Theatre Terms

Front 1

articulation

Back 1

the clear and precise pronunciation of words

Front 2

project

Back 2

to make one's voice fill the acting space

Front 3

Stage left

Back 3

the acting area to the actor's left

Front 4

stage right

Back 4

the acting area to the actor's right

Front 5

centerstage

Back 5

the center of the acting area

Front 6

downstage

Back 6

the acting area toward the audience

Front 7

project

Back 7

to make one's voice fill the acting space

Front 8

upstage

Back 8

the acting area away from the audience

Front 9

house

Back 9

the area of the theatre where the audience sits

Front 10

orchestra pit

Back 10

the area of the theatre where the musicians sit

Front 11

properties

Back 11

Items carried on stage by an actor; small items on the set used by the actors.

Front 12

ensemble

Back 12

A group of theatrical artists working together to create a theatrical production

Front 13

light/sound booth

Back 13

the area of the theatre where the technical people control the stage/house lights and the sound

Front 14

green room

Back 14

the area of the theatre where actors wait to go on the stage

Front 15

rake

Back 15

the slant of the stage or the auditorium

Front 16

stage business

Back 16

any movement of an actor onstage that helps establish charcter

Front 17

blocking

Back 17

The planning and working out of the movements of actors on stage.

Front 18

sound cue

Back 18

music or some other sound that signals an actor's movements

Front 19

cue line

Back 19

a line in a script that signals an actor's movements

Front 20

improvisation

Back 20

A spontaneous style of theatre through which scenes are created without advance rehearsal or a script

Front 21

pantomime

Back 21

Acting without words through facial expression, gesture, and movement

Front 22

stage manager

Back 22

The director’s liaison backstage during rehearsal and performance responsible for the running of each performance

Front 23

director

Back 23

The person who oversees the entire process of staging a production

Front 24

principal

Back 24

a central character in a production

Front 25

supporting actor

Back 25

a secondary actor in a production

Front 26

cyclorama

Back 26

a curtain hung at the back of the stage on which lights or scenery can be reflected and used to establish mood or setting

Front 27

wings

Back 27

the acting area to the left or right of the stage just out of the sight of the audience where the actors wait to make their entrances

Front 28

grand drape

Back 28

the main curtain made of plush fabric

Front 29

motivation

Back 29

A character’s reason for doing or saying things in a play

Front 30

script

Back 30

The written text of a play.

Front 31

dressing room

Back 31

the area of the theatre where costumes are stored for a production and where actors put on these costumes and makeup

Front 32

cast

Back 32

to be selected to perform in a show

Front 33

audition

Back 33

the process of trying out for a production

Front 34

set

Back 34

the stationary properties used to establish setting

Front 35

scenery

Back 35

decorations for the stage

Front 36

stage hands

Back 36

technical crew responsible for moving sets and scenery

Front 37

blackout

Back 37

an instantaneous moment where there is no lighting

Front 38

cheating

Back 38

to turn the body in such a way as to be visible to the audience

Front 39

character

Back 39

A personality or role an actor/actress re-creates

Front 40

cold reading

Back 40

A reading of a script done by actors who have not previously reviewed the play

Front 41

costume

Back 41

Clothing worn by an actor on stage during a performance

Front 42

dress rehearsals

Back 42

The final few rehearsals just prior to opening night in which the show is run with full technical elements. Full costumes and makeup are worn

Front 43

objective

Back 43

A character’s goal or intention

Front 44

pacing

Back 44

The tempo of an entire theatrical performance

Front 45

play

Back 45

The stage representation of an action or a story; a dramatic composition

Front 46

projection

Back 46

The placement and delivery of volume, clarity, and distinctness of voice for communicating to an audience

Front 47

proscenium

Back 47

The view of the stage for the audience; The archway is in a sense the frame for stage as defined by the boundaries of the stage beyond which a viewer cannot see

Front 48

rehearsal

Back 48

Practice sessions in which the actors and technicians prepare for public performance through repetition