where am I?

The stage is divided up into 3 main sections: Upstage, Centre and Downstage. Upstage is at the back of the stage and downstage is toward the front, near the audience. The reason this is so is due to past theatre traditions. Originally, stages were built on a slight slant sloping downward toward the audience. This was so that the audience could see all the actors of the stage. Thus, nowadays, there are not many old theatres left that have the slanted (raked) stage, but the original terms still apply. To move downstage, was literally down the stage, toward the audience.

However, there are also two distinct sides to the stage, Stage Left and Stage Right. Stage Left and Right are always taken from the actors point of view, so Stage Left would mean the actor's left, which to people in the audience is in fact right!

The terms "P" and "OP" are used also to indicate Stage Left and Stage Right. "P" standing for Prompt Side and "OP" standing for Opposite Prompt. Originally, the Prompt would always sit in the wings on Stage Left, hence, "P" Side or Prompt Side is considered Stage Left. OP is obviously stage right as that is the side which is opposite the prompt.