In theater, stage left and stage right are directions given from the perspective of the performer facing the audience. Stage left refers to the left side of the stage from the performers point of view, while stage right refers to the right side of the stage from the performer's point of view. These directions are important for performers, directors, and production crew to understand and use when discussing staging and movement on the stage. Other common stage directions include upstage (the area farthest from the audience) and downstage (the area closest to the audience) .