In the Dark
Electrical cord used in circuiting lighting instruments or other stage devices requiring electricity.
What is a "Cable"?
The component of a Lavalier Mic that actually houses the diaphragm (mic) and gets plugged into the body pack.
Crew member that “mics” actors and performs sound related tasks backstage.
Who is an "A2"?
The table backstage on which props are laid out with specific spots.
This form establishes an architectural frame between the audience and the actors. This frame is the window through which the audience views the play, from only one side.
What is a "proscenium"?
A reference line on the playing area that indicates the exact center of the stage.
What is a "Center Line"?
Refers to the parts of the stage which cannot be viewed from the audience.
What is "offstage or Backstage"?
The movement and business of an actor on stage.
What is "Blocking"?
The area above the stage that contains lines to be raised or lowered.
What is "Flies"?
Lights used for general illumination of the stage when not in performance.
What is Work Lights?
Serves as a sort of “control center” for controlling distribution, volume, and some effects on signal through the sound system.
What is a "Sound board"?
Individual who is responsible for calling cues during a show, acting as a design liaison, coordinating rehearsal schedules, and managing other cast and crew members throughout a production.
Properties that are handled by actors during a performance.
What is a "Hand Prop"?
A series of lines drawn on plan and section to indicate the limits of the audience vision from extreme seats, including side seats and front and back rows. Often marked in the wings as a guide to the actors and crew, so as not to be seen by members of the audience.
What is "sightlines"?
The offstage left or right spaces of the theater.
What is the "wings"?
Refers to any location in view of the audience.
What is "Onstage"?
A signal for the stage manager that puts into action a shift in lights, sound or scenery.
What is "Cue"?
A long piece of gridwork used to hang heavy stage equipment, like moving lights or projectors.
What is a "truss"?
Transparent material used to color the lights.
What is a "gel"?
Unit that converts audio signal into audible sound.
What is a "Speaker"?
The backstage group of people who perform all the technical tasks during the show.
Who is the "Running Crew"?
Props that are used to decorate the set and are usually not handled by actors.
What is a "Set Dressing"?
This configuration has the stage surrounded by the house/audience on all four sides and brings an even more intimate relationship between the actor and the audience.
What is an "Arena or In the Round"?
The area between the stage and the auditorium, usually below stage level. May be used to house the orchestra.
What is the "Pit"?
The middle area of the performance space.
What is "Center Stage"?
The setting on stage that the audience sees before the play begins. Refers to lights, sets and props.
What is "Pre-set"?
A flat piece of fabric, generally painted, that forms part of the scenery.
A hand-operated lighting instrument mounted on a swivel stand that emits a high intensity beam of light, used to stay on an actor on stage.
What is a "Followspot"?
A microphone that sends an audio signal wirelessly to a receiver located nearby. Uses batteries as its power source.
What is a "Wireless Microphone"?
Crew member who moves scenery
Who is a "Grip"?
A stand in prop used during the rehearsals only (not the show) to give actors the opportunity to get use to holding an item.
What is a "Rehearsal Prop"?
A configuration designed to break through the proscenium, or "fourth wall", and place the actor out into the audience. Most configurations have the audience sitting on three sides of the playing space. The audience is now another part of the experience.
What is a "Thrust stage"?
the seating area from which the audience observes the action of a play.
What is the "House"?
When facing the audience, the area of the stage on the actor's left.
What is a "stage left"?
The removal of all stage equipment, scenery, props, lights, and costumes from the stage area.
What is "Strike"?
A type of rigging that uses weights to counterbalance horizontal battens containing scenery, curtains, or lighting instruments.
What is a "Counterweight System"?
A metal cutout used in an Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight that projects an image on stage. Also called "Template."
What is a "Gobo"?
An area microphone that is usually “dead hung” from the grid or fly system.
What is a "Hanging Microphone"?
Crew person assigned to help with quick changes and general maintenance of costumes throughout the run of the show.
Who is a "dresser"?
A prop that is specifically made to break at a certain point in the play.
What is a "breakaway"?
This configuration can take many forms. The audience and performers can remain separate or be intermingled. The configuration of the stage can change during the course of the performance.
What is a "blackbox"?
A light left on when the theater is locked up for the night.
What is a "Ghost Light"?
Away from the audience, towards the back of the stage.
What is "upstage"?
In blocking, to move from one area of the stage to another.
What is "Cross"?
A large backdrop that goes all the way across the back of the stage and is meant to resemble the sky.
What is a "Cyc"?
The process of putting a lighting instrument in its designated spot according to the light plot.
What is "Hanging a Light"?
A microphone that picks up sound from a large section around it with little distinction.
What is an "Area Microphone"?
Crew person in charge of raising and lowering the flies.
Who is a "Flyman"?
are a type of set dressing that hang on the walls, such as pictures, window dressing and curtains, and so on.
What is "Trim props"?
The structural support for the equipment and machinery used to hang or fly scenery, lights, and other design and technical elements of the production.
What is the "Grid"?
Close to the audience, near the front of the stage.
What is "downstage"?
A meeting between director, designers, and stage management to define and record the series of technical events required to operate the production.
What is "Paper Tech"?
Short, horizontal drapes that run across the tops of the stage, used for masking the flies and lighting equipment.
What is "Borders"?
A small iron box containing an electrical outlet that is part of the stage floor.
What is "Floor Pocket"?
A three pin audio cable used for passing signal between some sort of input and output.
What is a "XLR plug"?
A theater technician who installs and/or operates the lighting for a production.
Who is an "Electrician"?
The action of a crew member handling a prop for an actor at a designated time and place during a performance.
What is a "Hand-off"?
A constructed proscenium that fits inside the permanent proscenium.
What is a "False Proscenium"?
Used to instruct actors, technicians and others working in the theater as to the location of a person or object, or their direction of travel.
What is "Stage Directions"?
A technical rehearsal without actors.
What is "Dry Tech"?
Any drapery that moves or opens horizontally to the sides of the stage.
What is a "traveler"?
The area of the greatest illumination projected by a lighting instrument
What is "Hot Spot"?
A device that applies power to low-power audio signals to boost that signal to be able to be heard at a louder, larger volume.
Person who paints the set with specific techniques to give texture and color to sets.
Scenic Painter
Any prop or piece of scenery that is usable.
An imaginary line running across the width of the stage, in line with the proscenium opening, which is marked on a ground plan and is used as a reference for scenery, furniture, etc.
What is a "Plaster Line"?
When facing the audience, the area of the stage on the actor's right.
What is "Stage Right"?
To rehearse the show by performing from beginning to end without stopping.
What is a "run through"?
A drop made of loosely-woven material that can be transparent or opaque depending on how it is lit; front lighting makes it opaque; back lighting, or no lighting on the front, makes it transparent.
What is a "Scrim"?