The Portrait Stage, also known as the The Shelf, was the first and original animatronic show format at Pizza Time Theatre restaurants. It was only installed twice before being replaced by the Cyberamic Portrait Stage and Balcony Stage.
History[]
The Portrait Stage debuted on May 17th, 1977 alongside the opening of the first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre in San Jose (Winchester), California.
The stage had all the characters put in portraits separated from each other above the audience. The characters were initially all made of latex. The first location had Chuck E. Cheese, Jasper T. Jowls, Pasqually, Crusty the Cat, and The Warblettes. Later additions (called guest stars) would be added to this lineup with Helen Henny being the first in August 1977.
Crusty the Cat would be the first character retired in late 1978 with the opening of the Kooser location, although he would be kept at the Winchester location until it received the Cyberamic Portrait Stage in 1979. Instead of Crusty, the Kooser location would feature Mr. Munch alongside The Mopsey Sisters who replaced The Warblettes.
The Portrait Stage would be retired in 1979 after only being implemented in two locations. Winchester would replace their stage for a Cyberamic Portrait Stage in 1979, while Kooser would replace their stage with the first Balcony Stage in 1980.
- San Jose (Winchester), CA [1977-1979]
- San Jose (Kooser), CA [1978-1980]
- Both Portrait Stages featured exclusive characters, with the Winchester location featuring Crusty the Cat, and the Kooser location featuring The Mopsey Sisters.
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| Cyberamic Stages |
| Current Stages |
 2-Stage  1-Stage |
| Retired Stages |
 Cyberamic Portrait Stage  Balcony Stage  Chuck E.'s House  Chuck E.'s House Facade  Cyberamic Portrait/Balcony  Lake Forest Stage  Porch Chuck E.'s House Facade  Road Stage  2/3-Stage  Mini Unit 1-Stage  Staten Island 1-Stage  1/2-Stage  Turntable 1-Stage  Guatemala City 2-Stage  Cyberamic 3-Stage |
| CU Stages |
| Current Stages |
 3-Stage |
| Current Test Stages |
 CU 1-Stage  1/3-Stage |
| Retired Stages |
 CU Prototype Stage  Playroom 3-Stage  Hollywood 3-Stage  Winter 3-Stage  CU 2-Stage |
| Studio C Stages |
| Current Stages |
 Studio C (1997)  Studio C 2000  Small-Town Studio C  Circles of Light |
| Current Test Stages |
 Small-Town Studio C Gamma  Studio C 2000/Small-Town  Mini Unit Studio C (1997)  Circles of Light Wall  Circles of Light Live Stage  Circles of Light Wall Live Stage |
| Retired Stages |
 Studio C GM Convention  Studio C (1997) 3-Stage  Studio C 2000 Prototype  Single-Screen Studio C 2000  Studio C (1997)/Prototype  Small-Town Prototype  Star Stage  Galaxy Stage  Studio C 2000 3-Stage |
| Live Stages |
| Current Stages |
 Chuck E. Live Stage |
| Current Legacy Stages |
 2-Stage Live Stage  Studio C 2000 Live Stage  1-Stage Live Stage  CU 1-Stage Live Stage  3-Stage Live Stage |
| Retired Stages |
 Chuck E. Live Stage Prototype |
| Other Stages |
| Retired Stages |
 Portrait Stage  Family Album  Hot Fudge  The AAM |