Are curtains becoming obsolete in theater?

I've noticed that a lot of theaters don't have curtains.
They are now being replaced with scrims and projected images.
The last show I've seen that used a real curtain was
"42nd Street"
Do the theaters have curtains, but the director decides not to use them?
or are curtains just "old fashion" ?

(Edited for grammar)

Updated On: 9/14/05 at 05:10 PM

All the "older" theatres (those built before the 1960's)have a permanent heavy velvet Front Curtain. The set desgner for each show decides if they want to use it, or custom design a "show curtain", or use no curtain at all.

All Shook Up has an actual curtain - it just has a design on it.

But if we are talking standard curtains, not many shows use them.

Pillowman
Sweet Charity
DRS
Hairspray
ASU
Wicked

(Three of those are Rockwell shows)

Those are the shows that, off the top of my head, have an actual designed curtain.

Aida had more of a curtain, with the Eye of the World on it.

Don't forget The Phantom of the Opera has the huge Red tableu curtains.

Munk -

All the shows I listed (and some others I forgot) don't use the house curtain but DO have a curtain.

As opposed to shows that don't use a curtain at all, like Fiddler, Avenue Q, Streetcar, etc.

I think it depends on the show.

Most theatres have house curtains but the show may not need to use them.

For instance, CHICAGO didn't use the house curtain at the Shubert. GYPSY did use the Shubert curtain. SPAMALOT had their own curtain designed.

I'm pretty sure all Broadway houses have house curtains. But it depends on the show as to whether or not they're used.

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The Beaumont had a curtain when The Frogs was there, but I suppose Piazza can't use it because the set goes farther out on to the thrust than the curtain does. Plus, it just adds to the atmosphere of Florence 1953 to not have one and be able to immediately step into that time and place.

The worst is when instead of using a curtain, they have a black-out and you have to scurry off stage. I've almost tripped or fallen most of the time.

I personally love blood red, or scarlet velvet curtains... such a touch of class... but alas, they are obselete... my fav. curtains however are 42nd Street, A front curtain that is just canvas on a wooden frame that rises, but it looks like a velvet curtain, Aida. Wicked, the emerald one, and Millie. with the definition of Modern on it. However, I didn't really like the one with The two Chinese servants (Bun Foo, and the other one... ?) and their mother... it was a cute attempt, but it didn't really work... anyone know who the woman was who portraied their mother in the picture on the scrim? (It was the two of them, and their elderly Chinese Mother, with American flags outside the Statue of Liberty. But It'd be cool to know who the woman was.

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If a show that dosen't have a curtain or atleast a scrim drop after Act 1, I will be PISSED. Because I think the curtain or scrim falling right after the Act 1 finale, is so powerful.

I don't know if I'd say I get pissed, but I do feel a sense of disappointment in most shows where a curtain isn't employed. I've talked about this with my friends and they look at me like I'm crazy. I just love the feeling I get when, usually at the end of a first act, when the curtain starts coming down.

So, yeah, what ljay said.

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Everything eventually becomes obsolete

When it was still standing, the Loew's State theater had a curtain to die for. As the overture to the film was playing & lights dimming, the curtain rose majestically & when it was done it had that rdraped effect. Then the inner curtain would open from side to side. You had to see it. A work of art in & of itself

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I saw Chicago maybe two weeks ago, and they didn't use a curtain at the top of the show, the stage was exposed. But the black curtain was used at the end of Act I. I really love the use of show curtains. House curtains can be a hit or miss, depending on the show.