Types
1. the technique of showing emotions, actions, feelings, etc. by gestures without speech; 2. A play in which the performers express themselves without words, using gestures, often with music; 3. gestures without speech and, often, without objects, as when an actor pretends to be holding something 4. (British theatre) often held around Christmastime, a theatrical performance for families involving popular music, topical jokes, lively dancing and slapstick humour
Pantomime
an opening through the stage floor
Trap Door
variations in the way an actor uses his/her voice; examples include making the voice more breathy, raising the pitch so that voice is high (falsetto) and speaking in a raspy way so that the voice is hoarse or rough
Quality
a stage is divided into parts, or areas, from the point of view of an actor standing on stage staring out at the audience in front of them; the downstage area is the area of the stage closest to the audience; the upstage area is the area farthest away from the audience; the center of the stage is the area in the middle between downstage and upstage; each of these three sections is, in turn, divided into three sections (right, center, and left), so that the overall stage is broken into nine areas total. If an actor is
standing facing the audience, then:
• Upstage Right (UR): is the right corner
area toward the back of the stage.
• Upstage Center (UC): is the middle area
toward the back of the stage.
• Upstage Left (UL): is the left corner area
toward the back of the stage.
• Center Right (CR): is the center, right
area.
• Center (C): the middle, or center, of the
stage.
• Center Left (CL): is the center, left area.
• Downstage Right (DR): is the right corner
area toward the front of the stage.
• Downstage Center (DC): is the middle
area toward the front of the stage.
• Downstage Left (DL): is the left corner
area toward the front of the stage.
Stage Areas
the way in which an actor achieves his/her objective; expressed using action verbs
Tactic
the speed at which an actor speaks his/her lines
Rate
four of the common types of stage are:
• Proscenium: generally what people think of
when they picture a theatre stage;
characterised by a proscenium arch that
forms a “picture frame” around the stage; the
audience sits in front of this type of stage.
• Thrust: a stage that juts out into the
auditorium, with the audience sitting on three
sides of the stage.
• Theatre-in-the-Round: the stage is in the
middle, surrounded by the audience;
sometimes called an arena.
• Black Box: a single room, usually painted
black, where the stage is often just the floor
of the room; this type of space is flexible, and
seating is arranged to suit the show being
performed.
Type of Stage
stage curtains which open across the full stage, especially a pair of horizontally moving curtains which overlap at the centre and move outwards from that centre or which open from one side
Traveler
1. toward the back of the stage; 2. to overshadow another performer
Upstage
the height or depth to which the tone of voice is raised or lowered; actors use pitch to help them express particular emotions
Pitch
usually the first time the show is rehearsed in the place where it will be performed while using all the technical elements, such as lighting, scenery and sound
Technical Rehearsal
curtains that work in conjunction with the teaser to make the proscenium opening smaller; generally, they are the first set of legs
Tormentor