Broadway Theater Terminology

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Every Broadway Term You'll Need to Know

  1. ACT
    1. A major section of a play, often separated by an intermission. Acts are further divided into scenes.
    2. To perform as a character on stage - something actors do, distinct from the work of backstage technicians!

What is an Act?

  1. APRON - The portion of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch into the audience area. Sometimes referred to as the "forestage."

What is the Apron of a Stage?

  1. Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) - A crew member who supports the stage manager by helping coordinate backstage activity and ensuring props, cues, and actors are in place.

What Does an Assistant Stage Manager Do?

  1. AUDITION - A try-out for actors where they perform a monologue or scene to demonstrate their skills to directors. May involve memorized material or a cold reading (sight-reading a script).

Audition Tips and FAQs

  1. BEGINNERS - A pre-show call alerting the cast members in the first scene to take their places. Often given five minutes before curtain.

Beginner's Call: Ann Introduction

  1. BLACK BOX THEATER - A flexible performance space, usually painted black, with simple lighting and seating that can be rearranged. Great for experimental and intimate productions.

What is a Black Box Theater?

  1. BLACKOUT
    1. The complete absence of stage lighting often signals a scene change or a dramatic moment.
    2. The act of fading out stage lights.

Understanding a Theater Blackout

  1. BLACKS
    1. Stagehands' dark clothing, worn to stay unseen.
    2. Black drapes are used to hide backstage areas or create a neutral background.

Stagehand Basics

  1. BLOCKING - The planned movement of actors onstage, typically recorded by the stage manager.

Blocking 101

  1. CALLBACKS - Second-round auditions where selected actors are invited back for further consideration.

Secrets to a Successful Callback

  1. CAST/CASTING - The group of actors performing in a play. The process of selecting actors for roles is called casting.

Casting Strategies That Every Director Needs to Know

  1. CENTER LINE - An imaginary line that divides the stage vertically. Used for measuring and placing scenery accurately.

Stage Dimensions

  1. CLEARANCE - The front-of-house manager's signal to start the show once the audience is seated.

What Does a Front of House Manager Do?

  1. CUE TO CUE - A rehearsal technique skipping dialogue between technical cues to save time and fine-tune transitions.

Cue-to-Cue: Everything You Need to Know

  1. CURTAIN CALL - The moment at the end of a show when actors return to the stage to take their bows.

Curtain Call Dos and Don'ts

  1. DARK - A term for a theater with no performance scheduled that day.

Going Dark

  1. DIALOGUE - Spoken lines between characters in a play.

Writing Theater Dialogue

  1. DIRECTOR - The person responsible for the creative vision and execution of a theatrical production.

The Responsibilities of a Theater Director

  1. DOWNSTAGE - The part of the stage closest to the audience.

Upstage/Downstage

  1. DRESS REHEARSAL - The final run-through of a production with full costumes, props, and technical elements.

The Importance of Dress Rehearsal

  1. GET-IN / GET-OUT - The process of moving set, costumes, and equipment into or out of the theater.

Transporting Theater Equipment

  1. HALF - A time warning given 30-35 minutes before show time.

10 Things to Do Before Your Performance

  1. MARKING OUT - Using tape to map out the set and furniture positions in a rehearsal space.

The Most Accurate Stag Markups

  1. PRESET
    1. Props and scenery arranged before a scene or show.
    2. Pre-programmed lighting settings.

Props for the Theater

  1. PRESHOW - The time before the show starts, when the audience enters and the mood is set with lights and music.

The Power of the Preshow Pow-wow

  1. PROMPT CORNER - The side of the stage (usually stage left) where the stage manager cues the show.

Prompters and the Prompt Corner

  1. STAGE LEFT / RIGHT - Directions from the actor's viewpoint facing the audience. Stage Left is the actor's left.

Stage Right vs. Left

  1. TECH - Short for "technical rehearsal" - when lights, sound, and set changes are practiced with or without actors.

Tips for a Successful Tech Rehearsal

  1. UPSTAGE
    1. The area of the stage farthest from the audience.
    2. To draw attention away from the main action.

What Happens Upstage?

  1. WINGS - The sides of the stage hidden from the audience, used for actor entrances and exits.

Waiting in the Wings

Additional Resources For Theater Productions