Glossary

learn the lingo

 or "so phat it's messy!"...  whatever that means    

It's not Curtains for you...it's Tabs, Headers & Legs

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(a reveal is a narrow flat used to give thickness to a set)

apron

area of stage in front of the tabs(curtains)

auditorium

where the audience sit

barndoor

 metal "doors" for fresnel lanterns to help avoid spill

batten

a row of floodlights to give even light to cloths

bays

side entrances to a stage, separated by legs, wings or flats

black light

U/V lighting

blocking

To arrange actors precisely on a stage

box set

Traditional room set with three sides

cans

headphones

cloth

huge painted canvas covering the stage (backcloth)

cue

technical commands to technicians and musicians, also actors

cut-out

a 2D shaped piece of scenery

Cyclorama

a stretched and slightly curved backcloth

dark

term refers to a theatre that is closed

flat

a 2D piece of set

flies

area above stage where scenery can be "flown"

focusing

to point the lanterns in the right place

FoH

Front of House, public space

followspot

A lantern that moves to follow the actor

fresnel

A type of lantern using a stepped lens

gauze

a net cloth that can be painted. when lit from the front it is opaque; and when lit from the back it is transparent

used mainly in transformation scenes in pantomimes

gel

a coloured filter for lanterns. see Lighting

get-in

To build the set and focus on stage before the performances

greenroom

room backstage reserved for actors to wait and take refreshment

grid

Structure above the stage to hang the lanterns on

gods

Cheap seats at the back and very high up

headers

curtains to conceal lanterns and tops of flats

house

anywhere in front of the stage

Iron

fireproof safety curtain. Has to be lowered once during every performance, usually at the interval.

lamp

bulb, usually 500w or 1KW

lantern

bulb...holder

legs

curtains to conceal bays: also called wings

LX

Lighting (eg lx cue)

Luvvies

the people reading this

OP

Opposite prompt ( stage right)

open-white

lanterns without gel

pit

sunken orchestra area

plotting

arranging technical cues

Prompt-Side

(PS) always stage left; even if prompt is on the other side

prompt copy

The book. script containing all plotting and blocking. used to run both rehearsals and show by the stagemanager

proscenium arch

traditional stage

pyrotechnics

fire,, explosions, smoke etc

rake

A tilted stage is known as raked. the audience are usually raked toward the stage

revolve

Also known as a cake stand, a circular part of the stage floor that revolves

rigging

to hang the lanterns

set

The design of the stage, even if black

set-dressing

extras to make the set more convincing that are not used by the actors

sightlines

the extremities of the audiences' vision

spill

unwanted light

strike

to take down the set

tabs

Curtains, also FoH tabs

thrust

a stage that is thrust into the auditorium

truck

a  rostrum with wheels, usually as part of the set

wardrobe

the department responsible for costumes

wings

the sides of the stage; also wing space