To Be or Not To Be Acting...
To improvise, when another actor fails to enter on cue, lines are forgotten, or the normal progress of the play is disturbed.
What is ad libbing?
The process of arranging moves to be made by the actors during the play, recorded by stage management in the prompt script.
What is blocking?
A superstitious and widely accepted alternative to "Good luck" (which is considered bad luck!).
What is "Break a leg?"
The speed the dialogue and/or action is delivered to the audience.
The highness or lowness of the tone of voice.
What is pitch?
Lines spoken by an actor to the audience and not supposed to be overheard by other characters on stage.
What is an aside?
An actor who collapses into uncontrollable laughter during a rehearsal or performance is said to be....
What is corpsing?
A change of costume that needs to happen very quickly and takes place close to the side of the stage.
What is a quick change?
Using the voice loudly and clearly to ensure the dialogue is heard by the audience
What is projection?
Not utilizing the script, having memorized the lines.
What is off-book?
The art of creating a character. Within the text, characters may be presented by means of description within stage directions or character descriptions which the actor must try to convey through their actions, speech of spoken thoughts within the text.
What is characterization?
The quality or style of speaking of a character within the play, consisting of components such as accent, inflection, intonation, and enunciation.
What is diction?
Products applied to the face or body of an actor to change or enhance their appearance.
What is makeup?
Master copy of the script or score, containing all the actor moves and technical cues, used by stage management to control the performance.
What is the prompt book?
The feeling created by an ensemble or cast working together during a performance.
What is rapport?
Body or facial movements of a character during a play.
What is gesture?
Pronouncing a word to stress its meaning.
What is inflection?
Form of theatre where actors' faces are covered with masks.
What is Mask?
A meeting with all cast and (sometimes all) creative team members to read through the script. Usually happens at the start of the rehearsal process, to help the cast get to know each other and the text.
What is a read through?
Using a quite voice and subtle body language to create a calm atmosphere on the stage.
What is stillness?
Communicating emotion, meaning or an idea without words, using only gesture, expression, and movement.
What is miming?
An actor who needs to refer to the script during a scene is said to be...
What is "on book?"
Clothes work by the actors on stage.
What are costumes?
The way in which words are spoken to demonstrate the emotion behind their meaning.
What is tone?
Instructions given by the author about how a play should be staged, when actors should make their entrances and exits and how lines should be delivered.
What are stage directions?