Theater Flashcards
A building, part of a building, or an outdoor area for housing dramatic presentations, stage entertainment, or motion-picture shows.
Theater
An open-air theater, usually hollowed out of the slope of a hillside with a tiered seating area around and facing a circular orchestra backed by the skene, a building for the actors’ use.
Greek Theater
The circular space in front of the stage in the ancient Greek theater, reserved for the chorus.
Orchestra
The group of actors in ancient Greece that served as major participants in or commentators on the main action of the drama.
Chorus
A structure facing the audience in an ancient Greek theater, forming the background before which performances were given.
Skene
One of the two side passagewayas to an ancient Greek theater, between the stage and the seating area, through which the chorus entered the orchestra.
Parados
Either of two wings flanking and projecting forward from the skene of an ancient Greek theater, containing apartments for the actors.
Parascenium
An aisle between the lower and upper tiers of seats in an ancient Greek theater, concentric with the orchestra and the outer wall and communicating with the radial aisles.
Diazoma
A wedge-shaped section of seats between two stepped passageways in an ancient Greek theater,
Cercis
An open-air theater modeled upon that of the ancient Greeks, but often built on level ground with colonnaded galleries, a semicircular orchestra, and a raised stage backed by an elaborate architectural structure.
Roman Theater
A semicircular space in the front of the stage of an ancient Roman theater, reserved for senators and other distinguished spectators.
Orchestra
The highly decorative wall or backdrop at the rear of the stage of a Roman theater.
Scaenae frons
The front part of the stage of an ancient Greek or Roman Theater upon which the actors performed.
Proscenium
One of a series of steps or tiered seats, as in an amphitheater.
Gradin, Gradine
An oval or round building with tiers of seats around a central arena, as those used in ancient Rome for gladiatorial contests and spectacles.
Amphitheater
An open-air stadium with an oval track for horse and chariot races in ancient Greece and Rome.
Hippodrome
A raised platform encircling the arena of an ancient Roman amphitheater, having on it the seats of priveleged spectators.
Podium
A canvas awning drawn over an ancient Roman amphitheater to protect the audience from rain or sun.
Velarium
A large opening, as in ancient Roman amphitheater or stadium, permitting large numbers of people to enter or leave.
Vomitory, Vomitorium
The placing of one order of columns above another, usually with the more elaborate orders at the top.
Supercolumniation
A theater or concert hall in which the seating is arranged around or on all four sides of a central stage.
Surround Theater
A stage that is framed by a proscenium arch.
Proscenium stage
The arch that separates the stage from the auditorium.
Proscenium arch, Proscenium
The arrangement of seats in a theater, stadium, or other place of assembly.
Seating
A theater seating plan in which there is no center aisle, but with wide spacing between each row of seats to permit ease of passage to side aisles.
Continental Seating
A walkway between or along sections of seats in a theater, auditorium, church or other place of assembly.
aisle
A row of seats having its first seat at a side aisle and its last seat at a side wall.
Blind row
A theater with seats arranged on at least three sides around a central stage.
Arena theater, theater-in-the-round.
A stage that extends beyond the proscenium arch and is usually surrounded on three sides by seats.
Thrust stage
The part of a theater on the stage side of the proscenium, including the stage, wings, and storage area.
Stagehouse
A steel structural above the stage of a theater, from which hung scenery and equipment are manipulated.
Gridiron, Grid
The space above the stage used chiefly for storing and hanging scenery and equipment.
Flies, fly loft
A gallery or platform that can be raised or lowered over a stage and is used by technicians and stagehands.
Bridge
A length of metal pipe hung from the gridiron, for suspending scenery or equipment, such as drop scenes, flats, or lighting units.
Batten, pipe batten
A piece of scenery consisting of a wooden frame, usually rectangular, covered with lightweight board or fabric.
Flat
A sound-reflecting structure that closes off the flies and wings of a stage to form a performing area for music.
Orchestra Shell
The platform, usually raised, on which the actors perform in a theater. Also, the platform and all the parts of a theater back of the proscenium.
Stage
A stage floor that moves vertically on an elevator, usually so that one set can quickly replace another.
Drop stage, lift stage
The part of a stage floor in front of the curtain.
Apron
The row of lights on the front of a stage, usually set in a trough, nearly on a level with the feet of the performers.
Footlights
The space reserved for musicians, usually the fron part of the main floor, sometimes wholly or partly under the forward part of the stage.
Orchestra Pit
A strong, focused beam of light for calling attention to an object, person, or group on a stage.
Spotlight, Spot
The lamps providing illumination of an auditorium or the seating area of a theater.
Houselights
A narrow curtain or strip of painted canvas hung above the stage to mask the flies and form the top of the stage set.
Border
A drapery or flat piece hung across the top of the proscenium arch to mask the flies and, tohether with the tormentors, frame the stage opening.
Teaser
A curtain or framed structure used directly behind the proscenium at each side of the stage to screen the wings and sidelights from the audience.
Tormentor
A curtain for closing the proscenium opening between acts or scenes.
Act Curtain, Act drop, house curtain
A theater devoted chiefly to the public performance of operas.
Opera House
The parts of a theater that are on the audience side of the fire wall.
Front of the House
The part of a balcony that extends along the sidewalls of an auditorium.
Wing Balcony
A private seating area for a small group of spectators in a theater or opera house.
Loge
A gallery that projects over the main floor of a theater to accommodate additional people
Balcony
An upper floor projecting over the main floor of a theater or hall.
Gallery
The rearmost and cheapest section of seats in the uppermost balcony of a theater.
Peanut Gallery
Any of the lines of sight between the spectators and the stage or playing area of a theater or stadium.
Sight Line
A curved or circular division of seats in a theater, opera house, or the like, usually the first gallery, originally set apart for spectators in evening dress.
Dress Circle
The lowest balcony or forward part of such a balcony in a theater,
Mezzanine
The first tier of boxes immediately above the parterre in large opera house or theater.
Grand Tier
One of a number of galleries, as in a theater.
Tier
The rear section of seats, and sometimes also the side sections, of the main floor of a theater, opera house, or concert hall.
Parterre, Parquet Circle
The entire main-floor space for spectators in a theater or auditorium.
Orchestra
The area behind the proscenium in a theater, esp in the wings and dressing rooms.
Backstage
The space set apart for the audience in a theater or meeting hall.
Auditorium
A hall seving as a passageway or waiting room at or near the entrance to a theater, hotel, or apartment house.
Lobby, foyer
A large public waiting room, as in a theater, hotel, or air terminal, often having adjoining washrooms.
Lounge
The office of a theater or stadium at which tickets are sold.
Box Office
A permanent rooflike projection above the entrance to a theater, hotel, or other building, attached to and supported by the building and projecting into the public right-of-way.
Marquee
The platform or space to the right or left of the stage proper.
Wing
A narrow platform or ramp extending from a stage into the orchestra pit or into an aisle of an auditorium.
Runway
A roof for use in getting dressed, esp one for performers backstage in a theater or television studio.
Dressing Room
A lounge in a theater, concert hall, or broadcasting studio, for use by performers when they are not on stage.
Green Room
