Theatre Vocabulary 01 & 02 Flashcards
1
Q
Blocking
A
The director’s arrangement of the actors’ movements on stage with respect to one another and the stage space
2
Q
Stage right
A
The actor’s right as he stands onstage facing the audience
3
Q
Stage left
A
The actor’s left as he stands onstage facing the audience
4
Q
Downstage
A
Toward the audience
5
Q
Upstage
A
Away from the audience
6
Q
Below
A
Toward the audience. Same as “downstage of”
7
Q
Above
A
Away from the audience. Same as “upstage of”
8
Q
In
A
Toward the center of the stage
9
Q
Out
A
Away from the center of the stage
10
Q
Dress stage
A
A direction requesting the actors to adjust their positions to improve the compositional effect of the stage picture
11
Q
stage business
A
small actions, such as smoking, eating, slapping, falling, telephoning, etc.
12
Q
hand props
A
small objects the actors handle onstage, such as teacups, letters, books, and candles
13
Q
personal props
A
hand props that are carried on the actor’s person and are used by them (watches, spectacles, and cigarette holders); actors are usually responsible for taking care of their own during rehearsal and performances
14
Q
costume props
A
costume accessories used by the actor in executing business–fans, walking sticks, gloves, and handbags
15
Q
stage props
A
objects for dressing the staged not used by the actors in executing their business (vases of flowers, lamps, clocks)
16
Q
prop table
A
tables are usually placed offstage right and left to accommodate props the actors carry on and off the set
17
Q
ad lib
A
lines supplied by an actor wherever they may be required, as in crowd scenes or to fill in where there would otherwise be an undesirable pause
18
Q
aside
A
a line that the other actors onstage are not supposed to be hearing
19
Q
build
A
to increase the tempo or the volume or both in order to reach a climax
20
Q
cue
A
the last words of a speech, or the end of an action, indicating the time for another actor to speak or act
21
Q
Curtain line
A
the imaginary line across the stage floor that the front curtain touches when it is closed
22
Q
Dialogue
A
the lines spoken by the characters in a play
23
Q
Double
A
to play more than one role in a single play
24
Q
Ensemble acting
A
a theatrical presentation in which the stress is on the performance of the group rather than the individual
25
exit
to leave the stage; an opening in the setting through which actors may leave
26
extra
a small nonspeaking part: soldiers, townspeople, ladies-in-waiting, and so forth
27
flats
the canvas-covered frames that constitute the walls of a stage setting
28
flies
the space above the stage in which scenery is suspended
29
fourth wall
in an interior setting, the imaginary side of the room toward the audience
30
front curtain
a curtain closing the proscenium opening that hang immediately behind the asbestos. it is usually used as the act drop
31
given circumstance
any unchangeable fact that affects the playing of the scene
32
green room
a room located close to the stage in which the actors may await entrance cues and receive guests after the performance
33
gridiron
a contrivance located in the flies for suspending scenery
34
ground plan
the arrangement of doors, windows, steps, levels, furniture, and so forth for a stage setting; also a diagram showing the arrangements
35
improvisation
spontaneous invention of lines and business by performers
36
indicating
performing an action without an intention
37
intention
the actor's real reason for performing an action
38
motivation
why the character acts
39
mugging
a derogatory term for exaggerated facial expressions
40
pacing
although some directors attempt to distinguish between pace and tempo, for practical purposes they both mean the rate of speed at which the actors speak their lines, pick up their cues, and perform their actions--the length and number of pauses
41
places
a direction given by the stage manager for everyone to be in his proper position for the beginning of an act
42
proscenium
the wall dividing the stage from the auditorium
43
proscenium opening
the arched opening in the proscenium wall through which the audience can see the stage
44
run-through
an uninterrupted rehearsal of a scene or an act
45
apron
the stage floor between the front edge of the stage and front curtain
46
arena stage
staging in the center of a room with the audience sitting on all sides of the playing area
47
aside
words spoken by a character to the audience rather than to the other characters, who supposedly do not hear the speech
48
audition
a tryout for a part in a play
49
backdrop/drop
a painted canvas or muslin curtain hung from a batten to form part of the scenery
50
backstage
the area behind the scenery not visible to the audience
51
batten
a horizontal pipe suspended over the stage, from which scenery, lights, or curtains are hung
52
blocking
the director's planned movement for the characters
53
build
to make a costume from scratch; the increase of vocal intensity toward a climactic point
54
casting
the process of selecting actors for various roles
55
cold reading
when an actor auditions for a role without having read the script beforehand
56
counter-cross
moving in the opposite direction--and out of the way-- of another actor who is moving across the stage
57
counterweight system
a system that uses lines, cables, and weights to raise and lower the battens that hold scenery, drops, and lights
58
cross
when an actors moves from one side of the stage to the other
59
cyc/cyclorama
a curtain or wall that surrounds the backs and sides of the stage
60
dimmers
controls that change the level of lighting intensity
61
downstage
the area of the stage that is closest to the audience
62
ellipsoidal reflector spotlight (ERS)
a spotlight with an ellipsoidal reflector, usually hung from the auditorium ceiling to light downstage acting areas
63
external traits
characteristics that make up a character's physical appearance , such as posture, gestures, mannerisms, voice, and clothing
64
floodlights
lights that illuminate broad areas of the stage
65
fly space
the area above the stage where scenery, drops, and lights are hung when not in use
66
fourth wall
the imaginary wall through which the audience views the play
67
Fresnel
a spotlight with a step-lens that throws an efficient and soft beam, usually hung from the teaser batten to light upstage areas
68
full back/full front
facing completely away from or completely toward the audience
69
gelatins (gels)
transparent color sheets inserted into a frame in front of a spotlight or floodlight
70
going up
forgetting one's lines during a rehearsal or performancing; also called blanking
71
greenroom
a room where actors relax before and after performances
72
house
another name for auditorium, the place where the audience sits
73
house lights
auditorium lights used before and after the play and during intermission
74
illusion of the first time
the actor's ability to perform in a show over and over while making it appear that the dialogue and situations are happening for the first time
75
instrument
term used to refer to a stage light
76
method acting
an approach that calls on the actor to use personal experience and sense memory to develop a character
77
monologue
a long speech by one character
78
off book
having a part memorized so that a script is no longer needed
79
offstage
any part of the stage where the audience cannot see
80
onstage
any part of the stage that is visible to the audience
81
pantomime
telling a story or presenting an idea through bodily movement and expression rather than words
82
project
increase voice and actions so they will carry to the audience
83
prompt book
a book (usually a three-ring binder) that contains the script annotated with the director's ideas and blocking notations
84
props/properties
set furnishings; set props include furniture, pictures, ornaments, drapes; hand props are items handled by actors such as books, glasses, etc.
85
proscenium stage
a stage with a permanent framed opening through which the audience sees the play
86
raked stage
a slanted stage, where upstage is slightly higher than downstage
87
readers theatre
a form of drama in which actors are seated and read aloud from a script
88
role
a part in a play
89
scenery
the background pieces such as flats and drops that create the play's setting
90
scoring a role
1. marking the script with notes on blocking and delivery 2. analyzing the script as an aid to character development
91
scrim
a loose-weave curtain on a batten used for "vision", "flashbacks" and so on
92
sense memory
memory that uses the senses to recapture an experience
93
sightlines
imaginary lines indicating visibility of stage areas from different points in the house
94
soliloquies
speeches in which one actors speaks aloud revealing his or her inner thoughts
95
stage left
the left side of the stage from the actor's perspective as he/she faces the audience
96
stage right
the stage area to the actor's right as he or she faces the audience
97
teaser
the overhead curtain that masks the first batten of lights and that adjusts the height of the proscenium opening
98
thrust stage
a sage that juts out into the audience area, with the audience usually sitting around its three sides
99
tormentors
side curtains or flats that adjust the proscenium width
100
trapdoor
an opening in the stage floor where actors can enter and exit
101
upstage
the stage area farthest away from the audience, toward the backstage wall
102
upstaging
drawing the audience's attention to yourself when it should be focused on another character
103
voice-over
the voice of an unseen character
104
wings
offstage to the right and left of the acting area
105
stealing
taking the audience's attention when it should be elsewhere
106
straight part
a role without marked eccentricities
107
strike
the direction given by the stage manager to change the setting for another scene or to dismantle it at the end of a performance
108
subtext
the actor's continuous thoughts that give meaning to the dialogue and the stage directions
109
trap
an opening in the stage floor
110
walk-on
a small part without lines; an extra
111
pick up cues
a direction for the actor to begin speaking immediately on cue without allowing an lapse of time
112
pointing
giving special emphasis to a word or phrase
113
tag line
the last lime of a scene or an act
114
telescoping
overlapping speeches so that one actor speaks before another has finished
115
top
to build a line higher that the one that preceded it
116
asbestos
the fireproof curtain that closes the proscenium opening and separates the stage from the auditorium in case of fire
117
backing
a drop or flats used outside an opening in the setting, such as a door or window
118
bit part
a small part with few lines
119
call board
a backstage bulletin board on which notices of concern to the actors are posted
120
character part
a role usually depicting an elderly or unusual or eccentric individual
121
cheating
when an actor plays in a more open position than complete realism would permit
122
clear stage
a direction to leave the stage given by the stage manager
123
company
a group of actors who perform together either in an individual play or an for a season
124
concentration
giving complete attention to something
125
crowd scenes
scenes involving a number of extras or bit players
126
curtain call
the appearance of actors onstage after the performance to acknowledge the applause of the audience
127
curved cross
in crossing to a person or an object above or below you, it is necessary to cross in a curve so you do not arrive either upstage or downstage of the person or object
128
cover
when another actors moves into a position between another actor and the audience
129
open
a position in which the actor is facing toward the audience, or nearly so
130
closed
a position in which the actor is turned away from the audience
131
share
when two actors are both open to an equal degree
132
give, take
when two actors are not equally open and one receives a greater emphasis than the other
133
upstaging
when one actor takes a position that forces the second actor to face upstage or away from the audience
