Act
Plays are often divided into ‘acts’. These are the major
divisions within a play. Plays generally have between one and five acts. A
very short play is sometimes referred to as a ‘one-acter’. Acts are typically
made up of different scenes.
Apron
This is the name given to the part of the stage juts
out into the auditorium. In a proscenium arch theatre this would tend to be
the part of the stage which is on the auditorium side of the curtain.
ASM
This is the accepted abbreviation for the Assistant
Stage Manager.
Audition
When a director is casting a show, s/he often has a formal audition so that
s/he can get an idea of the type of talent that is available for the production.
Sometimes the actors are required to learn a monologue
from the play or are teamed up with another actor to perform a scene. Occasionally
directors ask performers to prepare a monologue of their choice. It is a good
idea to have a few monologues prepared which can demonstrate that you can
work in a variety of dramatic styles (eg a Shakespearean and a contemporary
piece). If you need help selecting a monologue there are many books available
to help you.
Auditorium
The space within the theatre where the audience sits (or
stands) for the duration of a performance. Sometimes it is referred to as
the ‘house’.
Backstage
This refers to the area in the theatre which is unseen by
the audience. It includes the space in the wings as well as the dressing
rooms.
Blackout
This term is used to describe a moment during a performance when all of the
stage lights are turned off.
Blacks
This term is often used to describe the ‘costume’ worn by
the technical crew during a performance. Black clothes are worn because this
is the colour that will be least obtrusive during a performance and it allows
the stagehands to move set pieces on stage without distracting the audience.
Blocking
Blocking is usually a major part of the rehearsal process.
It refers to the process of arranging the moves of the actors on stage. Often
the stage manager will write down the blocking in the prompt book.
Box office
This is the designated area of a theatre’s front of house where prospective
audience members can purchase their tickets.
Box set
This is often used in the production of naturalistic plays. It describes a set which is a ‘realistic’ room
with three walls and it is as though the fourth wall has been removed so that
audience members feel as though they are observing real action.
Break a leg
There is a superstition which suggests that it is
bad luck to wish an actor “good luck” prior to a performance so the term “break
a leg” is commonly used in its place.
Bump in
This is the process of preparing the theatre for a particular
production. It includes building the set, introducing props and costumes,
and rigging the lights.
Bump out
This is the process of dismantling the set at the conclusion of a production. It includes the removal of all set pieces, costumes, and
lighting.
Call
A “call” is the name given to the time that a performer is required to be
at the theatre. Actors are often told that their “call” for a rehearsal or
performance is at a particular time. For example you may be told that “Tomorrow
night’s call is 7pm”.
Cast
The performing members of a theatre troupe are referred
to as the ‘cast’.
Casting
This is the name given to the process of selecting
actors to play the different roles in a play. Sometimes this requires actors
to participate in an audition.
Company
This refers to the cast, the crew, and other people who are
connected with a show.
Costumes
The items of clothing that are worn by the actors onstage are called costumes.
Large theatre companies have a wardrobe department who design and create the
costumes.
Cue
The directive given to technical people to do something during
the performance. This includes sound and lighting cues. Sometimes this is
a verbal instruction given by the Stage Manager. For example, “Bring up the
house lights”. But other times it might be a visual cue taken from the stage
action. For example, “When the actor crosses the stage play the telephone
sound effect”.
Cue to cue
This is the process that is often adopted during a technical run. It means
that most of the dialogue and action are omitted and the cast jumps between
technical cues and entrances/exits so that the lighting and sound cues may
be perfected. This is sometimes referred to as “topping
and tailing”.
Curtain Call
When a performance has finished often the actors acknowledge
the audience’s applause by coming on to the stage and bowing.
Dialogue
This is the term used to describe the parts of a play text when there is more
than one character talking. Conversations between characters are referred
to as dialogue. [This is in contrast to a monologue].
Downstage
This refers to the area on the stage that is closest to the
audience.
Dress rehearsal
This is a full run of a performance. It is often the
final rehearsal prior to opening night. All elements of the performance (blocking,
lighting, music, etc) are presented as they are meant to be in the final performance.
Flat
A flat is a versatile set piece. It is usually a rectangular frame that is
covered with fabric or plywood. Most theatre companies have a range of stock
pieces that are used in many different productions. For this reason flats
are often black so that they can be used in different plays. Sometimes flats
are painted with background images for a particular production.
Fourth Wall
This refers to the idea that an imaginary fourth wall has
been removed from the set of a play so that the audience can watch the action.
This concept often is used with regard to naturalism.
Front of House
The front of house is generally regarded as any areas that
are accessible to audience members. This includes the foyer, the bar, the
box office, and the auditorium.
Green Room
The green room is an area that is designated for the
actors to get together and unwind.
House
The auditorium is sometimes referred to as the ‘house’. Actors will sometimes
ask how many people are in the audience by using the expression “How big is
the house tonight?”.
Interval
This is a short break in the performance. A play can have multiple intervals
if there are large set changes that are required. However, there is usually
only one interval of 15 to 20 minutes. It typically is positioned mid-way
through the performance.
Marking Out
This is usually one of the jobs for the Stage Manager. S/he uses masking tape
on the rehearsal room floor to indicate the plan of
the flats, set pieces, and props so that the actors can get a feel for the
space in which they will be performing.
Matinee
A matinee show is usually one that takes place in the morning or afternoon
rather than in the evening. It is derived from a Latin word meaning “of the
morning”, but in Australia it’s more commonly an afternoon performance.
Monologue
A monologue is a long speech by a single character
that is uninterrupted by the other characters on stage. If the character is
alone on stage when presenting a monologue, the speech is called a soliloquy.
PM
This is the accepted abbreviation for the Production Manager.
Preset
This is the term that is used to describe the process of putting all props,
lighting, and set pieces in their correct location before the start of the
play.
Props
This is a term in its own right but it comes from the word ‘properties’. It refers to any items that cannot really be considered
to be scenery or costumes. For example, an actor may need to bring a gun on
to the stage in a particular scene. Actors are usually responsible for their
own props although sometimes the stage manager keeps them safe in a central
back stage location.
Proscenium Arch
This is the name given to the ‘frame’ which goes around the performance space
in traditional nineteenth-century style theatres. In some theatres it actually
looks like a gold-gilted picture frame. The audience looks through this frame
into the dramatic world being created on stage.
Raked Stage
This is a performance space that slopes up towards the rear of the stage.
This was a common feature of theatres in the past but nowadays it is more
common for stages to be flat and the auditorium to be raked. This improves
the sightlines from most seats in the auditorium.
Run
This jargon term is used in two different ways in the theatre. Firstly, it
describes the length of the season of a particular production. For example
“Our production of Hamlet runs for three weeks”. Secondly,
it describes a rehearsal where a part of the play is practiced. For example
“Tomorrow’s rehearsal will start with a run of Act IV of Hamlet”.
Set
When this term is used as a VERB, it refers to the process of preparing the
stage for the start of a production. For example, “I have set the props in
position for the start of Act I”. When it is used as a NOUN, it refers to
complete stage setting for the production or for a particular scene. For example,
“The set for Act I is a bedroom”.
SM
This is the accepted abbreviation for the Stage Manager.
Stage Left/Stage Right
These are the most common stage directions used in the theatre. They always
refer to the stage from the actor’s perspective. That
is, when an actor stands on stage and looks into the audience, it is his or
her left and right.
Tech
This is an abbreviation for the “technical rehearsal”. People will say things
like “the tech went till 3am”. The term can also be used to describe a member
of the production crew. For example, “The lighting tech will preset the lighting
state for Act I by 7:45pm”. [Sometimes this person is referred to as “the
techie”]
Technical Rehearsal/Tech Run
This is a rehearsal that is specifically focussed on the technical aspects
of the production including the lighting, the set,
and the sound effects or music. Sometimes the actors are required to wear
costumes so that they can practice fast costume changes if necessary.
Theatre in the round
This is a form of theatre where the audience surrounds the performance space.
Upstage
This refers to the part of the stage that is the furthest
distance from the audience. It also describes the process of “upstaging” another
actor which is when one actor moves around to pull the audience’s focus from
the primary action of the scene.
Wings
These are the spaces which are usually on the side of the stage. They are
typically out of the sight of audience members. Actors can wait here when
preparing to make their entrances.
