What is a Dressing Room?

A dressing room is a private backstage room where performers change, rest and prepare before going on stage, usually allocated to one act and fitted out to their hospitality rider. At festivals, dressing rooms are often portable cabins in the artist area.

How dressing rooms work

Dressing rooms are planned during the advance:

  1. Allocation: the venue or festival assigns rooms by billing, with the headliner usually getting the largest.
  2. Set-up: staff stock each room with what the rider asks for, such as towels, mirrors, drinks and catering.
  3. Arrival: the artist liaison or venue staff show the act to their room and hand over the key.
  4. Turnaround: at festivals, rooms are often shared in shifts, so they are cleared and reset between acts.

Matching rooms, riders and arrival times across a multi-stage festival is easier when everything sits with each act's advance in Crescat.

Dressing room vs green room

A dressing room is private to one act. A green room is a shared lounge where performers, guests and crew wait and socialise before going on. Smaller venues sometimes have only one room that serves as both.

What artists usually ask for in a dressing room

  • A lockable room with a key held by the tour manager
  • Mirrors, good lighting and a clothes rail
  • Seating for the whole touring party
  • Clean towels, often a set number per performer
  • Access to a toilet and shower
  • Drinks and food as listed in the hospitality rider

Frequently asked questions

How are dressing rooms allocated at festivals?

Festivals usually assign cabins or rooms by billing and stage time. Headliners may get their own cabin for the day, while other acts share a room in turns, with times set out in advance.

Can dressing rooms be locked?

Most can. The tour manager or a member of the act usually holds the key, and venues often keep a spare with security. Valuables should still be kept with the act where possible.

Who is allowed into a dressing room?

Only the act, their touring party and anyone they invite. Venue staff and runners knock before entering, and security often controls access to the dressing room corridor.

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