Terms 1
Upstage
Moving away from the audience towards the back of the stage
On the left side of a stage from the point of view of a performer facing the audience.
Stage Left
Objectives
What the character wants or what their goals are
A speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience.
Monologue
Blackout
The lights simply go out leaving the theatre dark while the sets are being changed or the dancers are preparing for the next piece. It also helps the audience know when a scene is ending.
Call Time
The time that all actors and crew are expected to be at the theater.
Where tickets of admission are sold
Box Office
Cast
Group of actors that make up the characters in a play or musical
To turn your face or entire body either out to the audience to be seen better without completely turning (so it still looks natural, but you are not completely in profile)
Cheat Out
Dialogue
A written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people
Script
The story that has been written for actors to perform
The person who wrote the play
Playwright
Crew
Professionals work backstage during performances to keep the show running smoothly and safely
A short performance given by an actor, dancer, or musician so that a director or conductor can decide if they are good enough to be in a play or musical
Audition
Curtain Call
The appearance of one or more performers on stage after a performance to acknowledge the audience's applause.
Strike
The process of tearing down the set at the conclusion of the show’s run
Creates the dance elements in a play or musical, and often teaches them to actors, singers, and dancers.
Choreographer
House
The seating area for the audience during a performance
Supports and organizes all the different teams involved in the day-to-day running of a theatre production from rehearsals right through to performances and then post-show. They liaise and communicate with the full company and organize each team to ensure the smooth running of a production.
Stage Manager
Chorus
Background actors and singers that perform as a group as opposed to the main characters of a play or musical
Pit
The space reserved for the musicians playing the music for an opera, musical, or ballet, immediately in front of or below the stage.
An actor or other performer who learns the parts of others in a play, opera, etc., so that he or she can replace them if necessary.
Understudy
Beat
Moment by moment acting units in a play
A dedicated person on the creative team whose primary task is to support the play's development by asking key questions, starting conversations, researching, providing context, and helping the artists as they work together to tell the intended story.
Dramaturg
Off Book
An actor or cast who has memorized their lines