{"id":6996,"date":"2019-05-09T12:28:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T16:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=6996"},"modified":"2019-05-09T14:43:44","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T18:43:44","slug":"stage-and-theater-vocab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/stage-and-theater-vocab\/","title":{"rendered":"Stage and Theater Vocab"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo courtesy of Pixabay, CCO<\/p><\/div>\n

As I have mentioned in this space before, I work in theater. The world of theater has its own very unique vocabulary, some of which may sound very familiar to you, while some will probably sound quite odd. This seems like a good time to share and explain some of the most important vocabulary terms associated with my home away from home \u2013 the stage.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s tackle the word theater<\/strong>. It actually has two common spellings. Theater, ending in –er<\/strong>, is the correct and proper spelling for almost all usage of the word. However, theatre, ending in –re<\/strong>, is a proper spelling if you are referring to the building in which theater is performed. \u201cI am a theater<\/strong> professional. I work at the Palace Theatre<\/strong>.\u201d In Britain, you will frequently see the -re spelling for both iterations of the word. However, even there, the -er spelling has been more commonly accepted since Shakespeare\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

For those of us who spend much of our time inside a theatre, working on and around the stage, we use a language all our own. Let me now give you a peek inside my world.<\/p>\n

The Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The actor controls the stage. Therefore, it is from the actor\u2019s perspective that we define the parts of the stage.<\/p>\n

Stage Right<\/strong> is the right-hand side of the stage as the actor sees it, facing the audience.<\/p>\n

Stage Left<\/strong> is the left-hand side of the stage as the actor sees it, facing the audience.<\/p>\n

Upstage<\/strong> is away from the audience.<\/p>\n

Downstage<\/strong> is closer to the audience.<\/p>\n

Center Stage<\/strong> is, you guessed it, the center of the stage.<\/p>\n

Backstage<\/strong> is anywhere cast and crew can be out of view of the audience.<\/p>\n

The Deck<\/b> is also commonly known as the stage floor.<\/p>\n

Flies<\/strong> The area above the stage where scenic or lighting instruments are hoisted to be out of the audience’s view. To bring a hanging piece of scenery to the stage is to fly<\/strong> it in.<\/p>\n

House<\/strong> runs from the back of the theatre to the stage.<\/p>\n

Legs<\/strong> are drapes hung to mask backstage.<\/p>\n

Orchestra<\/strong> The area of audience seating nearest the stage, not to be confused with\u2026<\/p>\n

The Pit<\/strong> is where the orchestra sits, typically sunken below the front of the stage.<\/p>\n

The Proscenium<\/b> is that which frames the stage from the audience’s perspective, usually an arch.<\/p>\n

Rake<\/strong> is the angle of incline from downstage to upstage.<\/p>\n

The Wings<\/strong> is the area directly off to the side of the stage<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Theater Personnel<\/strong><\/h3>\n

ASM <\/strong>\u2013 The Assistant to the Stage Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n

Conductor<\/strong> – The leader of the orchestra, usually the Music Director<\/strong><\/p>\n

Choreographer<\/strong> – The creator of the dances in a show<\/p>\n

Crew <\/strong>\u2013 Those responsible for scenic and prop changes<\/p>\n

Dance Captain<\/strong> – The cast member given responsibility for helping to teach other cast members the show’s choreography<\/p>\n

Designer<\/strong> – The person responsible for designing specific elements of the show, including Lighting<\/strong>, Sets<\/strong>, Sound<\/strong>, Projection<\/strong>, Props<\/strong>, Special Effects<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director<\/strong> – The person responsible for the artistic vision of the entire production<\/p>\n

Dressers<\/strong> \u2013 People assigned to assist the actors in changing costumes during the show<\/p>\n

Orchestra<\/strong> – The musicians who play during performances of musicals<\/p>\n

Producer<\/strong> – The person who hired most, if not all, of the personnel for the production, including the Director<\/strong>;\u00a0also responsible for final approval on all budgetary matters<\/p>\n

Stage Manager<\/strong> \u2013 This is the Director\u2019s<\/strong> primary assistant, responsible for scheduling and running rehearsals, communicating the Director’s wishes to designers, coordinating the work of the stage crew, calling cues and actors’ entrances during a performance. In Shakespeare\u2019s time, this person was called the Book Holder<\/strong>, because they maintained all the notes in the script.<\/p>\n

Bits and Pieces<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Batten<\/strong> \u2013 A pipe for hanging lights or curtains<\/p>\n

Cyclorama (Cyc)<\/strong> \u2013 Fabric, usually white, which hangs on a curved pipe against the back wall of the theatre<\/p>\n

Dimmer <\/strong>\u2013 A device used to lower and raise the brightness of one or more lights<\/p>\n

Fire Curtain<\/strong> – A fire-proof curtain which may be lowered in front of the house curtain in the case of fire<\/p>\n

Gel<\/strong> \u2013 A thin sheet of plastic used to color lights<\/p>\n

Ghost Light <\/strong>\u2013 A single light on a stand which sits onstage in an otherwise empty dark theatre. In stage superstitions, it lights the way for the ghosts of dead actors to perform when everyone else has left the theatre.<\/p>\n

Gobos<\/strong> \u2013 Stencils, usually made of tin, placed in front of lights to create a pattern or shapes<\/p>\n

Masking<\/strong> \u2013 Some form of inobtrusive scenery, usually black fabric on a drape, used to conceal a part of the stage from the audience<\/p>\n

Practical<\/strong> \u2013 Something on the set which performs a physical function: a working lamp, or a doorbell which actors control, for example<\/p>\n

Scrim<\/strong> – A theatrical gauze curtain that, when lit from the front is opaque and when lit from the back is transparent<\/p>\n

This list is far from complete. Would you like to add to this list, or are there terms and expressions which you\u2019ve heard and have wondered about? Please add them to the comments section. I\u2019ll be happy to answer them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

As I have mentioned in this space before, I work in theater. The world of theater has its own very unique vocabulary, some of which may sound very familiar to you, while some will probably sound quite odd. This seems like a good time to share and explain some of the most important vocabulary terms…<\/p>\n

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