For you, fellow thespians, discover a French-English dictionary of musical comedy and theater to become a pro and extend your love and culture of the stage.
This dictionary is only a short selection of the book by Francis Reid entitled The ABC of Theater Jargon and published by Entertainment Technology Press, which I recommend to those most at ease in English among you to discover.
A
Actor-Musician ou Actor Muso : Actor musician. Actor who plays an instrument and who can possibly play it on stage.
Ad lib : improvised dialogue, particularly associated with comedy, also used to conceal a problem or error on stage.
Al fresco : outdoor performance.
Argument : The plot of a play.
Aria : long accompanied song for solo voice. We mainly find arias in operas and oratorios.
artistic director : Artistic director. Person responsible for the artistic program and performance standards of a theater or company.
Aside : Aside. Replica spoken aloud for the benefit of spectators rather than for the other characters in the play.
Internship Manager Assistant : Assistant stage manager / Assistant to the Production Stage Manager. His responsibilities range from taking notes on the staging and sound and light cues to updating the script and reminding the actors of their break, shopping. For each show, he follows the path of one of the actors of the troupe to check his notes. She's the first person to talk to about the slightest problem: it's a full-time job.
Audience : Public. Persons for whom representation is given.
B
Backstage : Backstage. Part of the stage and theater which is invisible to the spectator.
Band : The group of musicians who contribute to a stage performance. They are traditionally located in the mock orchestra.
band call : Rehearsal for the musicians alone or an entirely musical rehearsal for the actors and the orchestra.
Bard, The : nickname given to William Shakespeare.
Bare Internship : Scenographic design that uses minimal furniture, no decor and exposed stage walls.
Barring Clause : clause of a contract which prevents a company or a show from appearing on the stages of another theater throughout the contract.
Beat : Measure of the shortest possible variation in the timing of a cue or movement. The duration varies depending on the pace of the performance, but is usually a short breath.
Beginner's call : Call made by the stage manager 5 minutes before the start of the performance. This call allows the comedians who start the show to be ready behind the scenes.
Belt : singing technique which consists of placing the singing voice in a mixture between a chest voice and a nasal placement so that it sounds like a "shout", a cry and the sound is powerful and impressive! It is a very popular genre in contemporary musicals (Wicked is the perfect example or Frozen).
Bill : Poster which gives all the information on a production and its casting.
Blackout : complete absence of light on stage. This allows the scene to be plunged into darkness for a dramatic effect or to facilitate changes of scenery without being seen by the public.
Blocking : setting up of all the movements performed by the actors on stage which are transcribed in the script of the managers and directors. It also allows any understudy to be able to learn a role thanks to the notes of the managers.
Book : The libretto of a musical. Reserve a ticket.
bows ou Curtain Call : greetings from the artists at the end of a performance
Box office : Ticketing. Where you buy and collect your theater tickets.
Break a Leg! : superstitious tradition which wants to wish a disaster will bring success whereas to wish good luck will bring a catastrophe.
Broadway : New York Boulevard which crosses streets 39th to 57th diagonally. This district includes
Broadway Theater : theater on Broadway. To be part of Broadway, a theater must have a minimum of 500 seats and schedule more plays and musicals than concerts or other shows. There are currently 41.
C
Cabaret: Often sung performance given to an audience while they are dining and drinking. Also the name of the hall where these performances are given.
It is also a musical by John Kander & Fred Ebb performed in 1966 and adapted into a film and choreographed in 1972 by Bob Fosse.
Call back: when an actor is invited to another round of an audition.
cast : Distribution of a show. Being chosen to star in a production.
Casting Call: An audition session that gives actors an opportunity to be considered for a certain role.
Cast Director : Casting Director. Person who suggests actors to the director and producer in order to make them audition.
Cellar : Area under the area where the sets or actors can appear and disappear
Character : Character, a role in a play.
choreographer : Choreographer, person who creates the dances of the show.
Chorus : group of singing and dancing actors who don't have a specific role but who help vocally and physically during numbers.
Click-Track : Recorded music, played along with live music to enhance the live sound. This soundtrack is "clicked" by the music director so that the cast and the music are in sync.
Close : Finish a show.
Collapse/Break Character : when an actor is overwhelmed by laughter that he is unable to stay in his character.
Comeback : when an actor returns to the stage after a long absence.
Comic Relief : comic scene in a dramatic play to release the pressure and, by contrast, increase the tension of subsequent dramatic events.
Commercial : A theater funded by investors who hope that the productions will be successful enough at the box office to not only pay off their capital investment, but also to generate profits large enough to offset the high risk involved.
Company : A team of actors, production and administrative staff. Stephen Sondheim musical currently playing in London (which you can find the review here!)
Company Manager : Person who makes the link between the producer, the actors and the theater team.
concept album : A collection of songs written around a central theme or idea. Usually, each track expresses an aspect or part of the main concept, with each track fitting together to form a cohesive idea. This is for example the case of Jesus Christ Superstar et Hadestown baseball cap which were designed as an aluminum concept before being staged.
Conductor : Conductor. Person responsible for the music of a performance. It is often the musical director of the production.
co-star : two or more actors who share equally the headliner.
Spectacular turn of events : A textual or scenic device, generally unexpected and often spectacular, on which the intrigue develops or is resolved.
Cover : Actor who covers when another actor is absent. There are two types of covers: Understudy and Standby.
Credits : when an actor appears in a show, he can add his role to his CV, this allows to show experience and professional background.
Crew : the team of stage managers responsible for all stage operations.
Cue : Replica, landmark. In the theater, it is a spoken word of a character and it is also a signal to launch the lights and the sound.
Curtain Call : greetings made by the artists at the end of a performance.
Curtain Line : the last words spoken before the curtain falls.
Cuts : dialogue or music removed from a script to shorten the show or to add a dramatic effect.
D
Dancing Captain : senior member of a group of choir dancers. The dance captain knows all the dance roles of a show and he corrects the dancers if there is a mistake. He is responsible for the liaison between the actors and the artistic team.
Dead pan : When an actor delivers a line without any facial expression. This technique is often used in comedy to create a gap between what is said and the emotion of the character and thus make the audience laugh.
Debut : First stage appearance of an actor. Either the first in a career or the first in a particular role.
Deck : the stage, the floor of the stage. Sometimes confined to a special floor laid as part of the scenography of a particular production
Delivery : way in which the actor says his text.
Deputy Internship Manager : Assistant stage manager. He is responsible for all responses and references with the light and sound technicians and for the relationship between the stage and the backstage. He checks that all the accessories are in the right place behind the scenes and warns the actors of their entries on the set.
Designer : Scenographer. Person responsible for the design of the visual environment of a production and the supervision of its execution. Separate designers can be used for decor, costume and lighting.
Deus Ex Machina : The introduction of a god to solve a dramatic plot. The arrival of such a god usually involved the use of complex machinery, frequently describing a descent from heaven. Often used to include an artificial solution to a complicated plot.
devised : Production that has been developed in rehearsals through trials and experiments rather than by the interpretation of a prepared text.
Director : Director. Person responsible for the interpretation of the script through the artistic direction of the actors and the production team.
Double : a) An actor playing two characters in the same show.
b) An actor replaced by another without the public noticing it to create a scheme.
c) A set that is used more than once “double” between two scenes.
Double Cast : a production for which two actors have repeated the same role and play alternately.
downstage : Front stage. The part of the scene closest to the audience.
Dramatic Irony : when the public knows more about a situation than a character. There is a contrast between what the character expects to see and what audiences know is going to unfold.
dramatis personae : List of characters. It may be annotated with concise descriptions of each character and their relationships.
Dramatist ou playwright : Playwright. Author of plays.
Dresser : Dresser. Person in charge of costume maintenance and helping actors change their costumes.
Dressing room : lodges. Behind the scenes, this is where the actors prepare themselves before entering the stage.
Rehearsal dress : General. Rehearsal with costumes, accessories, sets and lights.
Dressing room : Sell tickets in such a way that the hall looks fuller than it really is.
Dry : Forget the words of the script.
E
Still : Bis. Rehearse an excerpt from a piece of music in response to audience applause.
Together : Backing vocals. The set of roles which are not considered to be primary but which are crucial for action. Roles which are not necessarily named but which are important vocally and choreographically.
Intermission : Musical opening of the second act, particularly in musical comedy.
Entrance : When an actor enters the scene and appears in front of the audience.
Entrance Cue : A dialogue, a situation or a sound which signals to an actor that he is going on stage.
Equity : Name of the actors' union in the United Kingdom and the United States. In England, the union also brings together directors and managers. Equity fights for the rights of the actors (to be paid at a minimum union, to be covered in the event of an accident,…). Equity plays the role of insurance and allows you to reserve your stage name.
Exeunted : Exit from the stage of at least two actors, particularly choirs or a crowd.
Exit : Exit from stage of an actor.
Experimental : To deviate from the usual techniques of writing, acting and production to develop theatrical art.
Expressionism : A production style where the acting, costumes, sets and lighting are exaggerated and formalized, even distorted, to emphasize the inner meaning of a play.
Extras : Extras; In the theater, as in the cinema, the 'extras' are the actors who do not have spoken roles.
F
Farewell : Last performance or tour of an artist.
Final : The last scene or danced / sung number of a performance, especially a musical.
Flop : production that does not attract any significant audience.
Follies : Revue (cabaret show without history) which includes particularly sumptuous costumes and decorations.
Follow Spot : Continuation. Mobile projector that follows the movements of an actor on stage.
Footlights : Ramp. Row of lights following the front of the stage, at the level of the actors' feet. Formerly used to light up the actor's face.
Fourth Wall : The Fourth Wall. The invisible wall through which the pubic sees the room.
Freeze : Suspension of all movement by the actors, occasionally for a dramatic effect, but more generally to prolong the laughter of the audience.
Fringe Theater : Small theater on the sidelines. Experimental theater in its style or in the subject it addresses. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival which annually hosts more than 3000 performances over 25 days (the Scottish equivalent of the Avignon Festival).
Front of House (F.O.H.): All the part where the public is installed. It is also the name of the job of the openers in England.
Front row : First row, row closest to the stage.
Full Stage : A tray that uses all its available depth.
G
General : General. Final rehearsal with all costumes, sets and lights.
Get in : setting up the set for a production in a theater. It is also the name of the doors through which the decro enters and leaves the theater.
Get Out : Take down the set for a production in a theater.
Gig : a) A commitment to take part in a performance.
b) Familiar name of a concert.
Gods : Chicken coop. The highest gallery in a theater, closest to the ceiling.
Going Up : warning pronounced by the stage manager just before signaling the raising of the curtain to start the show.
GoingRound : Visit the actors in their dressing rooms just after a performance.
Good house : Audience which occupies most of the places and which reacts well to the show.
Great white way : nickname given to the district around Broadway which hosts the various Broadway theaters.
Green Room : Room adjacent to the stage where the actors meet before a show to relax.
Gross : Total amount taken at the theater box office (usually calculated per week). To give you an idea, the room Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, currently on Broadway has total sum this week $ 2,109,192.
H
Half hour call or The Half : call from the stage manager to the actors 35 minutes before the start of a performance.
happening : Performance based on improvisation and involving various media. Performance that tends to be physical rather than textual.
Hit : Success. A very successful script, production or performance.
Hot Ticket : A very fashionable show, for which tickets are in high demand.
House : The auditorium and the audience. (see Good House)
House Full : Sign placed outside a theater to inform (and brag about) that all tickets have been sold. As can be seen here with Company, currently at the Gielgud Theater in London.
Can't believe we are coming to the end of our 8th week…! thank you to our incredible audiences, 'what would we do without you ?!' #companywestend pic.twitter.com/uJ9zJ87qXW
- COMPANY 🎈 (@CompanyWestEnd) November 17, 2018
I
Immersive Theater : A production for which the audience can be allowed to move around and explore the performance space, allowing them to decide what to see and what to ignore. Audience members can be grouped together to view key scenes. They may be asked to play a role in the performance. The lines between artist and audience and between performance and life are blurred. The audience is placed in the environment of the story and therefore plays the witness of events without the distancing factor of a proscenium.
Incidental Music : Background music. Music selected or specially composed to integrate into the action of a play.
In town : in London. Expression used to announce that a show is coming to London.
Ingenue : a) Role of a young woman to which we associate adjectives such as innocent, gentle, naive and attractive.
b) Name given to actresses specialized in the interpretation of these roles.
In The Round : Round Theater. Stage format where spectators surround the playing area.
Intermission or Interval : Intermission. Break between two acts which allows the public to refresh themselves (and at the bar to make money!).
J
Musical jukebox : a musical that uses existing songs to serve its plot.
These musicals often use the repertoire of well-known groups such as ABBA, which resulted in Mamma Mia! or Queen, who gave We will Rock You.
Jump : Forgetting or intentionally eliminating sections of the dialog.
Juvenile : Young and beautiful / handsome actor.ice, generally in their twenties and who plays a romantic role of the same age.
K
Kabuki : traditional form of popular Japanese theater combining theater, music and mime. The emphasis is on the show and all roles are played by men.
Kill : a) Remove an accessory or an element from the decor.
b) Turn off a light.
Kill a laugh : Poor timing or distractions preventing the audience from appreciating all the humor of a line or situation.
Kill a line : Decrease the impact of a dialogue due to bad timing or distraction.
Knockabout : Farce, comedy where the laughs are based on a physical interaction generally involving a misfortune.
L
laugh line : Replica of a script that produces laughter from the audience.
Last Night : the last show of a production.
Lead : The main role of a play.
Legit : a) Legitimate. Dramatic theater and its actors, to the exclusion of any other type of performance and performer, in particular singers and dancers. (very discriminating!).
b) A genre of musical that is influenced by the vocal technique of classical music.
Lay Show : Dance performance that highlights feminine glamor with the help of short costumes that reveal the legs of the dancers.
Libretto : libretto for an opera or a musical.
Lines : a) The words of a dialogue in a play.
b) The wires or cords on which the decoration and the lights are suspended.
Long Run : Psuccessful production which will remain in a theater as long as it attracts an audience every night. This often involves one or more distribution changes. This is for example the case with The Mousetrap in London, which has been played since 1952 and The bald singer et Lesson at the Théâtre de la Huchette, played for 61 years!
lyrics : Lyrics to a musical comedy song or an aria at the opera.
Lyric theater : musical theater, particularly opera and ballet.
M
Machines : stage equipment, especially that used in the XNUMXth century and before to produce spectacular visual effects.
make-an-entrance : Enter the scene in a way that immediately becomes the center of attention.
Make it : Achieve and maintain a successful career.
Marquee : The facade of a theater, the glass roof above the sidewalk, on which the title of the show (and sometimes its actors) are illuminated.
Mark : When an actor says his lines and performs the movements without entering the character or planning a performance. A way for an actor to save creative energy during a long technical rehearsal.
M : a performance that takes place in the morning or more commonly in the afternoon.
Melodrama : a) Play with musical accompaniment to spoken dialogue.
b) Room where the contrast between virtue and wickedness is exaggerated in an implausible plot which always leads to the triumph of virtue.
Method Acting : A playing technique developed from the ideas of Stanislavski by Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio in New York. It consists of going beyond emotional identification but of basing your role on the inner motivation of the character he plays. This technique has been more successful on screen than on stage. Marlon Brando and Dustin Hoffman used this technique.
miked : An actor with a microphone. His voice is reinforced by a personal microphone. More often used for musicals than for plays.
Milk : Squeeze as much applause from the audience as possible, especially risking an additional salute as the applause subsides.
Minimalism : Reduction of the scene environment to the most important and essential elements. Ideally, a style of production rather than a response to insufficient financial and material resources.
Miracle play : Drama based on biblical events, particularly those associated with miracles and the lives of saints.
miscast : Actor who is assigned a role for which he does not have the talent and / or the physical appearance appropriate to give a satisfactory interpretation.
morality : Medieval allegorical piece where the characters represent vices and abstract virtues.
Moving the line : a) Change the price of seats in response to fluctuations in demand for tickets
b) Song from the musical television series Smash (to listen to here)
Musical : Musical comedy. A form of theater where the action is carried through songs and dances.
musical director: Music director. Member of the production team responsible for the music (vocal and instrumental) and to maintain a good level of performance. He is often the conductor of the initial performances.
Music theater : With the increasing interaction between theatrical forms, traditional labels (opera, operetta, musical) are less and less relevant. The term “musical theater” encompasses all forms and staging in which song, dance and music (performed traditionally or digitally generated) make a more significant contribution than speaking.
N
Name : Actor well-known enough to be considered an asset in promoting ticket sales.
Nativity : A play that recounts the events around the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Naturalism : A style of production that seeks to minimize the exaggerations of human behavior that are necessary to project the details of a character to the audience in the artificial environment of a theater.
Noh Theater : Traditional classical Japanese drama theater with a very formalized production style where masked actors perform in a special type of theatrical building.
Noise Off : a) Background noise. Sounds emitted outside the stage, heard by the audience (whose source we cannot see).
b) Noise Off is also a 1982 play by English dramatist Michael Frayn.
Non-Commercial : A theatrical organization which is not formed to distribute profits to shareholders. However, this label tends to be applied to any production intended for a minority audience.
Not a Dry Eye In The House : when the play is so moving that the entire audience cries: The height of success for tragedy. Conversely, Not A Dry Seat In The House, means that everyone had a good laugh (or was sexually aroused) so that the seats are wet.
Notes : Comments of the director to the actors and the production team after a spinning or a representation.
Number : Number. A musical section, in particular a song.
O
off : when an actor misses his entrance on stage.
Off broadway : High school level in New York theaters where productions require a lower level of financial investment than Broadway. Manhattan theaters with a capacity of 100 to 499 people.
off off broadway: The rise in prices of Off Broadway theaters has resulted in the creation of even smaller theaters, in which plays can be tried out, without undue financial risk. Broadway theaters that have less than 100 seats.
Offstage : Offstage. Everything that happens outside of the stage whether it's part of the action or not. It is as much behind the scenes as a line spoken from behind the scenes.
Old pro : An experienced player you can count on to behave with impeccable professionalism.
Olivier Awards : Annual Awards of Excellence for West End productions and other non-commercial London theaters as well as for national theater companies.
It is the French equivalent of the Molière and the American equivalent of the Tony Awards.
This award was renamed Laurence Olivier Awards in tribute to the actor Laurence Olivier who dominated the British scene of the mid-XNUMXth century.
On : Visible to the public.
One-Act : Short room without intermission.
One Man Show : A full evening / show hosted by a single actor.
One Night Stand : A bit like a one-night stand, a One Night Stand is a show that only gives one performance in each theater.
Onstage : The play area visible to the public.
On the book : the member of the control room (often the stage manager) responsible for noting the movements of the actors in the general script during rehearsals, then for giving the actors their signals to enter the stage during performances.
On The Road : An actor or a show currently playing in a theater series across the country (term used more in the United States).
On Tour : On tour. An actor or a production which occurs in a series of theaters across the country (term rather used in the United Kingdom).
Open : a) A production which currently gives performances.
b) Tickets that are not sold.
Open Air Theater : Place of performance where the stage and the auditorium are totally or partially open to the outside, in the open air.
Open Call : An audition where any actor can appear without invitation. Most hearings announcements are sent directly to agents and it is difficult to access hearings without being represented. An open call allows any actor to show his talent in an audition panel.
Opening Night : The first performance of a show.
orchestra pit : Wrong orchestra. Space between the stage and the hall, in which the orchestra is located without hiding the stage.
Original Cast : The actors who gave the first interpretation of the roles, those who created them.
Over Parted: an actor whose experience and talent are insufficient to enable him to give a satisfactory performance of the role he is playing.
Over The Top : A performance exaggerated to the point of being barely credible, especially compared to the performance of other production players. However, this implies that the actor's performance was appreciated by the person who called him so.
Overture : Music played before the start of the show, to start the performance. Originally, openings were meant to be performed with the curtain down, but contemporary directors tend to design a silent staging to accompany the music.
P
Peace : Tempo at which the scene is played (not the speed).
pad : Adding text, music or an activity that extends the scene without improving its structure or purpose.
Pantomime: Use large movements and gestures to communicate a character and a plot.
It is a very popular genre in England especially around Christmas because it is intended for family entertainment. The plot is inspired by a tale, uses coarse gags (often topical) and songs to engage the audience.
Parody : Dialogue or game that extracts humor from a situation or person by using imitation to ridicule.
Part : A role in a play.
Passerelle : Small narrow bridge between the orchestra pit and the audience. Mainly used by showgirls to take walks and get closer to the public.
Pastiche : Show built from a patchwork of elements chosen from several dramatic texts or scores.
Patting : a) For songs, patter characterizes a fast tempo with a rapid succession of rhythmic patterns in which each syllable of text corresponds to a note. It is a basic element of comic opera, including Gilbert and Sullivan, but it has also been used in musicals.
b) the spoken parts of a variety show.
Peephole : A small opening, usually a hole in the stage curtain, through which it is possible to observe the audience from the stage.
Percentage : Division of box office revenue between a touring production and its host theater.
Perform : Conveying an idea or an emotion to an audience through speech, music and movement, with or without scenography.
Performance : An event intended to entertain and stimulate the minds and senses of the audience through the use of media such as acting, singing and dancing.
Performance Art : a presentation in which human performers are an integral part of a scenic visual environment that can include a wide range of media.
Period : Presentation of a play in the sets, costumes and behavior of a period prior to the current one.
Photocall : Session where production photographs are taken (for promotion / and reviews of the show). Nowadays, this session tends to be incorporated into a dress rehearsal.
Physical Theater : A performance style that emphasizes actions and bodily movements.
Pickup : Resume a paused repetition from an appropriate point to ensure continuity.
Piece : A theatrical event - a play, an opera, a ballet, a musical, etc. - intended to be played.
Play : Theater play.
playbill : a) Poster announcing a theatrical performance.
b) American print and online magazine that advertises all Broadway news.
c) For each New York production, Playbill prints a small program that includes the complete cast as well as production information.
Play doctor : a playwright-director called upon to advise, assist and possibly take charge of a production that is not well received by the public, generally during previews or during a tour before settling on Broadway or in the West End .
playgoer : an audience member who regularly attends shows and has a passion for the theater.
Play it straight : Play a script exactly as it was written, without trying to interpret words or extract hidden humor.
Play Reading : When the actors read the script, they might have had a rehearsal but didn't memorize it. They can sit still or make simple movements.
Play To Capacity : Play sold out.
playwright : A playwright, someone who writes plays.
plot : Plot. a) The events of a play rather than their meaning.
b) List of preparations and actions required during a performance
Point of command : The position on the stage where the actors feel they can get the attention of all, or almost all, of the audience. Usually located on the center line of the stage but it varies according to the architecture of each theater.
Poor Theater : Concept according to which the theater must be stripped of any illusory device (sets, costumes, make-up, lighting and sounds) other than those produced by the actors themselves.
The term was coined by Polish director Jerry Grotowski who believed that such devices formed a barrier between actor and audience.
Premiere : The first performance of a production.
Press : a) Dramatic art reviews.
b) Critical response of a production, for example a 'good press'.
Press Night : When journalists, critics and bloggers are invited to see and review the show. The performance is often followed by a chic evening or a gala where we find the celebrities of the theater on their 31.
Preview : Performance given before the premiere. The production is still being polished and is normally offset by a reduced price. This means that the press has yet to be invited to review the show.
Prima Donna : First singer at the opera, she often has the main role.
: Gather actors, a production team and scenic device to prepare and interpret a script and / or a score.
Production House : A theater that produces its own shows in-house.
Production : Process consisting in making a text, a musical score or a scenario, by bringing together all the elements necessary for the performance, in particular the actors, the creation team, the place and the funding.
Production Number : A musical sequence involving soloists and a large choir, often with a spectacular setting. Each issue has an internal structure that allows it to be understandable if taken out of context.
Program : a) Programming. Sequence of performances scheduled for a theater.
b) Booklet giving information on a performance, in particular on the actors and the technical and creative team.
Walk : Performance where the action moves around a space shared by the actors and the audience. The audience is free to move around, following the action at ground level or observing from above.
Prompt : remind actors of their lines when they forget.
Prompt Book : Original copy of the script or score, containing all the actor movements and technical lines, used by the theater management to control the performance.
props : Accessories and all items that cannot be classified as sets or costumes.
Pub Theater : Performance space located in a room above or next to a pub.
Put on (a show) : Produce a show.
Q
Quick Change : Quick change of costumes for an actor.
QuickStudy : The ability to memorize a script quickly.
R
Rake Stage : Inclined stage table. The ancient theaters used this method a lot to help perspective. Many modern scenographies play on the inclination of the stage during certain scenes.
Read : Audition for a specific role.
Read through : On the first day of rehearsals, the cast sits down and reads the entire script, each playing their part.
Realism : Movement which began in the XNUMXth century and which has developed a set of dramatic and theatrical conventions with the aim of making texts and performances as faithful to reality as possible.
Recall : Being invited to a second audition round for a role.
Receiving House : Performance hall which does not produce a show internally but which hosts existing productions, generally on tour. Therefore, a reception house requires simpler theater and administrative facilities than a Production house (production house).
Recitative : Especially in opera, “sung speech” in which the plot unfolds between songs (arias) and sung ensembles (duets, trios,…).
Regional : Theaters outside the capital.
Rehearsal / Rehearse : Rehearsal, prepare a show.
Rope ou Directory : A theater, generally with a permanent company of actors, where each production has a limited duration. At any given time, there is normally one production in performance, another in rehearsal, and several in varying degrees of preparation.
Residency : Residence. When a company is based in a theater for a season, not only to perform, but to get involved in the community by giving classes and workshops.
DESCRIPTION : CV A summary of an actor's professional training and experience. (term rather used in the United States).
Review : When a medium makes a critical evaluation of a production.
Revival : A new production of a piece that has not been produced for some time.
Revolve Stage : Turntable.
Revue : Show composed of a series of musical and humorous elements.
Rhubarb : the traditional word actors whisper in crowd scenes to mimic the sound of a conversation.
Rise : The start of a performance when the curtain is raised.
Round of Applause : A thunderous applause.
Routine : a) A dance sequence.
b) A variety show, especially if it involves visual comedy.
Royalty : Payment made to the artistic team (composer, choreographer, director and may also include the original cast of a popular show) in the same way as copyright to an author. Normally a percentage of box office receipts, although this may be a fixed amount for each performance.
Run : Sequence of performances of the same production.
Running Time : The duration of a show.
Run through : A rehearsal where the emphasis is on continuity. The actors try to keep going by ignoring the little issues that they or the director would normally stop for.
S
Safety Curtain : fire curtain designed to be able to resist fires and thus prevent a fire breaking out on the stage from spreading into the auditorium and the rest of the theater.
scalp : Person who resells tickets to a performance that is sold-out at an exorbitant price to make a profit.
scenographer : Scenographer. Designer of sets, costumes or lights for a production.
scenography : international term designating all the aspects of the design which make the visual environment an integral part of the production and not a mere decoration.
Score : The score for a performance, the written notation of the music.
Script : The text of a play.
Season : A series of performances played in a determined period of time, probably marketed together and possibly performed by the same troupe.
Follows : musical term designating that two musical numbers follow one another without pause.
sell Out : Performance or season for which all tickets were sold.
Set : Arrangement of the decor and the stage to represent where the action will take place. The set can remain the same throughout the performance or change over multiple repetitions.
Show : general name for a representation, in particular if it contains more than spoken dialogue.
Showbiz : a romantic vision of the theater industry. Vision which wants the industry to be only light and glamorous! “There's No Business Like Showbusiness” as interpreted by Ethel Merman in the film of the same name.
: Performance organized with the specific aim of giving actors the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and skills to an audience of people likely to employ them.
Showgirl : dancer who moves elegantly and poses in exotic costumes that are designed to expose the contours of the silhouette. Showgirls are a primarily scenographic element in light entertainment productions.
Show must go on : Tradition and saying that captures the determination of the theater world to give a performance, no matter the circumstances.
Show Report : Document, completed by the stage manager for each performance, in which he records the exact duration of the show, problems such as missed lines, audience response and the number of salutes.
Showstopper : Song or number from a production that generates so much applause that the performance is temporarily interrupted.
Sightline : extent of the visibility of the stage from a particular seat, especially the seats in the last and first rows, on the side and in the henhouse.
Sit on Their Hands : Audience which is not very generous with its applause.
Site Specific : Performance which was conceived to be interpreted in a precise environment rather than in a conventional theater.
seat fitting : opera rehearsal, with orchestra, where the actors sing but don't play.
Slapstick : a) pair of thin wooden slats, separated by the handle, traditionally used by clowns as a weapon that makes noise without causing harm.
b) This is also the name of buffoon comedy, which involves exaggerated physical activity that goes beyond the limits of normal physical comedy.
Soliloquy : solo speech, delivered as if thought out loud, in which a character shares his thoughts with the audience but not with the other characters in the play.
Spear carrier : Young Shakespearean actor who plays very small roles with an occasional replica and who generally helps in the transitions of decorations.
Spike : mark, with paint or colored tape, the position of the decor on the stage.
Split week : Week in which a touring company plays in several rooms.
Sponsorship : Sponsorship. Funding provided by businesses rather than government or local communities. It is a form of advertising for the sponsoring company which seeks to improve its image by its participation in the community.
Crew Stage : Stage team. Technicians in charge of decorating
Internship Directions : Didascalies. Suggestions from the playwright to deliver and complete the dialogues of a play.
Stage Door : Stage Door. Door located at the back of the theater from which the people involved in the performance enter and leave.
Stage Fright : Trac. Fear, worry about performing on stage and facing the audience.
stagehand : Technician who manipulates the decor.
Internship Manager : Manager. Person who controls the entire performance and who is responsible for pointing out the benchmarks that coordinate the work of the actors and technicians. Part of this responsibility is delegated to the Deputy Stage Manager and the Assistant Stage Manager.
Stage Name : Artist name. An actor may adopt an artist name early in their career to avoid confusion with an already established actor or if they feel their career could be enhanced by having a more memorable name.
Stage Wait : Interruption in the flow of the performance caused by an actor who dries up (forgets his words) by a scene change problem.
Whisper stage : an actor speaking as if he was whispering, but in such a way that the audience can hear him.
Stagger Through : A first attempt at continuity when scenes which have been repeated separately are executed in sequence.
Staging : Set the scene. The process of preparing and performing a dramatic work.
Stand Up Comic : comedian comedian who performs solo, addressing the public directly.
standby : Lining. Actor who knows the role of another (often one of the main roles) and who replaces him only if he is ill. The standby is only on stage if the main actor cannot ensure the representation. The standby must be near the theater every evening and must be ready to replace the actor within a very short time. The standby is paid every night even if it is not on stage. If the standby is absent, the task of playing the role falls to the understudy. An example: Alice Fearn was the standby for Elphaba in Wicked Last year; she is now the lead actress for the role!
Standing Ovation : when the audience rises from their seats during the applause to show their appreciation for the show.
Star : Well-known and charismatic actor capable of attracting an audience, we can expect that many will buy tickets regardless of the production.
Star trap : A small square hatch just large enough to allow an actor to be projected onto the stage thanks to a counterweight platform. The surface consists of small articulated triangular sections. These slats close immediately.
Sting : Sparkling musical chord to highlight a moment of magic.
Straight : Not musical. Weird notion that plays correspond to "conventional theater" because they contain only theater whereas musicals also include dance and music. This notion creates discrimination for musical comedy actors who are not taken seriously because they are not considered to be actors.
Studio : small flexible performance space often associated with experimental productions.
Subplot : a secondary storyline that intertwines with the main plot.
Subside : Subsidized theater. Theater which, to the same degree as museums, galleries and libraries, require financial support from national and local governments. Box office revenues are often insufficient to meet the operating costs of a theater.
Sub text : Subtext. Ideas and emotions induced by the play but which are not mentioned in the dialogue.
superstitions : Some examples of superstitions in the theater: no real flowers on stage, do not whistle in the boxes, never pronounce Macbeth in a theater, a bad general implies a good first, no mirror on stage and do not give flowers to an actor before the performance!
Swing : actor whose role is to know several roles ("tracks") of the choirs and who is ready to replace one of the tracks if one of the members is ill or if one of the understudies has to play another role that evening . For example, in Hamilton, the swings know more than 12 tracks and are informed the same evening of the role they will play. It often happens that a swing is not on stage at all during a performance. This allows the scene to have the same number of actors every night and the whole show to always be full.
T
Posters : An image formed by a group of motionless actors. In the past, tables were often used at the beginning and at the end of acts.
Tags : a dialogue phrase or an action that marks the climax of a scene or a sequence of the scene. When the tag is a joke, it is often the signal for a blackout.
Take directions : the willingness and ability of an actor to respond positively to the director's suggestions.
text : The words of a play.
Theatergoers : Public. People who go to the theater.
Thespian : Actor. Derived from "Thespis", the classical Greek poet who was the first to add a solo actor to the choir. He is considered to be the first actor to play a character.
Throw away : a line of dialogue that the actor delivers without intensity or meaning.
Thrust Stage : Theater where the audience surrounds the stage from three sides.
You you you : Theatrical superstition: what the actors say to each other to wish a good performance without ever saying "Good Luck" which brings misfortune!
Tony Awards : The most prestigious award that rewards productions from Broadway theaters. Named after actress and director Antoinette Perry.
Tour : Tour. Production represent in a series of theaters in different cities. Traditional tours generally spend one or more weeks in each theater.
Track : The path of an actor in the backing vocals during a performance, (this often includes different roles that he plays in different sections of the show). A swing, knows several tracks and is able to cover when an actor is absent.
Tragedy : A serious play which inevitably leads to disastrous consequences, generally fatal, for the central character. Drama based on human suffering which invokes catharsis in its audience.
Transfer : Move a production from a Regional, Off West End or Fringe Theater in the West End (or from one West End theater to another).
Trap : section of the stage floor floor that can be opened to access the area under the stage.
Traverse : A form of theatrical stage where the audience is on either side of the playing area. As during a parade.
Tread The Boards : Playing in a theater.
Troupe : a group of actors who regularly work together.
Try out : a) A production of a new play to discover its strengths and weaknesses, particularly in terms of audience reaction, with a view to a possible rewriting if necessary.
b) Go on tour with a new production to refine it before presenting it on Broadway or in the West End.
Turkey : A production that does not impress, especially at the box office.
Two show days : Production of a show that plays two performances in one day. In London and New York, a show plays about 8 times a week with two shows on Tuesday and Saturday (and a well-earned rest day on Sunday). The show represented in the afternoon is called a Matinee.
U
underscore : Music played during a dialogue, usually when it leads to a song in a musical.
Understandudy : actor who is part of the chorus of the show and who is ready to take on the role of another member of the cast if the latter is ill or absent.
Upstage : Backstage. The part of the scene furthest from the audience.
upstaging : Steal the show. When an actor dominates a scene.
V
Vamp : Music repeated or improvised to cover a break in continuity caused by waiting for the end of a change of scene or the late entry of an actor.
Variety : Variety show. Sequence of acts which follow one another without link between them. Each act is a kind of mini-production with one or more performers, its own music and story, its costumes and props. The decor generally consists of theater curtains.
Venues : Any place where a performance can take place.
Vocal Captain : Singing leader. Rarer than a dance captain, the vocal captain must ensure that all the sung parts are learned, correct and balanced. He is the link between the musical director and the actors.
W
Warm-up : warming up. Before a show, all the actors meet to do a vocal and physical warm-up. The goal is to protect the vocal cords and muscles from injury.
Weekend Out : Week during a tour where performances are suspended because no theater is available.
West End : English equivalent of Broadway. London's commercial theater district, centered around Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road, St Martin's Lane and The Strand.
whodunnit : A play about a crime, generally a murder carried out by a person whose identity constitutes the outcome. Faced with a series of possibilities, the public spends the evening speculating on the perpetrator. The detective plays a pivotal role and there is a considerable degree of silent public participation, with everyone trying to assess the motives, the evidence and unravel the false leads. One of the best examples is the play by Agatha Christie The Mousetrap which has been performed in the same theater for 66 years.
Wings : Backstage. Part of the stage invisible to the spectators. This space is used by artists preparing to go on stage, it is used to store sets for set changes and as a workspace for the theater. This space also contains the technical equipment.
Wing a Part : Playing a role without having completely memorized the words.
Word of Mouth : Word of mouth. A show that receives good or bad publicity thanks to word of mouth from the public.
Workshopping : Repeat an incomplete idea or scenario to explore and develop its dramatic possibilities.
X, Y, Z
11 o'clock number : most impressive musical number of a musical. On Broadway, this number often arrives around 11:XNUMX p.m.
8 show week : Broadway and West End shows are usually performed 8 times a week. This includes two shows in the same day on Tuesday and Saturday and one day off on Sunday.