person who is hired to help the Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
the person who is in charge of ticket reservations and ticketing
Box office manager
the people who perform in a show
cast
the person who creates dances and arranges movements for a musical
choreographer
in a musical the company of dancers and singers. The dancing, singing or songs preformed by that company
chorus
the cast and crew of a show and any other staff who work on the show
company
the person in charge of the costumes for a show
costumer
all the people who work together on a show except the cast
crew
the person who provides the vision of how a show should be presented, who works with the actors on their roles, develops the blocking, and is in charge of the rehearsals
Director
a person who writes plays
dramatist/ playwright
a group of actors, singers or dancers who preform together on stage
ensemble
trade union formed to protect those who work in the theater by helping to regulate pay and working conditions
Equity/ Actor's equity
a term used to describe all of the people in the a theatre who deal with the audience including the people who sell tickets and the ushers, and any other people who deal with the public
Front of the house
the person in charge of the theatre auditorium and anything to do with he audience
house manager
the person who runs the show from opening curtain to closing curtain and is in charge of everything on the stage and in the back of the stage
stage manager
a walkway which goes through two areas of seats
Aisle
the part of a theatre which is not seen by the audience, including the dressing rooms, wings and the green room
Backstage
the place that sells tickets to a performance
Box office
the largest and most famous theatrical district in New York City
Broadway
rooms in a theatre provided for the actors in which they change costumes and apply make-up
Dressing rooms
the part of the theater known as the auditorium where the audience is seated, the lobby and the box office
front of the house
a place for the performers to relax while waiting to go on stage
green room
the area of the stage which the audience cannot see
offstage
theaters in New York City which are not located on or near Broadway
Off Broadway
an area at the front of house, usually sunken, where the musicians and conductor work during a show
Orchestra Pit
the arch that frames the front of a stage
proscenium
a platform placed on the stage to create different levels
riser
the setting of the stage for each act and all the physical things that are used to change the stage for the performance
set
the areas of the stage that are to the sides of the acting area and are out of view. These areas are usually masked by curtains.
wings
the main sections of a musical or play. the thing which actors can do
act
to make up as you go without preparation
ad lib
a quick remark made by a character in a play which is said to the audience
aside
a time when an actor goes before a group of people who are casting a play to show those people what he can do
audition
the instructions that actors use to know exactly where they are supposed to be on stage at all times
blocking
the script of a play... libretto of a musical
book
something people tell actors to wish them "good luck" before a performance or audition
break a leg
the time that an actor must report to the theater for either a performance or rehearsal
call
when an actor who has auditioned for a show is asked to come back for a second tryout
callback
when the director chooses actors to be characters in a play or musical
casting
when an actor is asked to read from a script he hasn't rehearsed
cold reading
signals that are given to actors, the crew, the musicians and any others working on a show
cue
the works which are spoken in a play
dialogue
a rehearsal, usually just before a show opens, to practice the show just how it will be on opening night, including costume and make-up. Rehearsal for both cast and crew.
dress rehearsal
a piece of fabric which is hung on stage and usually used in the scenery of a show
drop
the invisible wall that separated the actors and the audience
fourth wall
those objects used to tell the story which are handled by actors in a production
hand props
the lights that are used to light up the auditorium where the audience sits
house lights
the term that describes the book or script of a musical or opera
libretto
when the stage is marked with tape to show where furniture and props should be placed during the performance
marking out/spike
an afternoon performance of a show
matinee
a speech given by one actor
monologue
the meeting a director usually has after a rehearsal or performance to tell the cast and crew how he felt about their performance and to make any changes he may think are necessary
notes
when the director tells the cast that they must memorize their lines and can no longer use their scripts in rehearsal
off books
a program that contains information about a production. the posters used to advertise a production
playbill
as actors move from using the script to no script the prompter follows the play in a book and gives a portion of a line to an actor, if needed, to help them remember the line
prompt
all the items used in a play to tell the story not including the scenery or costumes, the short forms of "Properties
props
the period of practice before the beginning of a show in which the actors and director work on the development of the show
rehearsal
the number of times a show is performed
run
a rehearsal in which the actors perform the show from the very beginning to the very end.. "Run the Show" is another way of saying the same thing
run-through
an audition script
sides
when a script contains information for the actors giving them specific entrances and exits
stage directions
to take the set apart when a show ends
strike
usually the first time a play is rehearsed in the place where it is going to be seen by the audience and in which the scenery, sound and lighting are used... this rehearsal can be done with or without costumes.. "Tech" is the slang for this process
Technical Rehearsal
an actor who studies the lines and blocking of a role, and is able to take over for the original cast member in a role
understudy
the stock of costumes and accessories which are owned by a theatre group
wardrobe
1) the part of the stage nearest to the audience (the lowest part of a raked stage) 2) a movement towards the audience ( in a proscenium theatre)
downstage
the actor's right and left when facing the audience head on
stage left/right
1)the part of the stage furthest from the audience 2) when an actor moves upstage of another and causes the victims to turn away from the audience he is "upstaging". also an actor drawing attention to himself away from te main action
upstage
what we usually think of as a "theatre" its primary feature is the Proscenium, a "picture frame" placed around the front of the playing area of an end stage
Proscenium stage
a stage surrounded by audience on three sides. the fourth side serves as the background. In a typical modern arrangement: the stage is often a square or rectangular playing area usually raised, surrounded by raked seating, Other shapes are possible; shake
Thrust Theatre
a central stage surrounded by audience on all sides. The stage area is often raised to improve sightlines
Arena theatre
these stages are often big empty boxes painted black inside. Stage and seating not fixed. Instead, each can be altered to suit the needs of the play or the whim of the director
Black Box/ Flexible theatre
Often used in "found space" theatres, i.e. theatres made by converted from other spaces. The Audience is often paced on risers to wither side of the playing space, with little or no audience on either end of the "stages". Actors are staged in profile to t
Profile Theatres