Theatre Vocabulary

Question 1

𝓐𝓾𝓭𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

Answer 1

to tryout for a role in a play

Question 2

Backstage

Answer 2

the areas of the stage not visible to the audience

Question 3

Bit

Answer 3

a small non speaking part or routine developed by a performer to enhance his or her
characterization

Question 4

Blocking rehearsal

Answer 4

the second and subsequent rehearsals where the director begins to place the characters in their position on stage

Question 5

“Break a Leg”

Answer 5

a euphemism in the theatre world for “Good Luck”[Legend has it…..Greeks stomped, Bow or break, pulley=leg, John broke his leg, Macbeth the scottish play]

Question 6

Call

Answer 6

the time a performer must at the theatre to get into makeup and costume

Question 7

Callback

Answer 7

a call from the director after the initial audition that lets the performer know he or she is under consideration for the role and must audition again

Question 8

Catwalk

Answer 8

the areas in the stage and house ceilings where technicians do their magic with light, scenery, ect

Question 9

Cheat Front

Answer 9

to improve his or her projection, a performer turns his or her head at an angle toward the audience.

Question 10

Choreographer

Answer 10

an individual who develops all dance steps and teaches them to the cast

Question 11

Cue

Answer 11

a signal for the performer to enter, exit, or speak during a scene.

Question 12

Curtain Call

Answer 12

the appearance of the performers on stage at the end of the play take a bow.

Question 13

Cyc

Answer 13

The curtain behind the action of the stage, where actors cross over from stage left to stage right, without being seen, in preparation for an entrance or after an exit; scenic backgrounds are sometimes projected onto the cyc.

Question 14

Dark

Answer 14

A closed theatre; also refers to beginning a scene with the lights off.

Question 15

Dialect

Answer 15

A regional speech pattern adopted by a performer to more realistically portray a character..

Question 16

Director

Answer 16

The person who tells the actor what, when, how, where, and why to performing a scene; smart performers listen.

Question 17

Dressing rooms

Answer 17

where actors change in and out of costume.

Question 18

Ensemble

Answer 18

The cast

Question 19

Fly

Answer 19

the ropes and pulleys used to move scenery on and off the stage from up above; also used as a verb

Question 20

Focus

Answer 20

to draw the audience’s attention to yourself in a positive way; in a negative way, “stealing the show”;also used in lighting design.

Question 21

Fourth wall

Answer 21

the imaginary area between the actor and audience.

Question 22

Gel

Answer 22

a particular type of covering used over a light to create special lighting effects to change colors.

Question 23

Go up

Answer 23

the imminent start of a show;also to forget one’s lines.

Question 24

Green Room

Answer 24

the room where actors wait to be called for their scenes; supposedly named after the color of this room in the first theatre.

Question 25

House

Answer 25

the front of the theatre where the audience sits.

Question 26

Lights up

Answer 26

the show begins

Question 27

Masking

Answer 27

drapes that cover the wings of the stage where actors wait to enter and exit a scene

Question 28

Monologue

Answer 28

in an acting piece performed by one person; usually two contrasting ones are prepared for an audition.

Question 29

Musical Director

Answer 29

the person responsible for all music, instrumental, and vocal, during rehearsals and the show.

Question 30

Notes

Answer 30

the director gives these to the cast after rehearsal to improve their performance

Question 31

Off Book

Answer 31

when an actor has memorized his or her lines

Question 32

Pace

Answer 32

the energy of the show

Question 33

Pit

Answer 33

where the orchestra sits

Question 34

Pit rail

Answer 34

the railing in front of a pit

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Question 35

Producer

Answer 35

the individual(s) who pay(s) the cost of the show, hopefully in return for financial profit

Question 36

Projection

Answer 36

the volume at which a performer’s lines are spoken; also sometimes an image projected onto the stage to create a scenic effect

Question 37

Props

Answer 37

any property carried or used on the stage by an actor during a scene; performers always know where their props are and do not let anyone else touch them

Question 38

Prop Mistress or Master

Answer 38

the technician in charge props

Question 39

Props table

Answer 39

the table backstage where props are numbered and stored by the mistress/master; hands off!

Question 40

Proscenium

Answer 40

the front edge of the stage

Question 41

Read Through

Answer 41

the first rehearsal where the play is read out loud by the cast

Question 42

Royalties

Answer 42

the amount of money a theatre must pay to produce a play.

Question 43

Soliloquy

Answer 43

a lengthy speech in a play by one individual who is generally alone on stage used frequently in Shakespeare plays.

Question 44

Stage directions

Answer 44

Used by the director and performer to indicate the movements of the performer on stage; they are always given from the performer’s point of view from the stage and are to the right/left/up/down of that room. Combined with the center stage point, they give the director and performers a way to visualize the center stage.

Question 45

Stage Door

Answer 45

the entrance and exit door immediately leading only on to the stage; a great place to hang out for autographs.

Question 46

Stage Manager

Answer 46

The individual who assists everyone and anyone in any way needed during rehearsals; once the show goes up, he or she is the boss—have reputations for being grumpy

Question 47

Strike

Answer 47

The time period immediately after the show when the set is taken down; actors are expected to help in any way that does not violate union rules

Question 48

Technical Director

Answer 48

the individual responsible for everything that does not involve performances; for example , the lights, sets, costumes, makeup, props, etc

Question 49

Theatre in round

Answer 49

A theatre where the stage is in the middle of the audience and the performers are surrounded on all sides by the audience

Question 50

Under Five

Answer 50

A small speaking part in a film or on television

Question 51

Warm Up

Answer 51

The exercises done by the cast before the show to improve physical movements, voice quality, and mental energy.