Why do we say “merde” to wish luck to dancers? A term used in Australian theatre (along with the traditional 'break a leg') to wish 'good luck' for a performance. Green and white were tenors, black and yellow were sopranos, red and green were contraltos. For example, on Wednesday night a director might realize a line is not getting the laugh it needs. “In bocca al lupo” means “in the wolf’s mouth” and the correct response is “crepi il lupo,” which means “may the wolf die”—warding off a bad omen. In ancient Rome, vomitoriums were corridors built beneath or behind seats of a coliseum, stadium, theatre, or arena. Description. A list of stage musicals announced to be adapted as films. MerdeTheatre performers opt for “break a leg,” but dancers commonly wish each other “merde,” which directly translates to “shit” in French. A wildly popular play, The Scottish Play was often put on in theatres with financial troubles to attempt to reverse their fate. Theatres first began using limelight in the 1830s as the first spotlight. 10/13/2008.
The blocks were color-coded to illustrate the different voice parts—so Gilbert could create the correct sonic blend. On a smaller scale, you can strike an object from the stage, as in “strike that ladder,” in order to remove it from the stage. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Wishing someone “break a leg” is wishing for thunderous applause. The superstition also extends to calling the title character the Scottish King or Scottish Lord and his wife the Scottish Lady. The stage is framed like a picture by the proscenium, with the stage on one side opposite the audience. PerformersLeadThe main character in the story and generally a performer with multiple solo moments. There is no way to know how many changes will be made between the first preview and when the show is frozen and no more changes can be made, typically four days before opening night. Sign up here. END OF PLACES LISTINGS IN KIDS THEATER DICTIONARY, Act - 1)the main sections of a musical or play 2)the thing which actors can do, Ad Lib - to make up a you go without preparation, Aside - a quick remark made by a character in a play which is said to the audience, Audition - a time when an actor goes before a group of people who are casting a play to show those people what he can do, Belt - in Musical Theater, a style of singing which uses a loud, full tone, Black Out - the quick shutting off of all the stage lights, Blocking - the instructions that actors use to know exactly where they are supposed to be on stage at all times, Book - the script of a play...libretto of a musical, Break A Leg -something people tell actors to wish them "Good Luck" before a performance or audition. Thank You for Viewing the Kids Theater Dictionary.
These seats are the highest up and generally the farthest from the stage. Callback - when an actor who has auditioned for a show is asked to come back for a second tryout, Casting - when the director chooses actors to be characters in a play or musical, Cold Reading - when an actor is asked to read from a script he hasn't rehearsed, Cue - signals that are given to both the actors, the crew, the musicians and any others working on a show, Curtain - the screen usually of cloth which separates the stage from the audience, Curtain call - the bows at the end of a performance, Dialogue - the words which are spoken in a play, Dress Rehearsal - a rehearsal, usually just before a show opens, to practice the show just how it will be on opening night, including costumes and make-up. Theatre pros coined the term due to the use of raked, or inclined, stages. They don’t necessarily have lines or solo songs, but appear in group scenes and musical numbers to give a sense of context. cold reading A reading from a script or other text without any prior rehearsal, usually in the context of an audition or workshop. The mezzanine is often as desirable as the orchestra. The understudy can be called upon when a lead actor is out of the show.
Ask-for The question asked … This is actually one of the dozens of dictionary definitions for the word “strike,” meaning “to haul down; to dismantle and take away.”. Cards Return to Set Details. Click here to study/print these flashcards. Playbill put together this list of crucial terms to help you better navigate the world of the stage and theatre history.
This Is A Simple Dictionary Presented So Kids Can Have An Informed and Positive Stage Experience . But this also meant that as performers walked away from the house, they were hiking up the stage. (Speaking of stage directions: Stage Right and Stage Left always refer to the perspective of the performer when standing on the stage and facing the audience.).
Wing itThis theatre phrase has now been incorporated into the greater colloquial lexicon, but when actors would “wing it” they were going on unprepared. These are full performances presented with all of the full elements of the show—the billed cast, costumes, lighting, sets, etc. VomNamed for the Latin vomitorium, a “vom” is a specific type of entranceway in theatre. Look through the seating charts of all 41 Broadway theatres. UnderstudyA member of the ensemble who performs in their own role every performance but also knows the material for one or more leading roles. This Is A Simple Dictionary Presented So Kids Can Have An Informed and Positive Stage Experience, Arranged Alphabetically into Theater People, Theater Places and Theater Things, Assistant Stage Manager - person who is hired to help the Stage Manager, Choreographer - the person who creates dances and arranges movements for a musical, Chorus -1)in a musical the company of dancers and singers 2)the dancing, singing or songs performed by that company, Company - the cast and crew of a show and any other staff who work on the show, Costumer - the person in charge of the costumes for a show, Crew - all the people who work together on a show except the cast, Director - the person who provides the vision of how a show should be presented, who works with the actors on their roles, develops the blocking, and is in charge of the rehearsals, Dressers - people who help the actors get into and out of their costumes, Ensemble - a group of actors, singers or dancers who perform together on stage, Equity -(in U.S., AEA or Actors Equity Association) trade union formed to protect those who work in the theater by helping to regulate pay and working conditions, Front of House - a term used to describe all of the people in a theater who deal with the audience including the people who sell tickets and the ushers, and any other people who deal with the public (also see listing under PLACES in Kids Theater Dictionary), House Manager - the person in charge of the theater auditorium and anything to do with the audience, Lighting Designer - the person who designs the lighting for a show and works with the director to get desired effects, Musical Director - the person who works with the director, actors and orchestra to get the desired musical effects for a show, Prop Mistress/Master - the person in charge of all the props and who usually works with them during a show, Set Designer - the person who designs the sets for a show...in smaller theaters this person also builds the sets, Sound Designer - the person who designs the sound direction for the show, Stage Manager - the person who runs the show from opening curtain to closing curtain and is in charge of everything on the stage and in the back of the stage, Troupe - a group of actors that form a company, Wrangler - a person hired to take care of the younger members of a cast, END OF PEOPLE LISTINGS IN KIDS THEATER DICTIONARY. The mezzanine hangs over a different orchestra row in every theatre, so check the seating charts to see how far away the first row of the mezzanine is. StandbyA standby is a performer who knows all of the material for a lead role—and goes on if the principal actor is out—but does not otherwise perform in the show.
In Ancient Greece, audiences didn’t clap at performances, they stomped.
We hope this has helped you to better understand theater! BalconySome theatres only have an orchestra and a mezzanine while others have a third level: the balcony. Theatre Midterm Terms. Short, horizontal draperies hung across the stage above the acting area to mask the overhead lights and the flies from the audience. Additionally, if you have any questions about a specific term you may contact me via the form located on the Contact Me page. If you’re having a problem inside the theatre, you’ll want to speak to the house manager. The men were three inches high and the women two-and-a-half inches. Terms in this set (103) Travelers. Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater recently opened a new flexible black box at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space.