Theatre Makers Flashcards
Actor
Person (male or female) whose role is to play a character. Although the term
‘actress’ is still used for a female actor, many women prefer to have the same title as the men.
Amateur
Member of a theatre company which is not professional.
ASM
Assistant Stage Manager.
Audience
A group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature, theatre, music, video games, or academics in any medium. Some types of performance (e.g. street theatre) call for greater audience involvement.
Bit part
A small role for an actor.
Cast
The members of the acting company.
Choreographer
Member of the production team responsible for setting dances and movement sequences during the production.
Company
The cast, crew and other staff associated with a show.
Costume designer
Member of the creative team for a show responsible for the clothes worn by the actors throughout the performance.
Dancer
Member of the company whose role is choreographed, and who has no spoken words.
Director
Broadly, the role involves being responsible for the overall artistic vision of a production.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - Normally in charge of the programming of a venue. May also direct shows.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - In charge of the technical requirements of a production.
Dramatist
A playwright, composer or lyricist who takes an existing story and transforms it into a play or musical.
Ensemble
An acting group. Normally used to describe a group of actors who work well together, with no-one outshining the others.
Lyricist
Author of the text of a musical/the words of a song.
Playwright
The author of a play. Also known as a DRAMATIST.
Professional
Normally used for someone who’s regularly paid for a particular job (as opposed to an amateur, who does it for fun).
Sound designer
Member of the production team who has the responsibility for planning and executing the layout of all sound playback and reinforcement equipment for the show. This role also includes the sourcing of music and sound effects for the production.
Stage crew
Member of the Stage staff who is responsible for moving props and/or scenery during the show, and for ensuring that items under his/her responsibility are working correctly and properly maintained.
Stage manager
The Head of the Stage Management team comprising the deputy stage manager
(DSM) and assistant stage manager (ASM). The DSM is normally “on the book” calling the cues from the prompt corner. The ASM supervises props.
Understudy
A member of the cast of a musical or play who understudies one (sometimes more) of the principal roles and is also in the chorus.
Ushers
Members of Front-of-House staff who guide audience members to their seats, and often sit in the auditorium during the show in case of emergency.
Walk-on
A small acting role with no lines.
