Theatre glossary
Every word they'll throw at you
326 terms in plain English, with the UK and French names too.
The stage
- Acting areaPlaying area · Playing space
- The part of the stage where the show actually happens. If the light and the audience's eyes land there, it's the acting area.
- ApronForestage
- The part of the stage floor that sits in front of the main curtain line, closest to the audience.
- Backstage
- Everything behind and beside the playing area that the audience never sees: wings, dressing rooms, scene dock and crossover.
- Bastard prompt
- A UK term for a prompt desk placed stage right instead of the usual stage left, because of the building's layout.
- Black boxStudio theatre
- A plain, flexible room, usually painted black, where seating and stage can be set up in any layout.
- BoothControl booth · Control room
- The room, usually at the back of the house, where lighting and sound are run and the show is often called.
- CatwalkBridge · Lighting bridge
- A narrow walkway high above the stage or audience that crew use to reach and focus lights.
- Centre lineC/L · Center line
- An imaginary line from the front of the stage to the back that splits it into two equal halves. Paired with the plaster line for measuring.
- Centre stageCS · Center stage
- The middle of the playing space, both side to side and front to back. The strongest, most visible position on most stages.
- Crossover
- A hidden route behind or under the stage so actors can get from one side to the other without being seen.
- Curtain lineSetting line
- Where the main curtain lands on the floor when it closes. Anything downstage of it stays in view with the curtain in.
- DeckStage floor · Show deck
- The stage floor. Crew who work there during the show are the deck crew; a show deck is a new floor built on top for one production.
- DownstageDS
- The part of the stage closest to the audience.
- False prosceniumFalse pros
- A frame built inside the real proscenium arch to make the opening smaller or give it a new look for one show.
- Fly railLock rail · Pin rail
- Where the fly crew stand to work the ropes that raise and lower scenery. Often a gallery at the side of the stage.
- Fly systemFlies · Fly tower
- The space above the stage, and the ropes, pipes and counterweights that raise and lower scenery and lights into it.
- Found spaceSite-specific venue
- A place never built as a theatre, like a warehouse, park or church hall, that becomes one for a show.
- Green room
- The backstage lounge where actors wait and warm up before and during the show. It is rarely green.
- GridGridiron
- The steel framework at the top of the fly tower that holds the pulleys every flown piece hangs from.
- Ground planFloor plan
- A to-scale drawing of the set seen from directly above. Everyone plans blocking, lights and traffic from it.
- HouseAuditorium
- Where the audience sits. It also means the audience itself, as in "a full house" or "the house is open."
- House left and house rightHL / HR · Audience left / audience right
- Directions taken from the audience's point of view. House left is the audience's left, which is the actors' stage right.
- In the roundArena
- A stage with the audience on every side. No set walls, few tall pieces, and every actor's back faces someone.
- MaskingSoft masking · Hard masking
- Black curtains or flats that hide the wings, the lights and the backstage from the audience.
- OffstageOff
- Anywhere the audience can't see. As a direction, it means moving toward the wings and away from centre.
- OnstageOn
- Inside the playing area, in view of the audience. As a direction, it means moving toward the middle of the stage.
- Orchestra pitPit
- A sunken area in front of or under the stage where the band plays for a musical.
- Plaster line
- An imaginary line across the stage at the back edge of the proscenium arch. Designers measure the whole set from it.
- Portal
- A framed opening the audience looks through, often repeated down the stage to build depth.
- PromenadePromenade staging · Immersive staging
- A staging where the audience stands and moves around, following the action from place to place instead of sitting still.
- Prompt cornerPrompt desk · The corner
- The backstage position, traditionally stage left, where the stage manager calls the show and watches the stage.
- ProsceniumPros · Proscenium arch
- A stage framed like a picture, with the audience all on one side looking through an arch.
- Rake
- A slope in the stage floor (or the seating) that rises away from the audience, so people at the back can see.
- Scene dock
- A storage area beside the stage where scenery waits between scenes or between shows.
- Sightlines
- What the audience can and cannot see from their seats. Bad sightlines reveal backstage or hide the action.
- Sprung floorSemi-sprung floor
- A floor built with a little give underneath to cushion jumps and protect dancers' knees and backs.
- Stage leftSL · Prompt side (UK)
- The actor's left as they face the audience. Directions are always given from the actor's point of view, so the audience sees it on their right.
- Stage rightSR · Opposite prompt / OP (UK)
- The actor's right as they face the audience. The audience sees it on their left.
- StallsOrchestra (US)
- The ground-floor seats closest to the stage. American theatres call this level the orchestra.
- Thrust
- A stage that juts into the audience, with seats on three sides.
- TrapTrap room · Trapdoor
- An opening in the stage floor that lets actors or scenery appear and disappear. The space underneath is the trap room.
- TraverseAlley stage
- A long playing strip with the audience on two opposite sides, like a catwalk.
- UpstageUS
- The part of the stage farthest from the audience. It dates from raked stages that sloped up toward the back wall.
- VomitoryVom
- An entrance tunnel through or under the audience seating that leads onto the stage. Common in thrust and arena theatres.
- WingsLes coulisses (French)
- The hidden areas just off the sides of the stage where actors wait, props are set and scenery is stored.
Who does what
- A1 and A2Sound No. 1 / Sound No. 2 · Mixer (A1)
- The two main sound jobs on a show. The A1 mixes from the desk; the A2 looks after radio mics and sound backstage.
- Assistant stage managerASM
- The stage manager's right hand backstage: props, presets, scene changes, actor tracking, and running the wings during the show.
- Board operatorBoard op · Lighting op
- The crew member who runs the lighting or sound desk during the show, pressing GO when the stage manager calls it.
- Company managerCM
- Looks after the company's practical and contract needs: pay, housing, travel and welfare. A big job on tour.
- Dance captain
- A cast member who keeps the choreography sharp after the choreographer leaves, runs dance calls and teaches swings and understudies.
- Deputy stage managerDSM
- In UK practice, the member of stage management who keeps the prompt book, prompts actors in rehearsal and calls the cues in performance.
- Director
- The person responsible for the creative vision: what the show means, how it looks, and how the actors play it.
- DoubleStunt double · Stunt performer
- A second performer who looks like an actor and steps in for a moment the actor can't do, like a stunt or a trick reappearance.
- Dramaturg
- The company's researcher and script expert: history, context, translations and new-play development.
- Dresser
- A wardrobe crew member who helps actors in and out of costumes during the show, especially in quick changes.
- ExtraWalk-on · Spear carrier
- A performer with no lines who fills out a scene, like a guard, a shopper or someone in a crowd.
- Fight captain
- A cast member trained by the fight director to lead fight calls and keep every staged fight safe and identical across the run.
- Fight directorFight choreographer
- The specialist who designs and rehearses stage combat so it looks dangerous and is safe, every single show.
- First hand
- Second-in-command in the costume shop, who helps cut and put garments together for the head cutter.
- Front of houseFOH · House management
- Everything on the audience side: the lobby, box office, ushers and the house manager who looks after the audience.
- Green captain
- A company member who looks for ways to make the show greener, from reusing materials to cutting waste at strike.
- House manager
- The person in charge of the audience: seating, safety, latecomers, and telling the stage manager when the house is ready.
- IngénueJuvenile (male)
- An old casting type: the young, sweet romantic lead. Juvenile was the male version on older cast lists.
- Intimacy directorIntimacy coordinator
- The specialist who choreographs kisses, touch and other intimate moments with clear consent and repeatable steps.
- Kuroko
- Stagehands in Japanese theatre dressed head to toe in black, who move scenery and puppets in full view while the audience agrees not to see them.
- Master electricianME · Production electrician
- Runs the lighting crew. They hang, cable and look after the rig so it matches the lighting designer's plan.
- Musical directorMD · Music director
- Leads the music: teaches the songs, rehearses singers and band, and usually conducts the performances.
- Producer
- The person who makes the show possible: money, rights, venue, contracts and the business decisions.
- Production managerPM
- The person who runs the budget, schedule and logistics for everything physical: set builds, crews, load-in and strike.
- PrompterSouffleur (French)
- The person who follows the script and gives an actor the line when they forget it. Often the stage manager on book.
- Props masterProperty master · Props manager
- The person who finds, buys, builds and maintains every prop, from teacups to swords.
- Running crewRun crew · Stagehands
- The crew who work every performance backstage: moving scenery, setting props, flying pieces and handling changes.
- Scenic charge artistScenic charge · Charge artist
- The lead painter who turns the designer's paint elevations into the finished surface of the set.
- Showcaller
- Whoever calls every cue during a performance. In most theatres that's the stage manager, or the DSM in the UK.
- Stage director
- A confusing title. Today it usually just means the director, but in older UK usage it meant the stage manager who kept the show in shape.
- Stage managerSM · PSM (production stage manager)
- The hub of the production. The stage manager schedules, records every decision, keeps everyone talking, and calls the cues once the show opens.
- StitcherSeamstress
- A costume shop member who sews, alters and repairs costumes.
- Swing
- A performer who covers several ensemble roles and is not in the show nightly, ready to step into any of them.
- Technical directorTD
- The person who turns the set design into something buildable and safe, and runs the build crew.
- Technical stage managerTSM
- Runs the backstage technical side: set builds, fit-ups, changeovers and crew. Mostly a UK role.
- Triple threat
- A performer who can sing, act and dance to a high standard. Every musical director's favourite audition.
- Understudy
- An actor who learns a role so they can go on if the regular performer cannot.
- WardrobeCostume department
- The team that keeps costumes clean, mended and ready for every show, and the room where they live.
Rehearsals
- Above and below
- Older directions: above means upstage of a person or piece of furniture, below means downstage of it.
- All callCompany call
- A rehearsal or meeting where every member of the company is called.
- Bauprobe
- German for a set mock-up: a rough version of the set built on stage early, so the team can test scale and sightlines.
- Blocking
- The actors' movements and positions on stage: where you enter, cross, sit and exit, and when.
- Body positionsFull front · Quarter
- The standard ways an actor can face: full front, quarter turn, profile, three-quarter turn and full back.
- BusinessStage business
- Small physical actions, like pouring tea or folding a letter, that make a scene feel lived in.
- CallCall time
- The time you need to be there, ready to work. In theatre, on time means early.
- Calling "line"Line! · Prompting
- What an off-book actor says, staying in character, when they forget what comes next. The stage manager feeds the next few words.
- Cheat out
- Turning your body slightly toward the audience while still playing to your scene partner, so the house can see your face.
- Costume parade
- Each actor shows each costume on stage under light so the director and designer can approve it before dress.
- Countercross
- A small move one actor makes to rebalance the stage when another actor crosses past them.
- CrossX
- Any movement from one place on stage to another. Written as X in blocking notes.
- Fight call
- A required run of every stage fight at reduced speed before each performance, so it is safe and fresh.
- First rehearsalMeet and greet
- Day one of rehearsals: introductions, ground rules, design presentations and usually a read-through.
- FittingCostume fitting
- A session where an actor tries on a costume so wardrobe can adjust it to fit and move well.
- French scene
- A chunk of a scene defined by who is on stage. Every time someone enters or exits, a new French scene begins.
- Give and take stageGive focus · Take focus
- Steering the audience's attention. You give stage by turning or moving to point focus at someone else, and take it by doing the opposite.
- Hit your mark
- Land exactly on your spike mark, usually so you're in your light or out of the way of moving scenery.
- Implied and imposed business
- The difference between business the script calls for and business the director or actor invents. Which word means which depends on who you ask.
- Italian runRussian run · Speed run
- A run-through at double speed, with all the movement, to tighten pace and expose shaky lines.
- Line notes
- A written list of every line an actor dropped, paraphrased, added or swapped during a rehearsal, given privately after.
- Line runSpeed-through · Line bash
- Running the dialogue quickly with no acting or movement, just to test that everyone knows their lines.
- NotesGiving notes
- Feedback from the director after a run: what to keep, what to change, what to fix.
- Off-bookOff book date
- Lines memorised, script out of your hand. The off-book date is the deadline the director sets for it.
- On bookOn the book
- Following the script, ready to give lines and call cues. Actors still holding scripts are on book too.
- Open turnOpen position
- Turning toward the audience instead of away. A closed turn shows them your back, so directors almost always want the open one.
- Open up
- A note to turn your body more toward the audience so your face and voice reach them.
- PacingTempo
- How fast a scene or show moves, from how quickly cues are picked up to the rhythm of the action.
- Read-throughTable read · First read
- The first time the cast reads the whole script aloud together, usually seated around a table.
- Rehearsal propsRehearsal costumes · Stand-ins
- Stand-in props, shoes or skirts used in rehearsal until the real ones arrive, so actors can practise with them early.
- Room runDesigner run · Crew view
- A full run in the rehearsal room, before moving to the stage, so designers can watch and time their cues.
- Rough blockingSketch blocking
- A first quick pass at blocking to get everyone roughly in place, then refined as the scene grows.
- Run-throughRun · Stagger-through
- Playing an act or the whole show from start to finish without stopping. A rough first attempt is a stagger-through.
- Show conditionsPerformance conditions
- Running a rehearsal exactly like a show: no stopping, full costume, everyone in place and quiet backstage.
- Sitzprobe
- The first rehearsal where singers sit and sing through the score with the full orchestra, with no staging.
- Stage picturePicturization · Composition
- What the audience would see if you froze the moment: who stands where, how high, facing which way. Directors shape it to tell the story.
- Table work
- Early rehearsals spent sitting around a table with the script, talking through meaning, character and backstory before anyone moves.
- TableauTableaux (plural) · Freeze
- A moment where the actors hold still in a frozen picture, often at the start or end of a scene.
- Viewpoints
- A training and devising method that gives actors a shared language for time and space, like tempo, shape and distance.
- Wandelprobe
- An orchestra rehearsal where singers walk their basic blocking while the band plays, before full tech.
Tech and cues
- 10 out of 1210/12
- A long tech day: twelve hours at the venue with ten hours of work, allowed under some union rules.
- A vista
- A scene change done in full view of the audience with the lights up, often staged as part of the show.
- Auto-followFollow cue
- A cue programmed to fire by itself a set time after the previous one.
- AutomationAuto
- Scenery moved by motors and computer control instead of by hand, run from its own desk backstage.
- BumpSnap · Zero-count cue
- A light or sound change that happens instantly, with no fade time.
- Calling the show
- The stage manager giving every standby and GO, from the prompt book, during a performance.
- CrossfadeXF
- A change where one lighting or sound state fades out while the next fades in, with no gap between them.
- CueQ
- A planned change: a light shift, a sound, a curtain, a set move. Each has a number and a trigger in the script.
- Cue light
- A small light used to cue crew or actors silently. Red on means standby; in the US the light going off means GO, in the UK it turns green.
- Cue-to-cueQ2Q
- A tech rehearsal that skips the dialogue between cues and plays only the moments where something changes.
- Curtain warmersTab warmers
- Lights that wash the front curtain before the show and during the interval, so the stage looks alive while it waits.
- De-rig
- Taking down the lights, cables and sound gear after a show closes.
- Dry tech
- A technical rehearsal with crew but no actors, to run scene changes and cues before people are on stage.
- FadeFade in · Fade out
- A gradual change in light or sound over a set number of seconds.
- Fly cue
- A cue to raise or lower a piece of scenery or a curtain on the fly system.
- Fly in and fly out
- Lowering a flown piece toward the stage (fly in) or raising it out of sight (fly out).
- FocusFocus session
- Pointing, shaping and sizing each lighting instrument so it hits exactly the area the designer wants.
- Go
- The one-word command that fires a cue. It is said last ("Lights 14... GO") and never used casually on headset.
- HeadsetCans · Comms
- The headphone-and-mic system the stage manager and crew use to talk during the show.
- Hold
- The call to stop everything on stage immediately, usually for safety or to fix a cue. Everyone freezes and waits.
- House lights
- The lights over the audience. They dim as the show starts and come back up at the interval and at the end.
- Kill
- To turn something off or get rid of it: kill the lights, kill that sound, kill a prop nobody needs any more.
- Level setPlotting session · Levels session
- A session where the lighting or sound designer builds each cue, setting the levels while the board operator records them.
- Load-inGet-in (UK) · Fit-up (UK)
- Moving the set, lights and gear into the theatre and installing them, usually the week before opening.
- Paper techCue-writing session
- A meeting before tech where the stage manager, director and designers go through every cue on paper so the SM can write them into the book.
- Restore
- Bringing light or sound back to how it was before an effect, for example after a flashback or a lightning flash.
- Scene changeShift · Changeover
- Moving scenery and props between scenes. A shift plot lists who moves what, where, and when.
- Snagging
- Finding and fixing small faults, like a squeaky door or a scuffed flat, before the show opens.
- Spill
- Light that lands somewhere it shouldn't, like on the masking or in the audience's eyes.
- StandbyWarning (US)
- The stage manager's heads-up that a cue is coming soon. Operators answer "standing by" and keep their finger ready.
- Stop and goStop-start
- A way of teching where you run the show but stop whenever a cue or change needs fixing, then pick up again.
- SurtitlesCaptions
- Translated or captioned words shown above or beside the stage during a performance.
- Tech rehearsalTech · Tech week
- Rehearsals that add lights, sound, set and effects to the acting. Tech week is the stretch right before opening.
- Tech tableProduction table
- A table set up in the house during tech where the director, designers and stage manager work with their screens and headsets.
- Topping and tailingTops and tails
- Skipping the middle of scenes in tech and running just the start and end of each section, where the cues are.
- Trigger
- Whatever starts a cue: a line, a move, a sound or a beat in the music.
- TrimHigh trim · Low trim
- The set height a flown piece or batten sits at when it's in position. Crews mark it so it lands in the same place every time.
- Underscore
- Music played quietly under dialogue or action to shape the mood of a scene.
- Visual cueVis · Viz
- A cue the operator fires by watching the stage (an actor flicking a switch, say) instead of waiting for a called GO.
- Wet tech
- A technical rehearsal with actors on stage, as opposed to a dry tech with crew only.
- Work lightsWorkers · Cleaners
- Plain, bright lights for building, rehearsing and cleaning when the show lighting is off.
Paperwork
- Blocking keyLegend
- The shorthand a stage manager uses to note blocking fast: X for cross, DSL for downstage left, and so on.
- CallboardCall board · Notice board
- The official noticeboard (physical or online) for schedules, cast lists and announcements. If it is on the callboard, you have been told.
- Channel hookupInstrument schedule · Hookup
- A list matching every light to its control channel, colour and job. The crew's map when something stops working.
- Comms plotCommunication plot · System block diagram
- A drawing of who is on which headset channel and where every intercom, cue light and backstage speaker sits.
- Conflict calendarConflicts
- A calendar of every date each person cannot attend, collected at auditions and built into the rehearsal schedule.
- Contact sheet
- The list of everyone on the production with roles, phone numbers and emails. Shared only within the company.
- Costume plotCostume chart · Quick-change plot
- A chart of what each actor wears in each scene, including when and where every change happens.
- Cue sheetCue list · Cue script
- A department's list of every cue in order, with its number, timing and what triggers it.
- Elevation
- A drawing of a set piece seen straight on, showing heights and details a ground plan can't.
- Incident reportAccident report · Injury report
- A written record of any accident, injury or near miss, filled in as soon as possible after it happens.
- Light plotLighting plan (UK)
- A scaled drawing showing every light, where it hangs, and what colour and accessories it uses.
- Magic sheet
- A one-page cheat sheet, laid out like the stage, that helps the lighting designer find channel numbers fast while plotting.
- Model boxSet model · Maquette
- A scale model of the set inside a model of the theatre, used to show everyone the design before anything is built.
- Paint elevationPainter's elevation
- A coloured drawing showing exactly how each piece of scenery should be painted.
- Performance reportShow report
- The stage manager's report after each show: run time, audience size, anything that went wrong, and what needs fixing.
- Plot
- A list or drawing that maps one department's work through the show: a light plot, a sound plot, a costume plot.
- PresetPreset list
- Where every prop, piece of furniture and costume must be before the show starts. The preset list is checked every night.
- Prompt bookProduction book · The book
- The stage manager's master binder: the script with every blocking note and cue, plus contacts, schedules and plots.
- Rehearsal report
- The stage manager's daily email after rehearsal: what was worked, what changed, and notes for every department.
- Rehearsal scheduleDaily call · Rehearsal call
- Who is called, when, and for which scenes. A daily call goes out the night before with the next day's details.
- Run sheetRunning order
- A scene-by-scene list of every backstage task during the show: who does what, when, and where.
- Shift plot
- The chart of every scene change: which piece moves, from where to where, and which crew member moves it.
- Sides
- Short excerpts of the script handed out for actors to read at auditions.
- Sign-in sheet
- The sheet every actor initials on arrival so the stage manager knows who is in the building.
- TrackActor track · Costume track
- Everything one performer does from start to finish: every entrance, exit, costume change and prop.
- Vocal scorePiano-vocal score · PV score
- The music for a musical with every sung line and a piano version of the band parts. What the cast learns from.
Show time
- Ad libImprovise
- Words or actions made up on the spot, either to cover a slip or because the script asks for background chatter.
- Beginners
- The UK call for actors who start the show to go to the stage. The same as places in the US.
- Clean show
- A performance with no mistakes. The stage manager writes it in the report with quiet pride.
- Closing nightClosing · Last night
- The final performance of a run, usually followed by strike.
- CorpsingBreaking · Breaking character
- Laughing on stage when you're not meant to. British slang; Americans say breaking.
- Courtesy call
- An extra warning, like "five minutes to your entrance," given as a kindness rather than a rule.
- Curtain callBows
- The bows at the end of the show. It is rehearsed like any other scene.
- Curtain speechHouse speech · Pre-show announcement
- A short welcome before the show covering phones, exits and thank-yous, given by the director, producer or house manager.
- Cut show
- A shortened version of the show with agreed cuts, used when time is tight or for a special event.
- Dance call
- A short session before the show where the cast warms up and runs the trickiest choreography, led by the dance captain.
- DarkGoing dark · Dark night
- A night with no performance. A theatre that is dark has nothing playing.
- Dress rehearsalDress · Final dress
- A full rehearsal played exactly like a performance: costumes, makeup, every cue, no stopping.
- DryGoing up · Drying
- To forget your lines on stage. Your scene partners and the prompter help you back on track.
- Fluff
- To trip over or slightly misspeak a line. A smaller slip than a dry.
- Half-hourThe half
- The call 30 minutes before curtain (35 in UK practice). Every actor must be signed in by then.
- House countDoor count
- The number of people in the audience, counted by front of house and written into the show report.
- House openDoors
- The moment the audience is let in. From then on the stage is set and no one wanders on it.
- IntervalIntermission (US)
- The break between acts when the audience leaves their seats. Usually fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Intimacy call
- A pre-show run of any staged intimacy, so partners check in with each other and repeat the agreed choreography.
- LatecomersLatecomer hold · Latecomer point
- People who arrive after the show starts. Front of house holds them until an agreed moment when they can slip in without disrupting things.
- Laugh hold
- Pausing until the audience's laugh peaks and starts to fade, so the next line isn't lost.
- Lift call
- A pre-show check of every lift in the choreography, so partners warm up each one safely before doing it for real.
- Matinee
- A daytime performance, usually in the afternoon.
- Opening nightPress night (UK)
- The first official performance. After it, the show is frozen and the stage manager keeps it running as set.
- PagingShow relay · Backstage calls
- Announcements from the stage manager over the backstage speakers, like calling the half or asking actors to stand by.
- Photo callArchive photo call
- A session where the cast performs key moments in costume and light so a photographer can capture the production.
- PlacesBeginners (UK)
- The call for everyone in the opening scene to go to their starting positions. The show is about to begin.
- Preview
- A performance in front of a paying or invited audience before the official opening, while the show can still change.
- Put-in
- A rehearsal that slots a replacement or understudy into the show with the rest of the company.
- Quick change
- A costume change fast enough that it happens in the wings with a dresser, often in under a minute.
- Reset
- Putting every prop, costume and piece of scenery back where it starts, ready for the next show.
- SharingWork-in-progress showing
- An informal showing of work in progress to an invited audience, usually to get feedback rather than to sell tickets.
- Showstopper
- A number or moment the audience loves so much their applause stops the show for a while.
- StrikeGet-out (UK) · Load-out
- Taking the show apart after the last performance: set down, props and costumes stored or returned, space left clean.
- Thank youThank you, five · Thank you, places
- The reply you give when a call is announced, so the stage manager knows you heard it.
- VampVamp till ready
- A short bit of music the band repeats until the actor or the action is ready to move on.
Gear
- ArborCradle (UK)
- The frame in a counterweight fly system that holds the steel weights balancing each flown piece.
- BackdropBackcloth (UK) · Drop
- A large painted cloth hung at the back of a scene to show where it takes place.
- BattenPipe · Bar (UK)
- A long metal pipe hung over the stage that holds lights, curtains or scenery.
- Beltpack
- The small unit clipped to your belt that connects your headset to the intercom.
- BlackoutBO
- All stage lights out at once. Used for scene changes and endings; glow tape keeps people safe in it.
- BlacksStage blacks
- Black curtains and flats used to mask the stage. Also what crew wear, so they vanish during changes.
- Borders
- Short curtains hung across the top of the stage to hide the lights and flown scenery.
- Breakaway
- A prop or piece of set built to break safely, night after night, like a smashing chair or a sugar-glass bottle.
- Counterweight
- Weights loaded into a fly system so a heavy piece of scenery can be raised by hand. Loading them wrong is a serious hazard.
- Crash box
- A box of broken glass or junk that crew shake or drop offstage to make the sound of something smashing.
- CycloramaCyc · Skycloth
- A large plain cloth or wall at the back of the stage, lit in colour to suggest sky, mood or open space.
- Door slam
- A small box with a hinged flap that crew bang offstage to make a door slamming, exactly on cue.
- Drop boltCane bolt
- A sliding metal pin on scenery that drops into a hole in the floor to stop it rolling.
- Drugget
- A protective floor cover laid during builds or between shows to keep the stage floor clean.
- Dutchman
- A strip of cloth glued over the seam between two flats so the join disappears under the paint.
- Flat
- A lightweight wooden frame covered in fabric or board and painted to form a wall of the set.
- FollowspotSpot · Spotlight
- A powerful light that an operator aims by hand to follow a performer around the stage.
- Gaff tapeGaffer tape
- Strong cloth tape that holds firmly and peels off cleanly. Used for cables, quick fixes and almost everything else.
- Gak
- US crew slang for small onstage clutter, like water bottles and tissues, or the bits that make a set look busy.
- GelColour filter · Color media
- Thin coloured plastic placed in front of a light to change its colour.
- Glow tape
- Tape that glows in the dark, used on edges, steps and spike marks so people can move safely during blackouts.
- Gobo
- A small metal or glass stencil placed in a light to project a pattern, like leaves or window frames.
- God mic
- A microphone the stage manager uses to talk to the whole stage and backstage at once.
- HazeFog · Smoke
- A fine mist that makes light beams visible. Fog and smoke are thicker. All can set off smoke alarms, so the venue must agree a plan.
- House tabsMain curtain · Grand drape
- The main curtain at the front of the stage, which opens at the start and closes at the end.
- Kabuki drop
- A curtain that falls to the floor in an instant when released, revealing the scene behind it.
- LegsTormentors (front pair)
- Tall, narrow curtains hung at the sides of the stage to hide the wings from the audience.
- Personal propsPersonals
- Small props an actor carries on them, like a watch or a wallet, and usually looks after themselves.
- Pipe and drapeP&D
- Portable uprights and crossbars hung with curtains, used to make a quick stage, backdrop or masking almost anywhere.
- Practical
- A light or appliance on the set that actually works, like a table lamp the actor switches on.
- Prop table
- A table in the wings, taped and labelled with an outline for every prop, so actors find them and crew spot missing ones.
- PropsProperties · Hand props
- Objects the actors use or that dress the set. Hand props are carried; set props stay on the set.
- ScrimGauze (UK) · Sharkstooth
- A loosely woven cloth that looks solid when lit from the front and turns see-through when you light what's behind it.
- Set dressingDressing the set
- Things that decorate the set to make it feel real, like pictures, books and rugs, that actors don't handle.
- Spike tapeSpike · Spike marks
- Small pieces of coloured tape on the floor marking exactly where furniture, props or actors go.
- Stage manager's kitSM kit
- A toolbox of everything a stage manager might need: first aid, pencils, tape, safety pins, a torch and snacks.
- Teaser
- The first border just behind the proscenium. Raising or lowering it changes the height of the stage opening.
- TravellerTraveler · Tab track
- A curtain that opens sideways along a track instead of flying up and down.
- TreadsEscape stairs · Escapes
- Steps, usually offstage, that let actors get on and off raised platforms safely.
- WagonTruck
- A platform on wheels that carries scenery on and off. Pushed by crew, or moved by automation.
Safety and tradition
- Blue lightsRunning lights · Blues
- Dim blue lights backstage that let crew and actors see where they're going without any glow reaching the stage.
- Break a legChookas (Australia) · Merde (dancers)
- The way theatre people wish each other good luck, because saying "good luck" is considered bad luck.
- ButtonSelf-care cue
- An agreed word any actor can say to pause work on intimate or difficult material. It is kept separate from a technical hold.
- ClearGiving clears · Clear stage
- A call confirming a space or a piece of scenery is free of people and safe to move.
- Deadman's buttonDead man's switch · DMB
- A safety control that must be held down for automated scenery to move. Let go and everything stops.
- Fire curtainSafety curtain · The iron (UK)
- A heavy fireproof curtain that can drop to seal the stage off from the audience in a fire.
- FlameproofingFire retardant
- Treating curtains, fabric, timber and props with a chemical that stops them catching fire. Most venues require proof.
- Fouling
- When flown pieces catch on each other, on lights or on scenery as they move. Planning the flies is mostly about avoiding it.
- Ghost lightEquity light
- A single bare bulb left burning centre stage when the theatre is empty, so nobody falls into the pit in the dark.
- Mr SandsMr Sands is in the building
- A coded backstage announcement for a fire, so staff can respond without alarming the audience.
- PPEPersonal protective equipment
- Safety gear for build and strike: steel-toe boots, gloves, hard hats and eye protection.
- Rate-of-rise detector
- A heat-based fire detector that responds to temperature climbing fast, often used on stage instead of smoke detectors so haze does not trigger alarms.
- Risk assessmentRAMS (UK, with method statement)
- A written check of what could hurt someone during the production and what you will do to prevent it.
- The Scottish play
- How superstitious actors refer to Macbeth inside a theatre. Saying the name is said to bring disaster unless you perform a cleansing ritual.
- Spike the floor
- To mark positions with spike tape. "Spike that chair" means mark exactly where it sits so it lands there every night.
- Sugar glassBreakaway glass
- Fake glass that shatters safely. Real glass never goes on stage; frames use acrylic and drinks use plastic.
Rights and money
- BillingBilling credit
- How names appear on posters and programmes: order, size and placement, often fixed by contract.
- Callback
- A second audition round where the director asks a shortlist back to read again, often with other actors.
- Cattle callOpen call · Open audition
- An open audition where anyone can turn up, often with long queues and very short slots.
- DeppingSubbing · Deputising
- Sending a deputy to cover your part or your job for a performance. Common for musicians on long runs.
- EquityAEA (US) · UK Equity
- The actors' and stage managers' union. Equity productions follow set rules on hours, breaks, pay and safety.
- Grand rights
- The rights to stage a musical or opera as a full dramatic show, as opposed to just performing its songs in concert.
- House seatsComps
- Seats the production holds back for the company or VIPs. Comps are free tickets.
- IATSEIA · The stagehands' union
- The union for stage crew, technicians and many designers in the US and Canada.
- LORTLeague of Resident Theatres
- An association of US nonprofit professional theatres that agrees shared contracts with the unions.
- Performance rightsLicence · Royalties
- Permission from the playwright or their licensing house to stage a published play or musical. You need it before you announce.
- Post-mortemDebrief · Post-production meeting
- A meeting after the show closes to talk through what worked and what to change next time.
- Production meeting
- A regular meeting of the director, stage manager, designers and production team to agree decisions and deadlines.
- ProgrammeProgram (US) · Playbill
- The booklet audiences get with the cast, crew, credits and notes about the show.
- Public domain
- A play whose copyright has run out, so you can stage it without paying royalties. A modern translation or adaptation may still be protected.
- RepertoryRep
- A company that plays several shows in rotation, sometimes changing shows nightly with the same actors.
- Script changes
- Altering the words, gender, setting or cuts of a licensed play. You need the author's or licensor's written permission first.
- Subsidiary rights
- A share of a play's later income, from future productions or film, sometimes promised to the theatre that first staged it.
- Technical riderRider · Tech spec
- A touring show's list of what it needs from each venue: stage size, power, crew and dressing rooms.
The script
- Act
- A major section of a play, usually separated by an interval. Acts break down into scenes.
- Anachronism
- Something out of its time, like a wristwatch in ancient Rome. Sometimes a mistake, sometimes a deliberate choice.
- Aside
- A line spoken to the audience that the other characters on stage pretend not to hear.
- At rise
- What the audience sees as the lights come up or the curtain rises: who is on stage and what they're doing.
- Beat
- A small chunk of a scene where a character wants one thing. When the want changes, a new beat starts.
- Catharsis
- The emotional release an audience feels when a tragedy reaches its peak.
- Character arcArc
- How a character changes from the start of the story to the end.
- DenouementResolution
- The part after the climax where loose ends get tied up and the story settles.
- Deus ex machina
- A sudden, unlikely rescue that fixes the plot from outside. In ancient theatre, a god was literally lowered onto the stage by crane.
- Devised theatreDevising
- Work the company creates together through improvisation and experiment, rather than starting from a finished script.
- Eleven o'clock number
- A big song late in the second act of a musical, often the moment a character finally turns.
- ExitExeunt (plural) · Ex
- A stage direction to leave the stage. Exeunt is the Latin plural, meaning several characters go together.
- Exposition
- The background the audience needs to follow the story, like who people are and what happened before, usually tucked into early scenes.
- Fourth wall
- The invisible wall between stage and audience in a realistic play. Speak directly to the audience and you break it.
- Jukebox musical
- A musical built around existing popular songs instead of an original score.
- LibrettoBook (of a musical)
- The words of a musical or opera. In musicals, the book is the spoken scenes, and libretto often means book and lyrics together.
- Mise en scène
- Everything put on stage together: set, light, costume and movement, and how they combine into one picture.
- Monologue
- A long speech by one character, either to someone on stage or out to the audience.
- PantomimePanto
- A British family Christmas show built on fairy tales, with audience shouting, a dame and plenty of slapstick.
- Point of attack
- The moment in the story where the play begins. A late point of attack drops the audience into the middle of things.
- Production conceptConcept · Concept statement
- The director's big idea for a production: its world, its look and what it's about, shared with designers early.
- Proxemics
- How the distance between characters on stage shows their relationship: closeness, threat, avoidance.
- Soliloquy
- A speech where a character alone on stage thinks out loud, letting the audience hear what's in their head.
- SpineThrough-line · Super-objective
- The core drive that runs through a whole role or play. It keeps every choice pointing the same way.
- Through-composedThrough-sung · Sung-through
- A musical where nearly everything is sung, with little or no spoken dialogue.
- Tragic flawHamartia · Hubris (when the flaw is pride)
- The weakness or mistake that brings down the hero of a tragedy.