Phrases/Keywords
Instead of saying "good luck" to an actor, you would say _________
"Break a leg!"
Many theories behind this -
1) Ancient Greece - audience stomped their feet instead of clapping, and if the performance was good enough, the audience would stomp so hard they would break a leg
2) Elizabethan times - audience would bang their chairs on the ground instead of clap, and if they liked the performance enough, the leg of the chair would break
3) The most common theory refers to an actor breaking the “leg line” of the stage. This is where ensemble actors would wait before going on stage to perform. If actors were not performing, they had to stay behind the “leg line,” which also meant they wouldn’t get paid.
Where is "the house" in a theater?
The house refers to the auditorium where the audience sits. The front of the house refers to the lobby and box office.
What is the difference between musical theater and dramatic theater?
Musical theater combines songs, spoken dialogue, and dance to tell a story, while dramatic theater only usually uses spoken dialogue.
Who are the three ghosts that visit Scrooge?
Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future/Yet to Come
This "Thank U, Next" singer and "Victorious" actress was in the Broadway musical "13" at the age of 15.
Ariana Grande
What is the phrase for when an audience is screaming and clapping so loud that the noise level seems like it might destroy the entire building?
"Bring down the house!"
This phrase comes from the 1700s.
Where is "upstage" and "downstage" on a stage?
Upstage - back of the stage, farther away fromthe audience.
Downstage - front of stage, closer to the edge and the audience.
Theatre pros coined the term due to the use of raked, or inclined, stages. The sloped architecture creates better sight lines and acoustics for audiences. But this also meant that as performers walked away from the house, they were hiking up the stage.
What is the difference between the spellings "theater" and "theatre"?
Whether you use the spelling theatre or theater will depend on where you are from.
In American English, the spelling is theater; in Britain and the rest of the English-speaking world, theatre is used. The spelling you choose—theater vs. theatre—should align with your audience's preference.
What sayings were made popular from Charles Dicken's book, A Christmas Carol?
“Bah humbug” and “Merry Christmas” weren’t unknown before A Christmas Carol, but the book brought them front and center in popular usage. And everyone knows what you mean if you refer to someone as a “Scrooge.”
This "Fast and Furious" actor can sing, and stars in a Disney musical movie, in which he plays a demigod.
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson)
What does "wing it" mean in theater?
When actors would “wing it” they were going on unprepared. It comes from the practice of playing a part without memorizing the lines, relying on the prompter in the wings or pages of text affixed to set pieces like the wing flats.
Stage Right and Stage Left always refer to the perspective of the performer when standing on the stage and facing the audience.
What language does the word "theatre" come from?
The word theatre comes from an ancient Greek word meaning a ‘place for seeing.’
What was the name of Scrooge's old business partner?
Jacob Marley
This "Harry Potter" actor has been in many Broadway plays such as Equus, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, etc.
Daniel Radcliffe
What does "being in the limelight" mean?
Being in the spot light or center of attention.
Limelight was the first gas lamp alternative for lighting theaters. Invented in the early 1800s, limelight was generated by heating calcium oxide with a blend of oxygen and hydrogen. Theaters first began using limelight in the 1830s as the first spotlight. Now, we continue to say that those in the limelight are the center of attention.
Where is "the pit" in a theater?
The orchestra section (between the stage and the house)
Until what year was it illegal for women to act on stage in England?
1660
The first woman to appear in a Shakespeare play was in 1660, 44 years after Shakespeare’s death. It was previously illegal in England for a woman to act on stage.
Who is thought to have been the inspiration behind the character of Tiny Tim?
It is thought that Dickens’s nephew — who, like Tim, suffered from health problems and died prematurely at age 9 — inspired the spirit of the character.
This boy band singer of songs "Burning Up" and "Year 3000" began on Broadway at the age of 7, playing roles including Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, Chip Potts in Beauty and The Beast, Little Jake in Annie Get Your Gun, and Gavroche in Les Misérables.
Nick Jonas
A phrase said in theater meaning that regardless of what happens, whatever show has been planned still has to be staged for the waiting audience.
"The show must go on"
This saying has its origins in the circus of the 19th century. If a performer hurt themselves, or an animal got loose, the ringmaster with his band would attempt to keep the audience calm by, well, carrying on. The show would distract those looking on from being spooked by a broken leg or panicking at the lion on the loose.
Where are the "wings" in a theater?
The wings are the hidden areas to the left and right of the stage, usually behind curtains. This is where actors wait before they make an appearance. So, an actor waiting in the wings is standing off-stage, waiting to perform.
There is an old superstition that actors are not supposed to whistle on or off stage. Why do you think this is?
The old superstition of no whistling on stage comes from the time when theaters used to hire sailors as stagehands and riggers, and cues were called using whistling commands. Whistling a happy tune backstage could be an accidental call cue causing an accident or early curtain call!
How long did it take Dickens to write A Christmas Carol?
Around 6 weeks
Dickens started writing in October 1843 and wrote obsessively for six weeks. He finished writing at the end of November so it could be published in time for Christmas. A Christmas Carol hit the shops on December 17, 1843, and sold out in three days.
This R&B singer, who sings "Yeah!" and "Confessions" made his Broadway debut in 2006 in the musical Chicago.
Usher