In stagecraft, a spike is a marking, usually made with a piece of tape, although some houses (theatres) use paint pens, put on the stage. This marking is used to show the correct position for set pieces, furniture, actors and other items which move during the course of a performance and are required to stop in a specific location. Usually coloured gaffer

Gaffer tape

Gaffer tape, gaffer's tape, gaff tape or gaffa tape is a strong, tough, cotton cloth pressure sensitive tape with strong adhesive properties. It is used in theater, film and television productions as well as during live performances and any other kind of stage work...

, masking

Masking tape

Masking tape is a type of pressure sensitive tape made of a thin and easy-to-tear paper, and an easily released pressure sensitive adhesive. It is available in a variety of widths. It is used mainly in painting, to mask off areas that should not be painted...

 or Electrical tape

Electrical tape

Electrical tape is a type of pressure-sensitive tape used to insulate electrical wires and other material that conduct electricity. It can be made of many plastics, but vinyl is most popular, as it stretches well and gives an effective and long lasting insulation...

 is used. Several companies make rolls of very thin gaffer's or masking tape marketed as "spike tape" specifically for this purpose. When used to indicate locations under dark conditions, phosphorescent tape (sometimes referred to as "glow tape") is used for practical and safety reasons. Performer spikes are generally only used when positioning needs to be precise, either for safety or performance reasons, such as lighting specials.

During the technical rehearsal

Technical rehearsal

The technical rehearsal or tech rehearsal is a rehearsal that focuses on the technological aspects of the performance, in theatrical, musical, and filmed entertainment.-Types of tech rehearsals:...

 one of the Stage management

Stage management

Stage management is the practice of organizing and coordinating a theatrical production. It encompasses a variety of activities, including organizing the production and coordinating communications between various personnel...

 team will be ready to mark positions as required. To enable spike placement to be done quickly, staff may precut small strips of tape either by scoring tape still on the roll or by cutting strips of tape and placing them onto a small piece of wood or clipboard (called a spike board). When spiking a position for a performer, a small cross is typically used. For furniture items and trucks the marks are usually two pieces of tape laid at right angles at two points on the item. Usually this will be the upstage

UpStage

UpStage is an open source server-side application that has been purpose built for Cyberformance: multiple artists collaborate in real time via the UpStage platform to create and present live theatrical performances, for audiences who can be online or in a shared space, and who can interact with...

 side to minimise the visual impact for the audience. In larger productions the Stage Manager will typically use different coloured spikes to differentiate the positions of various items and performers. Depending on the performance, writing will be placed on the spike to indicate what items are being marked, and in which Act and Scene the spike is used.

In film and television, a generic 'X' spike for performers is replaced with a 'T' mark, where the actors toes are be placed on the horizontal bar and the vertical bar is placed between the feet. This mark is most commonly used to spike "stop points" allowing actors to travel around a set and stop in the correct position and orientation to be in focus for the cameras.