stage and theater
aboard slang for on stage.
above at or toward the back of the stage; upstage. ace a 1,000-watt spotlight. act one segment of a play.
actor-proof of a powerfully written play, impervious to poor acting performances.
Actors' Equity Association the 30,000-member actors' union; they are issued Equity cards and are paid according to Equity scale.
apple box a 14" x 24" platform used to elevate a performer on stage.
apron the portion of a stage in front of the arch.
arc follow spot a powerful spotlight used to follow a performer.
arena theater theater in which the stage is surrounded by seats.
argentine a shiny sheet of metal that simulates a window on a piece of scenery.
artist's assistant one who assists and escorts a performer from the dressing room to the stage, especially in an opera.
ashcan a 1,000-watt floodlight.
audience dress a rehearsal before an audience, before the show's actual opening.
audit stub the ticket portion retained by the theater for accounting purposes.
a vista of a scene change, made while the curtain is still up.
baby spot a small spotlight, usually 750 watts.
backdrop a painted curtain serving as background scenery.
backing light lighting originating from behind a set or scenery.
backstage the nonperformance area in the wings.
bad laugh laughter from the audience at an inappropriate moment.
balcony a second or third upper floor. A first upper floor is a mezzanine or dress circle. A fourth floor is frequently called a gallery.
balcony box an area reserved for spotlights.
balcony lights lights operated from a balcony box.
balcony operator the person who operates the balcony lights.
band call a musicians' rehearsal.
band shell an outdoor bandstand having a concave back wall and roof.
barn doors adjustable louvers in front of a spotlight to control the intensity of its beam. Also known as blinders, flippers, or shutters.
bastard amber a pink amber gel commonly used to color stagelights.
batten a strip of wood or metal from which scenery or lights are hung.
beam projector a spotlight used to project a sharply defined or narrow beam, to simulate a moonbeam or sunbeam.
bedroom farce a comedy centering on antics in the bedroom.
below at or toward the front of the stage; downstage.
billboard pass a free ticket given to a local retailer in exchange for displaying theater advertising.
black comedy a comedy based on macabre or morbid subjects.
blackout a complete darkening of stage lights to indicate a passage of time or the end of a scene.
blackout switch a switch that controls all of the stage lights.
blind seat a seat with an obstructed view.
block to indicate performer positioning and movements by marking the stage with chalk or tape.
boffo a box office hit.
bomb crater a depression or pit in a stage floor.
bon-bon a 2,000-watt spotlight directed on the face of a performer.
dakota a line of dialogue that leads into or cues a song.
dark house a nonperformance night at the theater. dead pack scenery to be removed from the stage, as distinguished from live pack, or scenery to be placed on stage.
dim the house to turn out the houselights over the audience.
dinner theater a theater that combines a meal with a show.
dog a small town or noncritical location where the bugs are worked out of a show, as in "to try a show out on the dog."
door list a list of people admitted free to a show. Also known as the house list.
double cast casting two performers for the same role, in case one gets sick. See understudy.
downstage the front of the stage, toward the audience. Also at or toward the front of the stage.
dramatis personae a list of characters in a play.
drapery setting scenery composed of painted curtains or backdrops.
dress a stage to furnish a stage with scenery, furniture, props, and so on.
dresser a wardrobe assistant; an assistant to the wardrobe chief.
dress extra an extra who provides his own costume and is consequently paid on a higher scale.
dress-room list a posted list of dressing rooms assigned to performers.
drop any stage curtain that can be raised or lowered.
farce a wacky comedy based on wild or unlikely or ludicrous situations.
first-night list a list of reviewers, sponsors, and other VIPs invited to attend an opening night, as distinguished from the second-night list.
five minutes to curtain the traditional warning call to all performers five minutes before the show. Also, "five minutes, please."
flashpot receptacle that holds flash powder that is ignited to produce smoke, fire, or explosive effects.
flat an upright piece of painted scenery.
flood a floodlight or broad-beamed light.
fly a floor, platform, or loft over the stage, for lights and other equipment. Also, to suspend scenery from above the stage floor.
fly crew the crew who operate the overhead lights and other equipment on the fly.
fly gallery a sidewall platform where scenery lines are sometimes secured.
fly plot a diagram of lighting placement in the fly; a rigging plan.
footlights a row of lights along the foot of the stage, sometimes recessed in a trough, sometimes not.
front of the house the box office, lobby, and business offices at the front of a theater.
full-dress a full dress rehearsal.
gel a colored plastic (formerly made from gelatin) filter placed in front of a light to produce a colored beam.
go to table to rehearse lines while sitting around a table with other performers.
grave a hole in the stage.
green room a performers' waiting room near the stage.
ground row a piece of background scenery that simulates a landscape, skyline, horizon, or other location.
head spot a spotlight directed on a performer's head.
high comedy comedy having witty, intelligent dialogue, as distinguished from low comedy.
hit the boards slang for to go on stage.
horseshoe staging seating that forms a horseshoe configuration around the stage.
hot of a microphone, live.
houselights the lights that illuminate the audience.
icebreaker an opening number in a musical.
intermission bell a bell, chime, or buzzer rung to alert the audience that intermission is nearly over.
keg light a 500-watt spotlight shaped like a beer keg.
kill to turn off the lights or to remove scenery from the stage.