In theater, a 'brace' is a piece of
wood or
metal used to stabilize a
set piece such as a
flat. Usually, a brace is painted black to make it less noticeable to the audience. Braces are often used to form a triangle between two perpendicular items (like a vertical flat and a
stage. They can also make a flat piece stronger by forming an X-shape between all four corners. Another way to brace a
rectangular flat is to use special braces, called ''toggles'' which run at regular intervals,
parallel to the short end of the flat, effectively breaking it into many smaller, stronger rectangles.