Glossary

Apron

This is the part of the stage which projects in front of the curtain. In a pantomime this is where the pantomine characters stand while trying to distract the audience during set and costume changes. Very unfortunate if you have to sing out there while the curtain is closed behind you!

Banjo

The rail which the curtain runs on.

Bar

An aluminium pipe suspended over the stage where lanterns are hung.

Blocking

This is the action whereby the director sets the positions of the actors moves at the beginning of rehearsals. Allocating stage space. Also the act of accidently or deliberately masking another actor on stage. See MASKING and UPSTAGE.

Book, the

The script. Notes of any kind, including music. See ON THE BOOK and OFF THE BOOK.

Break A Leg

A theatrical term meaning "Good Luck", as saying "Good Luck" is considered bad luck. As a leg is the part of a curtain, to "Break a Leg" means to have so many curtain calls that the machinery that works them snaps. It's ok if an ordinary member of the public says it, but the superstition suggests that no-one associated with the production should. This is because the act of wishing good luck on someone is supposed to imply that you give them some of yours, so it's damaging to the overall production. That is, unless you can get a passer-by who won't be coming within 20 miles of the theatre to wish you luck, to top up the production luck you've just squandered. See LEG and CURTAIN CALL.

Cheat

To make something look convincing that isn't actually being done, such as having a crowd of actors look at the audience as if they were looking at a television screen. For example, Setting an actors line of sight towards the audience when it would naturally be towards another stage actor is cheating. Also used in theatrical combat and love scenes.

Corpsed

Uncontrollable giggles at the wrong time on stage. Just like the outtakes Barry Norman shows, except no-one else in the room is laughing - unless it's infectious - in any case, it isn't in the script so it isn't allowed. Can be so much fun that you have to try very, very hard to not repeat the same mistake the on the same line the next night.

Crit

Welcome and unwelcome comments written by someone Experienced in stagecraft for the overall betterment of Amateur Dramatics. Applauded by some and ignored by others, these are as important as you make them. In reality, the people who write crits do it for love and have no axe to grind, so they're worth their weight in gold. The phrase "to get critted" means to receive a negative review. See SADATA.

Curtain Call

The final bow in front of the audience at the end of a show. Actors playing central characters are usually wheeled out last, or come on towards the centre of the line. In professional theatre it isn't uncommon to find the whole cast come out together without any precidence between one character and another. In amateur theatre some recognition is given to the actors who play the more major parts and have put the most work in. A moment of glory.

Doubling

An actor playing two or more parts in the same production. Used to happen a lot in 1970's television shows where someone famous would play their own twin. On the stage it's more often someone playing their own grown up son or daughter, supposedly years on. Also used when someone with a small part has to play someone else who maybe wear's a mask and doesn't speak much, like an executioner or the back of a cow. Also used in productions were the central character is a superhero.

Downstage

Facing the audience. A frightening experience in the summer, if the auditorium has windows in it and the evenings are still light.

Dress Rehearsal

A final rehearsal for the actors and backstage crew. The Production runs from one end to the other without interuption as if the audience were there. Also the director's last chance to talk to the cast as the Stage Manager takes over from this point onwards. Traditionally a good dress rehearsal is bad for the first night, because the cast and crew go home and don't put any more work in. A bad dress rehearsal sends everyone into a panic that sharpens the whole show up.

Flat

An oblong frame of timber, covered with either canvas or Hardboard and painted, which forms part of the set. Actors hide behind them when waiting to come on stage as they are positioned so the audience can't see past them. Painting flats is the first thing new stage hands have to do; although loads easier to do when they are on the floor, flats are often painted and papered in situa, which is much harder. Although sometimes touted as bad luck to paint them horizontally, this stage superstition is bunk - whoever told you that just forgot to paint the things before they went up, or didn't have the time. Also see GET IN AND GET OUT.

Get In and Get Out

A touring theatre term. Get In means unpack everything from the van and Get Out means pack it all. Bizarrely packing is much harder than unpacking. probably a law of nature. Also used by amateur theatre groups who share theatres. The intensity of this activity means that it really is all hands on deck, and that not everything gets done in the best order it could be done. Once you've helped out once, you never want to have a set built without pulling your weight, because it can be very, very hard.

Green Room, the

The backstage room spanning the rear of the stage where actors sit and wait for their cues. Often also used as a communal dressing room, prop and wardrobe storage, pep talk, tea, biscuit and coffee room. Rare in modern theatres, occasionally licenced, but sadly not so in the Lomas Hall.

Half, the

All actors must be in their dressing rooms by "the Half", that's thirty-five minutes before before the curtain - which is traditionally the earliest time the audience is allowed into the auditorium (thirty-five minutes is near enough to half an hour for any self-respecting actor used to approximating the script). In some places the House Manager blows a whistle in the auditorium to announce it. From this point on, until the audience leave the auditorium, the actors must not be seen by anyone who is not cast or crew unless they are on stage or making an entrance. If this code is not strictly followed then the experience is spoiled for the audience. In the same way, absolutely no-one who is not cast or crew is allowed backstage from this point on until the end of the show, although this rule has been occasionally relaxed for very young children who have become terrified of Pantomine characters. See THE GREEN ROOM.

House, the

The audience side of the curtain, excluding the apron. The Term "the house" is used to mean either the auditorium, the audience, or even the theatre itself. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, is also known as "The House".

Legs

The Curtains used to cover the wings. Also see WINGS and BREAK A LEG.

Limelight

Sometimes also called "Follow Spot". A type of lighting that can be used to follow a performer around the stage in a beam of light of exactly the right size so that absolutely everybody is focussed on that actor at that time. Traditionally called a "lime" because hot lime was the light source, hence the term "being in the limelight".

Mask

An actor masks another when standing up stage so that the audience can't see them properly. To counter this you need to develop stage awareness so you're concious of how what's happening downstage of you is seen upstage of you, by the house. Masking conflicts are usually resolved by blocking early in a production, but in the event of an on stage error, it's the responsibility of the downstage actor, who is further back, to make sure that the audience has the line of site they need. Also see BLOCKING, UPSTAGE, DOWNSTAGE, THE HOUSE.

Off the Book

The point at which an actor has learnt a sufficiency of their lines to be able to put the script down, and start acting. Also see ON THE BOOK.

On the Book

Reading from the script. Can be used in the context of "not being off the Book yet" if an actor hasn't finished learning their lines to be "spending an evening on the book", if an actor is thrashing through the script, or also the act of being prompt, as in "can we have someone on the book?". See OFF THE BOOK and PROMPT.

Op Prompt

The side of the stage traditionally opposite where the prompt, or Continuity Manager sits in amateur dramatics. The right hand side of the stage when you face the audience. In practical terms the Continuity Manager will be stationed wherever the stage, set and production require it so have Prompt at Op Prompt is common. Used to avoid the confusion created by "Whose Right is Stage Right"? See PROMPT, PROMPT SIDE, ON THE BOOK and STAGE RIGHT.

Pantomime

A traditional thigh-slapping British cross-dressing festival where men play women, women play men, good triumphs over evil and every act ends in a song. Deserving of a Glossary all of it's own, every panto has a principle boy, who's a girl, a dame, who's a boy, a character called "Buttons" who never gets the girl, a love-lorn princess and a cow called "Daisy". If you want to find out more type "He's Behind You!" or "Oh No It Isn't" in any search engine, anywhere.

Pit

The sunken area in front of the stage in which the orchestra sits. Although the Lomas Hall doesn't have one of these, the term is used for the seating area immediately in front of the stage reserved for young children during pantomine productions.

Practical

The theatrical term used to discribe something that must be Seen to work on stage, such as a kettle, telephone, bedside lamp or a gun that has to be fired. Usually associated with twenty or thirty feet extension leads and a health and safety inspection by the Stage Manager.

Prompt

Continuity Manager. A stage officer who retains a copy of the script in order to ensure that if any actors fluff their lines or dry up on stage then the production gets back on track. This is quite an understated skill as the minimum intervention should be given. A good continuity officer will have as thorough a knowledge of the script as the producer, will not intervene if any hot continuity problems are being effectively resolved by the actors on stage, and will never, ever, ever offer a prompt over a dramatic pause. In professional theatres there is no equivalent, as paid actors who do not learn their lines do not get work. See ON THE BOOK and WING IT.

Prompt Side

The side of the stage where the prompt, or Continuity Manager, traditionally sits in amateur dramatics. This is on the left hand side of the stage when you face the audience. In practical terms the Continuity Manager will be stationed wherever the stage, set and production require it. Used to avoid confusion over "whose left is stage left?". Also see PROMPT, PROMPT SIDE, ON THE BOOK and STAGE LEFT.

SADATA

Sheffield Amateur Dramatics and Theatres Association. An association of Amateur Dramatics societies from in and around Sheffield whose aim is to continually set and raise the standard of amateur theatre through the use of critical reviews and Best Production Awards.

Scottish Play, the

M*cBeth. Saying it is considered very unlucky in theatrical terms so actors and stage people refer to this particular Shakepearian masterpiece as "The Scottish Play". Saying "Lady Macbeth" is ok, but the phrase "The Play That Lady MacBeth is in" never quite caught on. In real terms M*cBeth is the world's most popular play, and with three action scenes in it is statistically the play an actor is most likely to be injured in. There's a little ritual you can learn if you accidently say M*cBeth, but it's far easier and far more dignified to just not say it. Or just not be superstitious.

Set

The scenery for a particular show or scene. Also see FLATS, And GENTIN AND GET OUT.

Stage Left

This is the left hand side of the stage as seen by an actor looking upstage. "Left Stage is the Left of the Actor on Stage". The audience don't care and the actor has enough to think about without having to flip references in the script. Also known as prompt side to aviod confusion. Also see RIGHT STAGE, OP PROMPT, PROIMPT SIDE, UP STAGE and DOWN STAGE.

Stage Right

The right hand side of the stage as seen by an actor looking upstage. "Right Stage is the Right of the Actor on Stage". The audience don't care and the actor has enough to think about without having to flip references in the script. Also known as prompt side to aviod confusion. Also see RIGHT STAGE, OP PROMPT, PROIMPT SIDE, UP STAGE and DOWN STAGE.

Strike

Dismantling the set. Also known as get out. See GET IN AND GET OUT.

Tabs

Curtains.

Tech Rehearsal

Technical Rehearsal. The Tech Rehearsal is primarily for the backstage crew so they can time lighting, music, auditory and other special effects against actors pace, diction and movements. Usually run by the Stage Director. They are generally charactorised by confusion amongst the cast who are unfamiliar with the enactment of the script in a seemingly random order.

Tread the Boards

A theatrical term used to mean going in front of the audience to act. Most often used by amateurs, professionals often prefer the phrase " ... go to work".

Understudy

An actor who has learned and rehearsed the part of one of the leading actors in a production so that they can take over from then in the event of illness.

Up Stage

Towards the portion of the stage furthest away from the audience and auditorium. Used as a verb this means to deliberately draw the focus of the audience for selfish reasons. See BLOCKING, MASK and DOWNSTAGE.

Wings

The sides of the stage, out of sight of the audience, where actors stand before making their entrance and where large and bulking props are kept that cannot be stored on a table in the Green Room. Also see FLATS and THE GREEN ROOM.

Wing It

To drop the ball in a big way, go way off plot and then try to steer the production back on track. Like if someone delivers a line that reveals a secret for the final act in act one. Very scary. The person who drops the ball is not always the winger either. Experienced actors are characterised by joining in, inexperienced by complete silence. A good opportunity to ad lib a big kiss on someone you really fancy on stage. See PROMPT.