Miss Broadway's Guide to the Theatre Alphabet
There are many words associated with the theater and attending a show. In this post, I will give you a word for each letter of the alphabet and explain it a little bit.
Bows - This is when the show has ended and the cast is presented for recognition and appreciation in the form of applause. At this moment, the character is not being represented, only the actor who played them
Cast - This is the collection of all members who play a role on stage. Any person seen in costume, named or not, is part of the cast. These members are all involved in any action on stage
Dialogue - The words spoken by a character in the show. It refers to any of the words the actors had to memorize because they were written by the playwright to be spoken aloud for the audience
Ensemble - The collection of actors who are not named characters. These people do not deliver lines in most cases unless they are collective lines to be said by the group. They make up the biggest part of a cast
Fourth Wall - The side of the stage that is open to the audience. In the play, this open side of the stage is to be treated as another wall, meaning the actors do not interact or blatantly reference the audience. The play is supposed to be entirely disconnected from the people viewing it as if there were no audience
Ghost Light - In professional theatre, a light is left in the middle of the stage after everyone has left. This is to keep the ghost of the theater at bay and peaceful so it doesn't wreak havoc on the theater while everyone is away
Headset - This is used to communicate with other members of the tech crew and includes a headset microphone
Intermission - The break in a performance between the first act and the second. This is the time where no actor is on stage and the audience is free to talk and roam about
Jitters - Commonly known as 'butterflies", this is the feeling of nervousness that actors experience before a performance
Kickline - When all of the dancers on stage join together in a straight line and perform synchronized high kicks. This is usually followed by very loud and enthusiastic applause
Line - This is a word called by an actor during the rehearsal process when they cannot remember what they are supposed to say at a particular time
Method Acting - When an actor complete delves themselves into the role they are playing. They are no longer referred to nor do the respond to their name. They act and live as their character would
New York City - The home of Broadway, the biggest theater spot in all of America
Opening Night - The first night a show is performed for a paying audience. Usually a very high stakes moment for the actors and the entire company
Play - A show where no music or choreography is involved. Traditionally, the actors have no mics and are performing in a smaller theater
Queen's Theatre - A theater located in London's West End, the equivalent to New York City's Broadway.
Refreshments - The small snacks and drinks offered in the lobby for audience members to consume as they watch the show
Stage Door - The door through which the actors leave the theater. In professional shows, audience members wait by this door for autographs and pictures with the actors
Tech Crew - The team of backstage workers that handle things such as lights and sound. Traditionally, these people wear all black so they blend in with the dark backstage and are not seen by the audience
Usher - The person who audience members show their ticket to and then lead them to where they will sit for the show
Headset - This is used to communicate with other members of the tech crew and includes a headset microphone
Intermission - The break in a performance between the first act and the second. This is the time where no actor is on stage and the audience is free to talk and roam about
Jitters - Commonly known as 'butterflies", this is the feeling of nervousness that actors experience before a performance
Kickline - When all of the dancers on stage join together in a straight line and perform synchronized high kicks. This is usually followed by very loud and enthusiastic applause
Line - This is a word called by an actor during the rehearsal process when they cannot remember what they are supposed to say at a particular time
Method Acting - When an actor complete delves themselves into the role they are playing. They are no longer referred to nor do the respond to their name. They act and live as their character would
New York City - The home of Broadway, the biggest theater spot in all of America
Opening Night - The first night a show is performed for a paying audience. Usually a very high stakes moment for the actors and the entire company
Play - A show where no music or choreography is involved. Traditionally, the actors have no mics and are performing in a smaller theater
Queen's Theatre - A theater located in London's West End, the equivalent to New York City's Broadway.
Refreshments - The small snacks and drinks offered in the lobby for audience members to consume as they watch the show
Stage Door - The door through which the actors leave the theater. In professional shows, audience members wait by this door for autographs and pictures with the actors
Tech Crew - The team of backstage workers that handle things such as lights and sound. Traditionally, these people wear all black so they blend in with the dark backstage and are not seen by the audience
Usher - The person who audience members show their ticket to and then lead them to where they will sit for the show
Vault - The metaphorical place where all shows that closed remain until they are revived
Whispering - Very strongly discouraged. The act of whispering draws audience attention away from the show and can distract the actors on stage
Xanadu - A musical that was performed on skates based on the 1980 movie of the same name
Youth Theater - Also called community theater or school theater, it is the production and performing of shows with casts that are not paid nor trained professionals.
Zeitgeist - The trend of shows at a certain time to capture the spirit of their time. Shows try to capture the essence of the time they were written in and the ideals practiced in those times
I hope this small guide has helped you understand a little more about theater.
- Miss Broadway
Comments
Post a Comment