Theatre Appendix

Question 1

ad lib

Answer 1

Acting without having planned what to do or say. Often done to cover up for something having gone wrong or for forgotten lines. Also common in some forms of theatre such as pantomime. Also spelled adlibbing or ad-libbing.

Question 2

against type

Answer 2

Playing a different sort of character than expected. See typecasting.

Question 3

am dram

Answer 3

Amateur theatre; community theatre.

Question 4

amateur theatre

Answer 4

Community theatre

Question 5

antagonist

Answer 5

A character that hinders the protagonist from achieving his or her goals.

Question 6

anti-naturalism

Answer 6

An acting style in which the audience is kept aware that they are watching a performance rather than reality. (See Brechtian Acting.)

Question 7

apron

Answer 7

The stage area in front of the proscenium arch.

Question 8

aside

Answer 8

A dramatic technique in which a line is said by one character to him or herself or to the audience. The line is unheard by the other characters onstage.

Question 9

avenue staging

Answer 9

The staging of a performance with the audience placed on two sides, as though the performance space is a street. Also called “alley” or “tennis-court” staging in regional variations.

Question 10

beat

Answer 10

The smallest division of action in a play. The length of time necessary for a character to play an “Objective” (also called “Intention” or “Goal”) from beginning to end. Also a very short pause.

Question 11

blocking

Answer 11

An actor’s movement around a set, or the notations regarding movement in an actor’s script. Also for one actor to get between another actor and the audience (see mask).

Question 12

“boards”

Answer 12

A slang term for the stage.

Question 13

“break a leg”

Answer 13

A saying for actors before they go out on stage, meaning “good luck”.

Question 14

brechtian acting

Answer 14

An acting style in which the actors purposely try to alienate the audience from the characters in order to constantly remind them they are watching a play, based on the theories of Bertolt Brecht

Question 15

call times

Answer 15

The times at which each individual actor is expected to be at the theater. Call times vary based on the amount of time required to make-up the actor and may be staggered among smaller roles to allow for sharing of dressing room space, and/or make up artists.

Question 16

“cans”

Answer 16

A slang term used for communication head-sets used during shows. The head set commonly uses one ear piece and a microphone. these are connected using XLRs in to a separate patch bay, normally next to the sound desk.

Question 17

cast

Answer 17

The actors in a play.

Question 18

casting

Answer 18

The process of choosing the actors for a play.

Question 19

cat-walk

Answer 19

A narrow, often elevated walkway, as on the sides of a bridge or in the flies above a theater stage

Question 20

character actor

Answer 20

An actor or actress who specializes in playing secondary roles. Character parts are not the romantic lead, but the additional funny, scary, or otherwise exaggerated roles.

Question 21

cheating

Answer 21

The practice of turning one’s body towards the audience even while keeping the head facing one’s scene partner. Cheating is usually necessary for the audience to really see the actors and view the scene.

Question 22

cold reading

Answer 22

A reading from a script or other text without any prior rehearsal, usually in the context of an audition or workshop.

Question 23

community theatre

Answer 23

A performance by amateurs (or unpaid actors) as opposed to professional (paid) theatre. Some community theatre groups actually have registration “fees” that must be paid before rehearsals begin. This is usually to cover the cost of rehearsal space if their sponsoring Theatre does not have space.

Question 24

corpse

Answer 24

To laugh when on stage, as the actor, not the character, would.

Question 25

cover

Answer 25

Another term for Understudy

Question 26

covering

Answer 26

To make up dialogue and or blocking due to a mistake or accident onstage without breaking character.

Question 27

crossing

Answer 27

To move from one point on the stage to another, especially to a diametrically opposed point.

Question 28

cue-to-cue

Answer 28

When the lighting or sound crew runs through each of its cues to check for errors. This is done without actors onstage.

Question 29

curtain call

Answer 29

When the actors come to the front of the stage to bow at the end of a performance.