Acting Flashcards
Ad lib
Improvisation by an actor when:
1) another actor fails to enter on cue
2) the normal progress of the play is disturbed
3) 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 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 describes 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 gestures, 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 quick 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 pitches 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 actors moves and technical cues.
Used by stage management to control the performance.
Sometimes known as the ‘book’, Prompt copy or prompt script.
