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Theatre Terminology
Acting:
AD LIB
Improvisation by an actor when:
- another actor fails to enter on cue
- the normal progress of the play is disturbed
- lines are forgotten. ASIDE Lines spoken by an actor to the audience and not supposed to be overheard by other characters on stage. BLOCKING The process of arranging moves to be made by the actors during the play, recorded by stage management in the prompt script. BREAK A LEG A superstitious and widely accepted alternative to ‘Good Luck’ (which is considered bad luck). CHARACTERISATION The art of creating a character. Within the text, characters may be presented by means of description within stage directions or character descriptions which the actor must try to convey or through their actions, speech, or spoken thoughts within the text. CORPSING An actor who collapses into uncontrollable laughter during a rehearsal or performance is said to be “corpsing”. DICTION The quality or style of speaking of a character within the play, consisting of components such as accent, inflection, intonation and enunciation. GESTURE Body or facial movements of a character during a play. Gesture can be described by the author, or suggested by the director or actor. INFLECTION Pronouncing a word to stress its meaning. MIME Communicating emotion, meaning or an idea without words, using only gesture, expression and movement. ON THE BOOK An actor who needs to refer to the script during a scene is said to be “on book”. The ideal situation is for the actor to be “off book” as quickly as possible! PACE The speed the dialogue and/or action is delivered to the audience. PITCH The highness or lowness of the tone of voice. Generally male voices are lower pitched and female voices are higher pitched. PROJECTION Using the voice loudly and clearly to ensure the dialogue is heard by the audience.
PROMPT BOOK
Master copy of the script or score, containing all the actor moves and technical cues, used by stage management to control the performance. Sometimes known as the ‘book’, Prompt Copy or Prompt Script. RAPPORT The feeling created by an ensemble or cast working together during a performance. READ THROUGH A meeting with all cast and (sometimes all) creative team members to read through the script. Usually happens at the start of the rehearsal process, to help the cast get to know each other and the text. STILLNESS Using a quiet voice and a subtle body language to create a calm atmosphere on stage. TONE The way the words are spoken to demonstrate the emotion behind their meaning.
Costume
BLACKS
Black clothing worn by stage management during productions. COSTUMES Clothes worn by the actors on stage. DRESSING ROOMS Rooms containing clothes rails and mirrors (often surrounded with lights) in which actors change into their costumes and apply makeup. GREASEPAINT Name refers to makeup supplied in stick form, for application to the face or body. Needs special removing cream. MAKEUP Products applied to the face or body of an actor to change or enhance their appearance. See also GREASEPAINT. MASK Form of theatre where actors’ faces are covered with masks. QUICK CHANGE A change of costume that needs to happen very quickly and takes place close to the side of the stage. WARDROBE The general name for the costume department, its staff and the accommodation they occupy.
LIBRETTO
Text of an opera, or other long musical vocal composition. The script of a musical. MONOLOGUE A speech within a play delivered by a single actor alone on stage. NARRATION Dialogue designed to tell the story or provide accompanying information. Narration can accompany on stage action or be presented in its own right. PLOT The basic story thread running through a performance/play which gives the reason for the characters’ actions. PROLOGUE Short scene or speech before the main action of the play to put it into context or set the scene. PROTAGONIST The leading character or ‘hero’ in a play who has to fight against/oppose the ANTAGONIST. RISING ACTION The events that build up the pace and perhaps the excitement in a plot/drama. SCENE A subdivision of a play. SCRIPT The text of a play or musical. Also contains stage directions and other notes. SOLILOQUY Lines delivered by an actor on stage as if to her/himself. STAGE DIRECTIONS Instructions given by the author about how a play should be staged, when actors should make their entrances and exits and how lines should be delivered. STEREOTYPE A role that has set characteristics, easily recognisable and sometimes exaggerated, and that follows consistently a generally agreed form. STOCK CHARACTER A role with set characteristics that may be used frequently in certain types of drama, e.g. melodrama. STRUCTURE The way a piece of drama is put together; the connections between episodes, scenes or acts; the framework. (See also Shaping) SUBPLOT In narratives, this term refers to a secondary plot or storyline. SUBTEXT In acting and character analysis, it refers to the idea that there are other meanings below the surface of what is actually said and done.
Lighting
BACKLIGHT Light coming from upstage, behind scenery or actors, to sculpt and separate them from the background. BARNDOORS An attachment which is fixed to the front of a lantern to cut off the lighting beam in a particular direction(s). BLACKOUT The act of turning off (or fading out) stage lighting. BOARD The main control for the stage lighting. BURNT OUT A coloured gel that has lost its colour or melted through due to excessive heat in front of a lantern. CMY Cyan/Magenta/Yellow – the three secondary (additive) colours of light which are used in moving lights for colour mixing. CROSS FADE Bringing another lighting state up to completely replace the current lighting state. Also applies to sound effects/music. Sometimes abbreviated to Xfade or XF. DIMMER RACK A number of individual lighting dimmer circuits built into a single case. Consists of a single power input, a lighting control (DMX512) input and sockets to connect lanterns. A dimmer rack can be set to respond to any control channel by setting its start address (known as “addressing” the rack). FADE A fade is an increase, diminishment or change in lighting or sound level. FLOOD A lensless lantern that produces a broad non-variable spread of light. FOLLOWSPOT Usually, a powerful profile lantern fitted with its own dimmer, iris, colour magazine and shutters mounted in or above the auditorium, used with an operator so that the light beam can be moved around the stage to follow an actor. GENERAL COVER Those lanterns in a rig which are set aside purely to light the acting areas. The stage is normally split into a number of areas for this purpose, which can then be isolated or blended together as required by the director. GOBO A thin metal plate etched to produce a design which can then be projected by a profile spotlight. There are hundreds of gobo designs available – common examples are breakup (foliage), windows and scenic (neon signs, city scapes etc.). LANTERN General term for unit of lighting equipment including spotlight, flood etc. LIGHTING PLOT The process of recording information about each lighting state either onto paper or into the memory of a computerised lighting board for subsequent playback. LIGHTS UP 1) Announcement that a section of the performance has begun
- An increase in light level – usually a note by the lighting designer for her/his own reference. LX Used by some as a shorthand for lighting.
Performance Space
AISLE
A passage through seating. AUDITORIUM The part of the theatre accommodating the audience during the performance. Sometimes known as the “house”. BACKSTAGE The part of the stage and theatre which is out of the sight of the audience. The service areas of the theatre, behind, beside or underneath the stage. CENTRE LINE Imaginary line running down the stage through the exact centre of the proscenium opening. Marked as CL on stage plans. CENTRE STAGE The middle portion of the stage – has good sightlines to all seats of the auditorium. CIRCLE The balcony with tiered seating above the stalls in a traditional proscenium arch theatre. DOWNSTAGE The part of the stage nearest to the audience (the lowest part of a raked stage). ELEVATOR STAGE A type of mechanised stage which has sections that can be raised or lowered. HOUSE 1) The audience
- The auditorium HOUSE LIGHTS The auditorium lighting which is commonly faded out when the performance starts. OFFSTAGE The area out of sight of the audience. RAKED AUDITORIUM Audience seating area which is sloped, with its lowest part nearest the stage. RAKED STAGE A sloping stage which is raised at the back (upstage) end. All theatres used to be built with raked stages. Today, the stage is often left flat and the auditorium is raked to improve the view of the stage from all seats. ROSTRUM (plural ROSTRA) A portable platform, usually in the form of a collapsible hinged framework with a separate top. STAGE The part of the theatre on which performances happen. STAGE DOOR The backstage entrance to the theatre. Performers and technicians enter here. Large theatres normally have a stage door keeper, who takes messages for performers and acts as a security guard for the entrance. STAGE LEFT/RIGHT Left/Right as seen from the Actor’s point of view on stage, (i.e. Stage Left is the right side of the stage when looking from the auditorium). STALLS The lowest audience seating area, usually just below the level of the stage, in a proscenium theatre.
TRAP
An opening through the stage floor. TRAP ROOM The area directly below the trapped part of the stage. Used for accessing the traps. TREADS General name for any stage staircase or set of steps. UPSTAGE The part of the stage furthest from the audience. WINGS The out-of-view areas to the sides of the acting area.
Performance Venues
AMPHITHEATRE
Circular or oval open-air theatre with a large raked seating area (often semicircular) sloping down to the stage. APRON The Apron is a section of the stage floor which projects towards or into the auditorium. BLACK BOX A flexible studio theatre where the audience and actors are in the same room, surrounded by black tabs (curtains). END ON Traditional audience seating layout where the audience is looking at the stage from the same direction. This seating layout is that of a Proscenium Arch theatre. FOUND SPACE A performance space that wasn’t designed to be one (e.g. historic buildings, factories, public areas). IN THE ROUND Theatre in the Round is a form of audience seating layout where the acting area is surrounded on all sides by seating. There are often a number of entrances through the seating. Special consideration needs to be given to onstage furniture and scenery as audience sightlines can easily be blocked. PROMENADE Form of staging where the audience moves around the performance space and sees the play at a variety of different locations. PROSCENIUM ARCH The opening in the wall which stands between stage and auditorium in some theatres; the picture frame through which the audience sees the play. The “fourth wall”. SITE-SPECIFIC THEATRE A piece of performance which has been designed to work only in a particular non-theatre space. THRUST Form of stage which projects into the auditorium so that the audience is seated on at least two sides of the extended piece. TRAVERSE Form of staging where the audience is on either side of the acting area.
STILL IMAGE
Creating a picture to represent a frozen moment or to sum up what is happening in a drama. It is a useful technique for exploring the effects of positioning characters in relation to one another in terms of levels and proximity and to demonstrate non-verbal communication. It is often used with sculpting and thoughts in the head. (See also Tableau) STIMULUS An artefact used as a starting point for devising original drama and theatre performances. STORYBOARDING A series of images and/or text showing the sequence of the action planned for a play. TABLEAU(X) A dramatic grouping of characters. A tableau may not necessarily be a still or frozen image. It can be a general ‘stage picture’ during a sequence in a scene where dialogue may be spoken and gestures used. In tableau vivant, the performers are positioned to represent a picture or ‘fresco’, and props and costumes are often used as an integral part of the stage picture. Tableau can also be used to describe a pause on stage where all performers briefly freeze in position. This can typically be found at the end of scenes in Victorian melodramas. (See also STILL IMAGE) TEACHER-IN-ROLE When a class or group of participants in a drama accepts that the teacher (or leader) is going to play a role to which they are going to react and respond. The participants may or may not be in role. TECHNIQUE Used here to refer to drama forms, exercises, strategies and conventions that are widely used to develop understanding and explore meaning through the drama process. In a broader context, techniques encompass the whole range of physical and psychological processes and exercises that an actor might use to develop their skills as a performer. THOUGHT TRACKING An exercise that allows the inner thoughts of a character or role to be heard out loud. It is often used with freeze frame or still image, where a participant is asked to say what they are thinking at that point in time. WRITING IN ROLE An exercise where, for example, a letter, a diary or journal is written as if by the character or role being portrayed. It is a useful technique for work on building character.
Process
CALL
A notification of a working session (e.g. a Rehearsal Call, Band Call, Photo Call). CHOREOGRAPHY The art and craft of designing the moves, pace, flow, structure and execution of a CUE 1) The command given to technical departments to carry out a particular operation
- Any signal (spoken line, action or count) that indicates another action should follow. CUE TO CUE Cutting out action and dialogue between cues during a technical rehearsal, to save time. CURTAIN CALL At the end of a performance, the acknowledgement of applause by actors – the bows. DE-RIG The process of removing lanterns and cabling from flying bars or grid – returning the venue to its normal state, or as preparation for the next production. DRESS REHEARSAL A full rehearsal, with all technical elements brought together. The performance as it will be ‘on the night’. DRY RUN A practice run, usually a technical run without actors. ENCORE An extension of the performance due to audience demand. GET-IN The process of moving set, props and other hardware into a theatre. GET-OUT Moving an entire production out of the venue. INTERVAL Break between sections of a performance. REHEARSAL A session when actors are called to work through some scenes from the play in private. TECH Short for Technical Rehearsal. TECHNICAL REHEARSAL Usually the first time the show is rehearsed in the venue, with lighting, scenery and sound. Costumes are sometimes used where they may cause technical problems e.g. Quick changes. WALK THROUGH Session on stage just after the set has been built (or reassembled) when actors and crew can go through moves to ensure all is as it should be, and to identify any problems before the performance. WARM-UP The Warm-Up prepares the actor’s body for the performance by exercising (literally warming up) muscles, stretching limbs, and getting the cast to focus on the performance and to forget about anything outside the walls of the theatre.
to an amateur, who does it for fun). SOUND DESIGNER Member of the production team who has the responsibility for planning and executing the layout of all sound playback and reinforcement equipment for the show. This role also includes the sourcing of music and sound effects for the production. STAGE CREW Member of the Stage staff who is responsible for moving props and/or scenery during the show, and for ensuring that items under his/her responsibility are working correctly and properly maintained. STAGE MANAGER The Head of the Stage Management team comprising the deputy stage manager (DSM) and assistant stage manager (ASM). The DSM is normally “on the book” calling the cues from the prompt corner. The ASM supervises props. UNDERSTUDY A member of the cast of a musical or play who understudies one (sometimes more) of the principal roles and is also in the chorus. USHERS Members of Front-of-House staff who guide audience members to their seats, and often sit in the auditorium during the show in case of emergency. WALK-ON A small acting role with no lines.
Set
ACTION PROP
A hand-held practical prop used by an actor for combat or for a specific purpose. BOX SET Naturalistic setting of a complete room built from flats with only the side nearest the audience (the fourth wall) missing. BRACE
- Angled strengthening timber within a flat.
- Support for scenery on stage. BRACE WEIGHT Slotted cast iron weight placed on foot of extendible or French brace to prevent movement. Often referred to as a ‘Stage Weight’. CLOTH A piece of scenic canvas, painted or plain that is flown or fixed to hang in a vertical position. A Backcloth (or Backdrop) hangs at the rear of a scene. A Star Cloth (usually black) has a large number of small low-voltage lamps sewn or pinned through it which gives a magical starry sky effect. COMPOSITE SETTING A stage setting where several locations are represented in the same space and isolated or highlighted by lighting each area separately. CYCLORAMA (CYC) The Cyclorama is a curved plain cloth or plastered wall filling the rear of the stage. DOOR FLAT Scenery item consisting of a wall containing a working door. DRESSING (the set) Decorative props (some practical) and furnishings added to a stage setting are known as Set Dressing. ENTRANCE
- A part of the set through which actors can walk onto the stage.
- The act of an actor walking onto the stage. EXIT
- A part of the set through which actors can leave the stage.
- The act of an actor walking off the stage. FLAT A lightweight timber frame covered with scenic canvas, or plywood. Flats are used to provide a lightweight and easy-to-move-and-re-configure backdrop to a stage set. Flats sometimes have windows or doors built into them to provide extra flexibility, for use in realistic settings. Masking flats are used to hide areas the designer does not want the audience to see, or to provide actors with an exit, or somewhere to store props. FOURTH WALL The imaginary wall of a box set through which the audience see the stage. The fourth wall convention is an established convention of modern realistic theatre, where the actors carry out their actions unaware of the audience.
Sound
ACAPELLA
A sung performance which is not accompanied by musicians. ACOUSTICS The acoustic of a room depends on its size and shape and the amount and position of sound-absorbing and reflecting material. AMBIENT NOISE The sound heard in a room with no sound sources. CONTROL ROOM Room at the rear of the auditorium (in a proscenium theatre) where lighting and sometimes sound are operated from. The control room is usually soundproofed from the auditorium so that communications between operators cannot be heard by the audience. MICROPHONE Device for converting sound into electrical pulses which can then be amplified or recorded onto tape. MIXER A desk comprising a number of input channels where each sound source is provided with its own control channel through which sound signals are routed into two or more outputs. RADIO MIC Device consisting of a microphone head, transmitter pack with batteries, aerial and mains receiver unit which allows actors and singers to be amplified with no visible means of connection. SOUND CHECK A thorough test of the sound system before a performance. This will include checking each speaker cabinet individually, and each playback device. In the case of a live concert, this is the session when each instrument is played in turn for the sound engineer to check and fine-tune the sound. SOUNDSCAPE Using sounds to create an aural environment for a scene. A director or designer might develop a soundscape to create an atmosphere appropriate to the drama. Each individual might create a sound appropriate to accompany or introduce the scene. For example, one person might make sea sounds vocally while another imitates the cry of a seagull to suggest the seaside. Repeated words and phrases overlapping each other can also be used to suggest a location or to portray sounds in a character’s head from a nightmare or series of flashbacks. SX Used by some as a shorthand for sound.
Other
ARTISTIC INTENTION The way the director (or ensemble) decides to realise the performance includingdecisions on the staging, performance style and design requirements. See also VISION. ATMOSPHERE The mood of a scene as it is understood by the audience. AUDITION Process where the director or casting director of a production asks actors/ actresses/performers to show him/her what they can do. CONTEMPORARY A performance for a 21st century audience. See also PRESENT-DAY. CONTEXT The situation or circumstances in which a piece of drama is set or devised, including historical, cultural or social influences. Context may be explored using the ‘W’ questions: What? Who? Why? Where? When? CONVENTION Stage conventions or theatrical conventions are practices that have become accepted over time or that can be established within a performance piece. For example, it is a convention in pantomime that the Dame is played by a male performer and the Principal Boy by a female performer. ‘Convention’ may also be used to describe drama activities such as conscience corridor. CULTURAL CONTEXT The values and attitudes explored thematically in the text. FORM The shape and structure of a drama. In theatre, form is determined by the content of the drama (e.g. the way the playwright has constructed the narrative elements) and by the way it is presented (the choices made by actors, designers and directors in interpreting the material for performance). Form is closely associated with genre and these terms are often confused but they do not have the same meaning. For example, a play classified as in a naturalistic genre will be recognised by the audience as naturalistic by the form it takes on stage. (See also GENRE and STYLE) HISTORICAL CONTEXT The time/period the text was written and the playwright was writing, and the context within the text of when and where the narrative is set. PRESENT-DAY A performance for an audience today. See also CONTEMPORARY. PROXEMICS Proxemics means the distances between characters/actors in a play. It shows their relationships and feelings. REALISATION The performance that is viewed by an audience. REPERTOIRE A collection of regularly performed pieces or techniques, usually attributed to a particular performer or playwright.
