubs, schools, universities, parliament and many more. Our stage department runs in tandem with a large flameproofed fabrics section and also includes a dedicated sewing team ready to help with your exact requirements.

Stage Curtain Fabric Options

Not sure what type you need? Check out our types of stage curtains above to find our more about each category. Typically, curtains are made from rich fabrics such as velvet, wool serge or polyester. We have a large selection to choose from to suit all different budgets.

Each have their unique purpose, front of house curtains, are usually known as the star of the show. They act as a visually barrier between the stage and audience. However other elements can be just as important to help the audience enjoy the show and well placed curtains help the behind the scenes production run seamlessly. For example, curtain legs create stage depth and mask the wings and borders and valances completes the stage frame.

Stage Curtain Colours

There are a number of different colour ways and fabrics on offer, meaning that you can get exactly what you are looking for, or we can create bespoke if needed. Browse our large collection of styles and fabrics at competitive prices – if you are still not sure where to start. Not to worry, our team will be happy to talk to you about your project. Alternatively, we can visit your site to discuss your requirements in person.

Fire Standards

Ensuring your curtains and drapes are fire retardant is crucial for all public spaces, whether it’s a theatre, event or arena hall. Some fabrics are more resistant to flames than others so when purchasing drapes for your venue, it is vital that you ensure the fabric has been treated to conform to the British Standards of BS 5867 and has the certification to prove this. Our fabrics adhere to these and we even have a special flameproofed fabrics section.

Borders & Valance Curtains

The Valance curtain is the horizontal strip of fabric that spans the entire width of the stage, completing the frame of the proscenium. The Valance curtain is predominantly constructed using the same fabric, colour, pleating and style of the grand drape and legs to create a consistent and complete aesthetic for your performing space. The role of the Valance curtain is to shield any hung rigging or lighting from the audience’s vision as to not hamper their immersive theatre experience.

Front of House Curtains

Situated at the front of the stage, the front-of-house curtain is one of the most essential and renowned elements of any stage set-up.

Raised or opened to reveal the set and lowered or closed during the intermission and at the end of a performance, the grand drape, house curtain or main drape acts as a visual and acoustic barrier between the audience and the act. They also help to frame the performance for the audience and are characterised by their luxurious, glamorous and ornate appearance.

Our specialist in-house manufacturing team can create the curtains you require and there are a number of styles of front-of-house curtains available for you to consider:

• Traveller Stage Curtains
• Fly Stage Curtains
• Contour Stage Curtain

Austrian Curtain Drapes

Renowned for its classic and elegant draping appearance, the Austrian Curtain is one of the most stylish and glamorous styles of front-of-house curtain available for your theatre or auditorium. The look of an Austrian Curtain will help you to create an immersive and compelling theatre experience for your spectators. The Austrian Curtain has both vertical and horizontal fullness and is characterised by horizontal swagging pleats that are raised and gathered on multiple vertical riggings to produce a soft aesthetic.

Venetian Curtains

Glamorous, ornate and highly versatile, the Venetian Curtain is one of the most stunning front curtain designs available and with Whaleys Stages we can design, manufacture and install the solution to meet your specifications to the highest quality standards. Similar in both style and appearance to the Austrian Drape, the Venetian Curtain is crafted so that each individual pleat is independently movable. This allows the curtain to raise to various heights and configurations, again by the use of a series of cords and rings on the back.

Our Pelmets

Hung above the front-of-house curtain and spanning the width of the stage, a pelmet is a long and narrow piece of fabric that that is used to mask the ceiling, give the stage a finished look and frame the performance area. Pelmets can be made flat or with a pleated fullness but we can create the ideal look to complement the style and finish of your complete stage fabric arrangement.

Our Curtain Legs

Create stage depth and mask the wings with curtain legs from Whaleys Stages. Theatrical legs are used predominantly as a masking tool to stop the audience from seeing stage hands, equipment and performers off-stage. They can also be used to create the impression of depth on the stage when multiple legs and borders are used.