Theatre Terms

Apron The part of the stage floor in front of the curtain line The part of the stage floor in front of the curtain line

Backdrop A painted cloth that hangs at the back of the stage to represent scenery

Backstage All areas of a stage other than acting areas that are out of sight of the audience All areas of a stage other than acting areas that are out of sight of the audience Includes greenroom, dressing rooms, workshops Includes greenroom, dressing rooms, workshops

Blocking The movement and positioning of actors on stage The movement and positioning of actors on stage

Cyclorama A neutral background, often made of fabric, at the upstage limit of the performing area, generally used to represent sky. Also known as a "cyc” Also known as a "cyc”

Fourth Wall The imaginary “wall” at the front of a proscenium stage through which the audience views the play Acceptance of the transparency of the wall is part of the suspension of disbelief which allows the audience to enjoy the fiction as if it were real events “breaking the 4 th wall” is speaking directly to the audience or otherwise acknowledging that the audience exists

House The part of the theatre where the audience sits. The part of the theatre where the audience sits.

Improvise To speak or act without a script

Open/Actor’s Cheat To keep your face and the front of your body visible to the audience as much as possible

Rake Performance space where the stage floor is slanted upward away from the audience Performance space where the stage floor is slanted upward away from the audience

Script The text of a play

Sight Lines Imaginary lines of sight that determine what is visible to the audience on stage and what is not. Imaginary lines of sight that determine what is visible to the audience on stage and what is not.

Spike To mark the floor of a rehearsal space to indicate significance for set, prop or actor placement To mark the floor of a rehearsal space to indicate significance for set, prop or actor placement

Strike The removal of all set and props from the stage The removal of all set and props from the stage

Stage Cross To move from one place to another on stage

Triangles A blocking technique that uses three diagonal lines in the stage composition to achieve affect and stage depth

Upstaging When an actor steals the focus of a scene Stealing someone else’s thunder

Wings Areas to the right and left of the stage Areas to the right and left of the stage Where props are organized Where props are organized Where the ASM’s sit Where the ASM’s sit Where the actors wait for their cue Where the actors wait for their cue

Tableau(x) A frozen, living stage picture A frozen, living stage picture

Pageant Wagon Origins in medieval theatre Origins in medieval theatre Traditionally a wagon that transports set and props and converts to a stage Traditionally a wagon that transports set and props and converts to a stage A portable stage A portable stage

Place of Power The place on stage that is to be the centre of the audience’s attention The place on stage that is to be the centre of the audience’s attention This spot holds all the “power” in the scene This spot holds all the “power” in the scene

Light Pool The light cast on an area of stage The light cast on an area of stage Usually one pool for each acting area Usually one pool for each acting area