Blocking Grid Generator
Enter your stage’s dimensions and get a labelled grid to print, sketch on, and use for writing down blocking.
Your blocking grid
12 columns × 9 rows = 108 cells, at 2per square. Row 1 is downstage (nearest the audience); column 1 is stage left (the actor’s left, facing the audience).
How the grid is built
The generator divides your stage’s width and depth into square cells of the size you choose, rounding up so the grid always covers the full playing area even when the dimensions aren’t an exact multiple of the cell size. Each cell then gets a label combining its stage-direction zone with its row and column number, so you can call out a position precisely — “move to DS2-SR3” — without ambiguity.
Print the grid, or sketch your own version of it to scale on paper or a whiteboard, and use it during rehearsal to record exactly where actors and furniture sit at each key moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the cell labels mean, like DS1-SL1?
The letters give you the zone: DS/CS/US for downstage, center stage, or upstage (how close to the audience), and SL/C/SR for stage left, center, or stage right (from the actor's point of view facing the audience). The numbers are that cell's exact row and column, so DS1-SL1 is the downstage-most, stage-left-most square.
Why is stage left the actor's left, not the audience's?
It's the standard theatrical convention: all stage directions — left, right, upstage, downstage — are given from the perspective of a performer standing on stage facing the audience. That means stage left is on the audience's right as they look at the stage. This tool follows that convention throughout.
What cell size should I use?
Two feet per square is a common, workable scale for marking actor positions and furniture by hand — small enough to be useful, large enough that the grid doesn't get too dense to read. Use a smaller cell size for a tight space or precise choreography, or a larger one for a big stage where you mainly need broad blocking zones.
Can I use this for a space that isn't a traditional proscenium stage?
Yes — the grid is just a coordinate system laid over a rectangle, so it works for a black box, a multipurpose hall, or any flat performance space. Just measure the width and depth of your actual playing area and treat 'downstage' as whichever edge faces most of your audience.
Educational planning tool only. Always confirm actual measurements and clearances against your venue before finalizing blocking or set placement.