FLATS (THEATRE)

'Flats', short for 'Scenery Flats', are flat pieces of theatrical scenery which are painted and positioned on stage so as to give the appearance of buildings or other background.
Flats can be soft or hard covered. Soft covered flats (covered with canvas or muslin) have changed little from their origin in the Italian Renaissance. Hard covered flats with a frame that is perpendicular to the paint surface are referred to as studio or Hollywood flats
Usually flats are built in standard sizes of 8, 10, or 12 feet tall so that walls or other scenery may easily be constructed.
Often affixed to battens flown in from the fly tower for the scenes in which they are used, they may also be stored at the sides of the stage and braced to the floor when in use for an entire performance.
Some casts have a tradition of signing the back of flats used on their production.