Where to?
The actor’s right side when facing the audience.
(Not the audience’s right.)
Stage Right
What the audience can (and cannot) see from their seats. Directors and set designers check these to make sure everyone can see the performance clearly.
Sightlines
A focused beam of light used to highlight a specific performer or area.
Spotlight
The physical scenery and structures that create the environment of the play.
Set
The middle of the stage.
Center Stage
The actor’s left side when facing the audience.
Stage Left
Drawing that shows the stage layout from a bird’s-eye (top-down) view.
It includes:
Set pieces
Furniture
Entrances/exits
Major props
Ground Plan
A broad light that illuminates a large area of the stage.
Floodlight
The person responsible for interpreting the script and guiding actors, staging, pacing, and artistic vision.
Director
The planned movement of actors on stage.
Blocking
The area toward the back of the stage (away from the audience).
Historically, stages were sloped upward at the back.
Upstage
A portion that extends out into the audience.
The audience sits on three sides and creates a more intimate, close up experience
Thrust Staging
The control panel used to operate stage lighting.
Lighting Board
The person who organizes rehearsals, keeps track of cues, manages backstage operations, and calls light/sound cues during performances.
Stage Manager
A system of ropes and pulleys used to raise and lower scenery above the stag
Fly System / Flies
The area toward the front of the stage (closest to the audience).
Downstage
A support device used to hold scenery upright and stable.
It:
Attaches to flats (painted scenery panels)
Prevents them from falling over
Keeps the set safe and secure
Stage Brace
signal to change lighting at a specific moment in the script.
(Lighting Cue)
A play that takes place in a single act, usually 10–60 minutes long.
One-Act Play
Conversation between two or more characters.
Dialogue
The arch or frame that surrounds the front of a stage in traditional theaters.
It creates a “picture frame” effect for the audience.
Proscenium
A large curtain or wall at the back of the stage, usually white or light-colored.
It is used to:
Create sky effects
Display lighting colors
Serve as a projection surface
Cyclorama
The control system used to operate microphones and sound effects.
Sound Desk / Sound Board
A long speech delivered by one character.
Monologue
The frame around the stage opening that the audience sees.
It usually includes:
The proscenium arch
Curtains (like the main drape)
Masking that hides backstage areas
Portal