What stage layout allows the audience to surround the performing space on three sides?

The thrust stage is designed to extend into the audience, allowing spectators to surround the performing area on three sides. This layout creates a more intimate atmosphere and enhances the connection between the performers and the audience. It facilitates better sightlines for viewers sitting on the sides while still maintaining a traditional stage backdrop for performances.

In contrast, a proscenium stage features a framed opening through which the audience views the performance, limiting interaction and immersion. An in-the-round stage, while also offering a unique experience, typically involves the audience being placed on all four sides, rather than just three. A black box stage is a versatile space that can be reconfigured in various layouts, but it does not inherently define a specific stage layout like the thrust stage does. Therefore, the thrust stage specifically allows for that three-sided audience arrangement.