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abstract setting ab-stract set-ting | ˈæbstrækt ˈsetɪŋ |
noun — a stage setting that is stylized rather than photorealistic or representational; that is, one that does not attempt to present a realistic stage picture.
accent lighting ac-cent light-ing | ˈæksent ˈlaɪtɪŋ |
noun — Lighting that stresses certain stage areas. It may be done with intensity and/or color. An "accent light" is one that provides such illumination.
acoustic a-cou-stic | əˈkuːstɪk |
noun — The behavior of sound and its study.
act act | ˈækt |
verb; noun — to perform a dramatic role; a section of a production, often acts are separated by intermission, also called an act break
acting area ac-ting a-re-a | ˈæktɪŋ ˈeəriə |
noun — the area within the performance space within which the actor may move in full view of the audience; a specific portion of such an area actually used for acting during all of part of a performance
acting edition ac-ting ed-i-tion | ˈæktɪŋ ɪˈdɪʃn̩ |
noun — The published text of a play that has been approved by the author for public performance.
action ac-tion | ˈækʃn̩ |
noun; verb — the physical movement of an actor on the stage; the movement or development of the plot of a dramatic work, or an incident in that movement.
actor ac-tor | ˈæktə |
noun — originally a male performer in a play, with "actress" used for women. Today, "actor" is increasingly used for both male, female, and nonbinary performers.
aisle ais-le | aɪl |
noun — a passage through seating areas.
alternate al-ter-nate | ɔːlˈtɜːnət |
noun — actors who alternate in a specific role; an understudy scheduled to perform a set number of performances each week, typically matinees.
apron ap-ron | ˈeɪprən |
noun — the area of the stage, if any, which protrudes in front of the proscenium arch
arena a-re-na | əˈriːnə |
noun — Stage configuration in which the audience are seated on two or more sides of the acting area.
audition au-di-tion | aˈdɪʃn̩ |
noun — A trial performance to appraise an entertainer's merits
auditorium au-di-to-ri-um | ˌɒdəˈtɔːriəm |
noun — the area from which the audience watches a production
back back | ˈbæk |
verb — to invest in a prospective production.
back of house back-of-house | bæk əv ˈhaʊs |
noun — the parts of the theatre behind the proscenium, or behind the stage setting
back wall back-wall | bæk wɔːl |
noun — the rear wall of the stage or stage setting or the auditorium.
backdrop back-drop | ˈbækdrɒp |
noun — a large curtain, usually painted to represent the sky, a landscape, or some other background, dropped upstage to form the back of a wing set and to mask the backstage space.
background back-ground | ˈbækɡraʊnd |
noun — the setting or scenic display before which actors perform; in a script, previous events, environment; background music.
backing light back-ing light | ˈbækɪŋ laɪt |
noun — a low-wattage light, used to give diffused illumination to the space beyond openings such as doors, and placed behind, or less often in front of a backing
backlighting back-ligh-ting | ˌbækˈlaɪtɪŋ |
noun — the illumination of a scene from behind the actors, usually from the back of the stage.
backstage back-stage ˈbak-ˌstāj
noun — of, relating to, or occurring in the area behind the stage and especially in the dressing rooms
balcony bal-co-ny | ˈbælkəni |
noun — a seating area above the orchestra section of the auditorium. Sometimes a part of this area, particularly in front, is the location for equipment, hence the term "balcony lighting"
ballad ba-llad | ˈbæləd |
noun — a slow, sentimental, or romantic song.
black box black-box | blæk bɒks |
noun — an unadorned performance space, typically a large room with four walls and no assigned seating or playing areas. Walls are typically painted black, hence the name. The black box is popular because it can be configured in many different ways, with actors on the floor, or on a platform; the audience can also be seated on the floor or on platforms.
blackout black-out | ˈblækaʊt |
noun; verb — the complete absence of stage lighting; the act of turning off or fading out stage lighting.
blackout black-out | ˈblæˌkɑːwt |
noun — a period when all stage lighting is turned off
blocking bloc-king | ˈblɑːkɪŋ |
noun — the principal positions and movements for the performers of a production
box office box of-fice | bɒks ɒfɪs |
noun — an office (as in a theater) where tickets of admission are acquired
break a leg break-a-leg | ˈbreɪk ə leɡ |
noun — a superstitious and widely accepted alternative to "Good Luck" (which is considered bad luck in the theatre)
break character break cha-rac-ter | ˈbreɪk ˈkærəktə |
verb — in acting, saying or doing something that is not in keeping with the character one is portraying, most often this is accidental, as when an actor forgets a line or bit of business, or when distracted by an occurrence in the audience or offstage
Broadway broad-way | ˈbrɔːdweɪ |
noun — the principal avenue running through the theatre district of New York City near Times Square, and thus the district, and collectively the theatres on or near this avenue; by extension, the commercial theatre of New York.
button but-ton | ˈbʌtn̩ |
noun — in staging musicals, a final stage picture or song ending that brings a satisfying conclusion to a musical number.
cabaret ca-ba-ret | ˈkæbəreɪ |
noun — entertainment held in a nightclub or restaurant while the audience eats or drinks at tables.
call call | kɔːl |
noun; verb — specified time of a working session, such as a rehearsal or a performance; stage manager's announcement to summon actors to the stage; to announce cues to a show's technical staff during a performance
cameo ca-me-o | ˈkæmɪəʊ |
noun — a minor role with particularly attractive acting possibilities.
capacity ca-pa-ci-ty | kəˈpæsɪti |
noun — The total number of seats available for the audience, as in seating capacity.
cast cast | kɑːst |
noun — the actors taking part in a play, film, or other production.
cast list cast-list | kɑ:st lɪst |
noun — a list of actors with their roles.
casting agent ca-sting a-gent | ˈkɑːstɪŋ ˈeɪdʒənt |
noun — a person who engages to find actors for a production.
casting director ca-sting di-rec-tor | ˈkɑːstɪŋ dɪˈrektə |
noun — the head of casting; casting agent in charge of subordinate casting personnel.
choreographer cho-re-o-gra-pher | ˌkɒrɪˈɒɡrəfə |
noun — one who designs (and often directs) the dances and stage movement in a musical production
choreography cho-re-​og-​ra-​phy | ˌkɔːriˈɑːɡrəfi |
noun — the composition and arrangement of dances
chorus cho-rus | ˈkɔːrəs |
noun — a group of singers and/or dancers performing as a unit; group singing or dancing; a song or part of a song to be sung by more than on person; a group or even a single actor who provides commentary on the action of a play, as in a Greek tragedy; a part of a song that is repeated after each verse, typically by more than one singer
close close | kləʊz |
verb — to conclude or end a production; to perform in the last number on a program
company com-pa-ny | ˈkʌmpəni |
noun — the cast, crew and other staff associated with a show; a presenting theatre organization; a group of actors appearing together in one or more dramatic performances
conductor con-duc-tor | kənˈdʌktə |
noun — the director of an orchestra. Also known in the theatre as the musical director.
costume designer cos-tume de-sign-er | ˈkɒstjuːm dɪˈzaɪnə |
noun — member of the creative team for a show responsible for the clothes worn by the actors throughout the performance.
critic cri-tic | ˈkrɪtɪk |
noun — journalist who writes reviews for theatre productions.
cue cue | kjuː |
noun; verb — the last words of one actor's spoken dialogue, which the next actor to speak needs as a signal to begin; the spoken or written command given to technical staff to carry out a particular operation during a performance.
curtain call cur-tain call | kɜ:tn kɔːl |
noun — the appearance of the actors at the end of a performance, to accept the applause of the audience.
dark dark | dɑːk |
adjective — a theatre that is closed, or with no performances scheduled
debut de-but | ˈdeɪbjuː |
noun; verb — an actor's first appearance, whether at the beginning of his/her career, or in a new theatre; to make one's first appearance
decibel de-ci-bel | ˈdesɪbel |
noun — relative measurement for the volume of sound; also used to measure the difference between two voltages, or two currents.
deck deck | dek |
noun — the stage floor
delivery de-liv-er-y | dɪˈlɪvəri |
noun — the manner in which an actor chooses to present their lines.
department de-part-ment | dɪˈpɑːtmənt |
noun — one of the principal divisions of the stage staff, headed by a company official--such as wardrobe, scenery, lighting. Thus, department head.
development de-vel-op-ment | dɪˈveləpmənt |
noun; verb — in dramatic construction, the events after the exposition that complicates the plot; a logical series in cause and effect; In characterization, a change and expansion in character traits within a dramatic piece; the process of crafting a new work over a period of time.
dialogue di-a-log | ˈdaɪəlɒɡ |
noun — lines in a stage entertainment or dramatic work, usually those in which at least two persons take part
diffuse dif-fuse | dɪˈfjuːz |
verb — to spread light softly, often by use of a diffusing medium.
dim dim | dɪm |
verb — to decrease the illumination on stage or in the auditorium.
downstage down·​stage | ˈdaʊnˌstedʒ |
adverb — the area toward or at the front of a theatrical stage
drama dra-ma | ˈdrɑːmə |
noun — a representation on a stage by actors before an audience; a piece of writing, particularly one of marked emotional intensity
dramatist dra-ma-tist | ˈdræmətɪst |
noun — a playwright, composer or lyrisist who takes an existing story and transforms it into a play or musical.
dramaturg dra-ma-turg | ˈdrɑːmə turg|
noun — a literary editor on the staff of a theater who consults with authors and edits texts
dress circle dress cir-cle | ˈdres ˈsɜːkl̩ |
noun — In UK theatre parlance, the first or lowest curved tier of seats above the main floor in a theater or opera house. Also known as the mezzanine.
dress rehearsal dress re-hear-sal | ˈdres rəˈhɝːsl̩ |
noun — the rehearsal, typically held the week performances are to begin, during which all costumes and props are used
dresser dres-ser | ˈdresə |
noun — a person who helps actors with costume care and costume changes during the performance
dressing room dres-sing room | ˈdresɪŋ ruːm |
noun — a room backstage where actors can dress and put on makeup
drop drop | drɒp |
noun — a piece of scenic canvas, painted or plain, that is flown or fixed to hang in a vertical position
echo e-cho | ˈekəʊ |
noun; verb — a repeated sound received late enough to be heard as distinct from the source.
educational theatre ed-u-ca-tion-al th-ea-tre | ˌedʒʊˈkeɪʃn̩əl ˈθɪətə |
noun — an amateur theatre maintained by an K-12 educational institution for the entertainment and cultural profit of the student body, and for the training of students in dramatics. 'Academic theatre' is used for college-level theatre.
emcee em-cee | emˈsiː |
noun — Abbreviated term for Master of Ceremonies (M.C.).
encore en-core | ˈɒŋkɔː |
noun; verb — a call by an audience for the reappearance of performers in order to repeat a portion of a musical or dance number; an additional performance following the conclusion of a show
engagement en-gage-ment | ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt |
noun — an actor's period of employment in a part; in arrangement for a company to play in a theatre for a specified period of time
ensemble en-sem-ble | ɒnˈsɒmbl̩ |
noun — a cast of characters, except for the principals; the grouping of the whole stage picture, involving actors and set; the chorus in a musical, sometimes including soloists; said of acting or a cast in which group interaction and support is more important than individual performances.
enter en-ter | ˈentə |
verb — to come onstage; a playwright's instruction in stage directions.
entrance en-trance | ɪnˈtrɑːns |
noun; verb — a door or other access to the stage, for actors; the act of walking onto the stage in view of the audience
Equity e-qui-ty | ˈekwɪti |
noun — Actor's Equity Association, founded in 1913, is the labor union representing actors and stage managers in the legitimate theatre in the United States
exit ex-it | ˈeɡzət |
verb; noun — a person, or persons, leaving the stage; the point in the script where a person, or persons, leave the stage area
exposition ex-po-si-tion | ˌekspəˈzɪʃn̩ |
noun — an explanation, normally in the dialogue, of events preceding the beginning of a dramatic piece or taking place offstage, and which the audience needs to know
fade fade | feɪd |
verb — An increase, diminishment or change in levels of lighting or sound.
farce farce | fɑːs |
noun — a broadly comic dramatic work based on ludicrously improbable events, unsubtle in idea or characterization, typically fast and funny, with a great deal of action.
fee fee | fiː |
noun — a royalty fee is charged per performance, with the amount depending on whether the producing company is professional or amateur.
fight director fight-di-rec-tor | faɪt dɪˈrektə |
noun — a person responsible for planning, choreographing and overseeing staged combat in a film, play or other performance. Also known as a fight choreographer.
finale fi-na-le | fəˈnæli |
noun — the final scene of a production
follow spot fo-llow spot | ˈfɒloʊ ˈspɑːt |
noun — a luminaire used to follow actors as they move around the stage
footlights foot-lights | ˈfʊˌtlaɪts |
noun — a row of lights set at floor level at the front of a stage, used to provide a part of the general illumination and to soften the heavy shadows produced by overhead lighting.
foreshadow fore-sha-dow | fɔːˈʃædəʊ |
verb — to hint, in dialogue or by other means, that some later dramatic action will occur
fourth wall fourth-wall | ˈfɔːrθ ˈwɒl |
noun — an imaginary wall between the cast and audience which completes the area in which a piece is set
front of house front-of-house | frʌnt əv ˈhaʊs |
noun — Every part of the theatre in front of the proscenium arch. Includes foyer areas open to the general public
gesture ges-ture | ˈdʒestʃə |
noun; verb — in acting, a movement of the arm or hand as a means of dramatic expression.
ghostlight ghost-light | ghostlight |
noun — a light left burning overnight on stage for the safety of those navigating a dark theatre; also to keep friendly spirits illuminated and unfriendly spirits at bay; also believed to keep the theatrical muse in a "dark" theatre
grand finale grand fi-na-le | ˈgrænd fɪˈnɑːli |
noun — a finale on a grand spectacular scale, in which the principals and ensemble participate
greasepaint grease-paint | ˈɡriːspeɪnt |
noun — grease-based makeup applied to the face and body.
grid grid | ɡrɪd |
noun — the support structure close to the top of the fly tower on which the pulleys of the flying system are supported. Constructed from metal or wooden beams; arrangement of scaffolding from which lamps are hung in a performance space with no flying facilities.
half half | hɑːf |
noun — Call given to the actors half an hour before they will be called to the stage for the beginning of a performance.
histrionic his-tri-o-nic | ˌhɪstrɪˈɒnɪk |
adjective; noun — of or pertaining to acting or actors, used more frequently to mean over-emotional acting
house house | ˈhaʊs |
noun — a term used to reference the auditorium, as well as its capacity for a given performance
house left house-left | haʊz ˈleft |
noun — the left part of an auditorium from the viewpoint of one who faces the stage
house lights house-lights | haʊz laɪts |
noun — the auditorium lighting which is commonly faded out when the performance starts
house manager house ma-na-ger | haʊz ˈmænədʒər |
noun — an individual that oversees front-of-house operations at a theatre; persons responsible for the day-to-day operations of the venue, from prepping the house to overseeing the front-of-house staff
house right house-right | haʊz ˈraɪt |
noun — the right part of an auditorium from the viewpoint of one who faces the stage
hydraulic hy-drau-lic | haɪˈdrɔːlɪk |
noun; adjective — system of controlling machinery or moving scenery using oil or water under pressure to move a piston or "ram". Used in many large-scale shows to automate scene changes.
IATSE / I.A.T.S.E.
noun — International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees; Stage employees union.
impresario im-pre-sar-i-o | ˌɪmprɪˈsɑːrɪəʊ |
noun — a producer, especially of musical entertainments
improvisation im-prov-i-sa-tion | ˌɪmprəvaɪˈzeɪʃn̩ |
noun — a performance crafted entirely in the moment, typically involving scenes whose elements are informed by suggestions from the audience
improvise im-pro-vise | ˈɪmprəvaɪz |
verb — to improvise is to invent lines or business not in a script; to ad-lib
inflection in-flec-tion | ɪnˈflekʃn̩ |
noun — the variation in the pitch of an actor's voice as he reveals emotion
ingenue in-gen-ue | ˌɪnˈdʒenjuː |
noun — the role of a sweet, naïve young woman; also an actress who plays young women's roles
intermission in-ter-mis-sion | ˌɪntəˈmɪʃn̩ |
noun — an break between parts of a play, movie, or concert. Known in the UK as the 'interval'.
interpolation in-ter-po-la-tion | ɪnˌtɜːpəˈleɪʃn̩ |
noun — Dialogue, song, or stage business inserted into a script by a performer or director. Interpolation is illegal in copyrighted works without the permission of the author(s) or their representative (agent)
jackknife jack-knife | dʒæknaɪf |
noun — a stage used for rapid scene-shifting, consisting of a platform or two on casters, pivoted at one corner to swing off- and onstage
Jacobean Drama Ja-co-be-an Dra-ma | ˌdʒækəˈbɪən ˈdrɑːmə |
noun — The English drama of the reign of James I (1603-1625), sometimes extended to 1642.
juvenile ju-ven-ile | ˈdʒuːvənaɪl |
noun — the role of a young man; also an actor who plays such a role. The female equivalent is "ingénue"
key light key light | kiː laɪt |
noun — The dominant light source/direction in a lighting state.
kill kill | kɪl |
verb — to switch off (a light/sound effect); to strike/remove (a prop).
lead lead | liːd |
noun — a principal role; also an actor who plays a principal role
leg leg | leɡ |
noun — drapes set as masking pieces at the side of the acting area. Usually set up in pairs across the stage and used in conjunction with borders to frame the audiences' view
libretto li-bret-to lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tō
noun — The text of a work for the musical theater
license li-scense | ˈlaɪsns |
noun — permission granted to produce a play or musical secured by paying a royalty to the author and/or licenser; terms of a license govern how the copyrighted work must be presented
lighting designer light-ing de-sign-er | ˌlaɪtɪŋ dɪˈzaɪnə |
noun — member of the production team responsible for the overall look of the lighting.
line line | laɪn |
noun — a rope or wire used to hang scenery, etc.; a portion of dialogue, usually a sentence, but also a single row in the script
lines lines | laɪnz |
noun — scripted dialogue assigned to specific characters.
load in load-in | ˈləʊd ɪn |
noun/verb — The process of moving set, props and other hardware into a theatre.
load out load-out | ˈləʊd ˈaʊt |
noun; verb — the process of disassembling and removing equipment, scenery, and costumes out of a theatrical space.
load-in load-in | ˈləʊd ɪn |
verb; noun — the process of, or time-period for, moving sets, props, etc, into a theatre before a production
lyricist lyr-i-cist | ˈlɪrɪsɪst |
noun — member of a creative team responsible for supplying the words to songs.
mainstage main-stage | mainstage |
noun — the principal performance space for a theatre company or performance venue
manuscript man-u-script | ˈmænjʊskrɪpt |
noun — The printed or unprinted text of a dramatic composition. The word "script" is a shortened form of this word, but now refers to the printed text.
marquee mar-quee | mɑːˈkiː |
noun — a canopy or roof that projects over a theatre entrance towards the street, usually bearing a sign that advertises the names of the theatre, current production, actors, etc.
masking mask-ing | ˈmɑːskɪŋ |
noun — neutral material or designed scenery which defines the performance area and conceals the technical areas
Master of Ceremonies Ma-ster of Ce-re-mo-nies | mɑ:stər əv ˈserɪmənɪz |
noun — host; an individual tasked with announcing the various parts of a program
matinee ma-ti-nee | ˈmætəˌne |
noun — a musical or dramatic performance or social or public event held in the daytime and especially the afternoon
milliner mill-i-ner | ˈmɪlɪnə |
noun — artist who designs and constructs hats or headpieces.
monitor mon-i-tor | ˈmɒnɪtə |
noun — an onstage speaker which allows a performer to hear the output of the PA system, or other members of a band; a video display screen
naturalism na-tu-ral-ism | ˈnætʃrəlɪzəm |
noun — realism; attempting to depict life and society as it is. Usually used to describe a play in its entirety, but also the individual work of a director or actor.
noises off noi-ses off | ˈnɔɪzɪz ɒf |
noun — offstage sound effects, such as thunder, breaking glass, a crash, voices, etc.
nonprofessional non-pro-fes-sion-al | ˌnɑːnprəˈfeʃənəl |
noun — Said of a theatre or production, as opposed to professional, also known as "amateur" performance.
number num-ber | ˈnʌmbə |
noun — a song or dance in a musical production, so called because each musical selection is numbered for the convenience of the orchestra
off book off-book | ɒf bʊk |
noun; verb — an actor or cast who has memorized their lines; to memorize ones lines to the end of no longer requiring the use of a script to perform
Off-Broadway Off Broad-way | ɒf ˈbrɔːdweɪ |
noun — any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer than 100.
offstage off-stage | ɒf steɪdʒ |
noun — towards the nearest side of the stage from the center; the area out of sight of the audience
open o-pen | ˈəʊpən |
verb — to begin the scheduled performance run of a theatrical event.
operetta op-er-et-ta | ˌɒpəˈretə |
noun — A light dramatic entertainment with much singing and little speaking.
orchestra pit or-ches-tra pit | ˈɔːkɪstrə pɪt |
noun — a sunken area where instrumentalists sit to play for onstage performers.
pace pace | peɪs |
noun; verb — the speed at which a dramatic performance, or any part of it, is played
pantomime pan-to-mime | ˈpæntəmaɪm |
noun; verb — wordless performance based in expressive movement of the body; a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to classical theatre.
performing edition per-form-ing e-di-tion | pəˈfɔːmɪŋ ɪˈdɪʃn̩ |
noun — a published text of a dramatic work, with alterations from the standard text to match the actualities of stage production, often including staging information
pitch pitch | pɪtʃ |
noun; verb — the height to which a voice is raised in tone; to raise or lower the voice, not in volume, but according to the musical scale
places pla-ces | ˈpleɪsɪz |
noun — a call to the actors to take their positions on, or just off the stage, as needed for the opening curtain
play play | ˈpleɪ |
noun — a piece of non-musical theatrical storytelling.
playwright play-wright | ˈpleɪraɪt |
noun — a person who writes plays
producer pro-du-cer | prəˈdjuːsə |
noun — the person who arranges for the production of a play or musical, especially the financing and management
prop prop | prɒp |
noun — Also known as "properties". All items used in a performance which cannot be classified as scenery, technical equipment or wardrobe. Props handled by actors are known as hand props, props which are kept in an actors costume are known as personal props.
prop prop | prɒp |
noun — a portable object other than furniture or costumes used in a theatrical production.
radio play ra-di-o play | ˌreɪdɪəʊ ˈpleɪ |
noun — A play that has been written specifically for an audio-only environment, usually to be broadcast on the radio.
rake rake | reɪk |
adjective; noun — the slope of a stage or an auditorium; a raked stage is one that typically slopes upward from downstage to upstage
read for a part read-for-a-part | riːd fər ə pɑːt |
verb — in auditions, to read one's lines aloud to a stage director or casting agent.
reading read-ing | ˈriːdɪŋ |
noun; verb — A presentation of a new play for or by the author, using scripts, again with no movement or stage business.
rehearse re-hearse | rɪˈhɜːs |
verb — to prepare a play for production; in particular, the work with actors to blend lines, characterization, movement and stage business into a coherent whole
repertory rep-er-tory | ˈrepətr̩i |
noun — a performing arts organization, usually with a permanent company of actors, where each production has a run of limited length; multiple plays performed on a rotating schedule
revolve re-volve | rɪˈzɒlv |
noun — a turntable built into the stage floor on which action takes place and scenery can be set and then driven into view.
rigging rig-ing | ˈrɪɡɪŋ |
noun — the ropes, wires, blocks, pulleys, pins, counterweights, and other pieces of equipment needed in the manipulation of scenery and stage drapery
rights rights | raɪts |
noun — the author, via the representative or publisher, confers on a theater company the right to produce a staged production as set forth in the contract signed by the producing company.
road show road-show | rəʊd ʃəʊ |
noun — a touring production
scene scene | siːn |
noun — section of a play or musical depicting a different location or different day or time; the location in which a dramatic action is supposed to occur
scenery sce-ner-y | ˈsiːnəri |
noun — the elements of a stage setting, especially those made of wood and canvas, or any other material used to construct platforms, flats, walls, doors and backdrops
score score ˈskȯr
noun — A musical composition for a theatrical production
scrim scrim | skrɪm |
noun — a coarse gauze-like material used as a drop.
sitzprobe sitz-probe | sitzprobe |
noun — In opera and musical theatre, a sitzprobe (from the German for seated rehearsal) is a rehearsal where the singers sing with the orchestra, focusing attention on integrating the two groups; the first rehearsal where the orchestra and singers rehearse together
sound designer sound de-sign-er | ˈsaʊnd dɪˈzaɪnə |
noun — An artist responsible for all of the sound-related needs of a given production, providing the design for all pre-recorded music, sound effects, and the reinforcement of live voices, musical instruments and sound elements.
stage left stage-left | steɪdʒ ˈleft |
noun — the left part of a stage from the viewpoint of one who faces the audience
stage right stage-right | steɪdʒ ˈraɪt |
noun — the right part of a stage from the viewpoint of one who faces the audience
stagecraft stage-craft | ˈsteɪdʒkrɑːft |
noun — the art of producing or participating in the production of a dramatic piece, especially in the technical area
swing swing | swɪŋ |
noun — an off-stage performer responsible for covering any number of ensemble tracks
teaser tea-ser | ˈtiːzə |
noun — a border, usually black, set behind the proscenium and linked with tormentors to form an inner frame to the stage, and to mask the upper parts of the fly tower
technical rehearsal tech-ni-cal re-hear-sal | ˈteknɪkl̩ rɪˈhɜːsl̩ |
noun — the first time the show is rehearsed in the venue, with lighting, scenery and sound
theater thea-ter | ˈθiːətər |
noun — a building or area for dramatic performances; a place or sphere of enactment of usually significant events or action
theatre thea-tre | ˈθiːətər |
noun — dramatic representation as an art or profession
thespian thes-pi-an | ˈθespɪən |
noun — pertaining to acting, or an actor. Derived from the name of Thespis, a Greek tragic poet of the sixth century BC, who is said to have first introduced an actor into dramatic presentations, which until then had been performed only by a chorus with a leader.
thunder sheet thun-der sheet | ˈθʌndə ʃiːt |
noun — large suspended steel sheet with handles which produces a thunder-like rumble when shaken or beaten.
tormentor tor-men-tor | tɔːˈmentə |
noun — narrow masking flats adjacent and sometimes at right angles to the proscenium arch
transverse transverse | ˈtrænzvɜːs |
adj — form of staging where the audience is on either side of the acting area.
trap trap | træp |
noun — an opening through the stage floor.
traveler tra-vel-er | ˈtrævələ |
noun — a draw curtain that opens and closes from one side only.
understudy un-der-stu-dy | ˈʌndəstʌdi |
noun — a performer cast in the ensemble of a musical (or minor role in a play) who is responsible for covering a lead and/or supporting role(s)
upstage up-stage | ˌʌpˈsteɪdʒ |
verb — an actor's seizure of the attention of the audience when they have no right to it.
upstage up-stage ˈəp-ˈstāj
adverb — the area toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage
usher ush-er | ˈʌʃər |
noun — one who escorts persons to their seats in a theatrical setting
vertical sight lines ver-ti-cal-sight-lines | ˈvɜːtɪkl̩ saɪt laɪnz |
noun — imaginary lines drawn to determine what portions of the performing area will be visible to all of the audience.
visual cue vi-su-al cue | ˈvɪʒuəl kjuː |
noun — a cue taken by a technician from the action on stage rather than being cued by the stage manager
vomitorium vom-i-to-ri-um
noun — a passageway, originally for spectators, used to clear the seating area in quick fashion; also used to describe a ramped passage that allows actors to run onstage from below (and run back).
wardrobe war-drobe | ˈwɔːdrəʊb |
noun — the general name for the costume department, its staff and the space they occupy.
wardrobe war-drobe | ˈwɔːdrəʊb |
noun — the general name for the costume department, its staff and the accommodation they occupy
wardrobe plot war-drobe-plot | ˈwɔːdrəʊb plɒt |
noun — Actor-by-actor, scene-by-scene inventory of all the costumes in a production, with a detailed breakdown into every separate item in each costume.
wash wash | wɒʃ |
noun; verb — Creating or pertaining to an overall illumination over a large area of the stage
wing wing | wɪŋ |
noun — the out of view areas to the sides of the acting area; scenery standing where the acting area joins these technical areas.
wings wings | wɪŋz |
noun — the out of view areas to the sides of the acting area.
work lights work-lights | ˈwɜ:k laɪts |
noun — high wattage lights used in a venue when the stage/auditorium lighting is not on. Used for rehearsals, fit-up, strike, and resetting; low wattage blue lights used to illuminate offstage obstacles.

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