Half-hour

Also called: The half

The call 30 minutes before curtain (35 in UK practice). Every actor must be signed in by then.

The usual countdown: half-hour, fifteen minutes, five minutes, places. Actors reply "thank you" to each call. Usage differs: in the US the half is called thirty minutes before curtain; in the UK it is called thirty-five minutes before, so that beginners lands at five minutes out.