Where did the term "barn" come from
Where did the term "barn" come from
#1Where did the term "barn" come from
Posted: 11/2/16 at 8:53pm
Why do people describe large theatres with the word barn? I've heard of airplane hanger too, which makes much more sense. Is a barn supposed to be as big as an airplane hanger.
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#2Where did the term
Posted: 11/2/16 at 9:01pm
Barns are big. Airplane hangars are bigger. Much, much bigger.
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sabrelady
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#4Where did the term
Posted: 11/2/16 at 11:44pm
That's always kind of bugged me. Not all barns are big. i generally think of a theater as being bigger than a barn.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#6Where did the term
Posted: 11/2/16 at 11:48pm
^ If you told me I'd one day be writing that sentence when I registered for a BroadwayWorld account...
#7Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 12:14am
I don't know if we will ever get to the bottom of this fascinating question, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that barns smell and airplane hangars don't.
carnzee
Broadway Star Joined: 9/2/11
#8Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 2:35am
Never thought about it. But I think 'barn' connotes bad acoustics. I would assume it came from summer stock.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/31/69
#9Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 3:11am
During the 1700s in England, the touring theatre troupes would perform in 'barn' theatres. They were very simple barn like wooden structures that were commonly attached to an inn. If there was not one of these structures, they would often perform in an actual barn.
#11Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 7:20am
And when the chorus boys were feeling frisky, they'd arrange to meet
"behind the barn"
rangersrule132
Featured Actor Joined: 2/29/16
#12Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 7:38am
Yet another riveting question jorge, really out did yourself this time.
#13Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 8:44am
Old English bereærn "barn," literally "barley house," from bere "barley" + aern "house," metathesized from *rann, *rasn (source also of Old Norse rann, Gothic razn "house," Old English rest "resting place"
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#14Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 8:53am
Jed2 said: "During the 1700s in England, the touring theatre troupes would perform in 'barn' theatres. They were very simple barn like wooden structures that were commonly attached to an inn. If there was not one of these structures, they would often perform in an actual barn.
"
Thanks!
My father (AIDS)
My sister (AIDS)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#15Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 9:09am
It's a nod to the famed theater architect Barney McBarnerson.
#16Where did the term
Posted: 11/3/16 at 9:43am
I was actually in one of his theatres once.
It was affectionately referred to as The Silo.
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