Actor Terms
the warning for actors to assume their position on stage for the beginning of the show
Places
taking down the set, dressing, and props after the show’s final performance
Strike
permanent framed opening through which the audience sees the play
Proscenium
to rehearse without interruption
Run Through
imaginary wall between stage and audience.
Fourth Wall
an actor’s move from one part of the stage to another
Cross
contains script, blocking notations, warnings, crew charts, and other information necessary for producing the play; stage manager creates it
Prompt Book
actor’s lounge backstage
Green Room
a run-through of the show from one technical cue (such as a lighting change, sound effect, or scene change) to another
Cue-To-Cue
words spoken by a character to the audience; the other characters supposedly do not hear the speech
Aside
to quickly begin a speech without allowing a pause between the first words of the speech and the cue
Pick Up Cues
loose weave curtain on battens used for “visions,” “flashbacks”, etc; opaque when lit from the front and transparent when lit from the back
Scrim
staging with the audience sitting on all four sides of the playing area
Arena Theatre (In The Round)
when a new actor is stepping into a role for the first time on a pre-existing production. This helps them practice before doing the show in front of an audience.
Put In
waiting for the audience laughter to diminish before continuing dialogue
Holding for Laughs
to play toward the audience while seemingly conversing with others on stage
Cheat Out
black curtains in the wings that hide offstage actors from audience view
Leg
runways at the ceiling of a theatre that hang above the audience and/or stage for technicians to walk on while hanging lighting, backdrops, etc
Catwalks
run through of all technical aspects of the show, without the actors.
Dry-Tech
the days/nights during the run of a show when a performance is not scheduled
Dark
the songs and/or monologues that go in an actor’s “book” to be performed in auditions
Repertoire
area where scenery is hung or stored by counter-weighted lines from the grid
Flies
a combination of the proscenium and the arena stages, with the audience sitting on two or three sides of the acting area
Thrust
rehearsal where the cast rehearses with the full pit orchestra for the first time.
Sitzprobe
a command given by a member of the creative or technical team when a rehearsal needs to immediately pause
Hold