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.