set the stage for (something)
Literally, to prepare and decorate a stage for something, such as a performance. During the intermission, you guys need to set the stage for the first scene of act two. 2. To be the catalyst for something that happens later.
What does it mean to set the stage for something?
set the stage for something Definitions and Synonyms
phrase. DEFINITIONS1. to create the conditions in which something is likely to happen. The drivers' demands were rejected, setting the stage for a prolonged transport strike.
What is the set stage?
: scenery and properties designed and arranged for a particular scene in a play.