Technical Theatre Terms
List of theatrical terms used in British Theatre, the list is by no means definitive! If you have any additions for us please Leave a comment at the bottom of the page!
- A
- Above - to move upstage: (“Brian moves above the table”)
- Acetone - chemical. Various uses: cleaning etc.
- Action - what’s going on onstage.
- Act Drop - cloth flown in at the end of an act.
- Ad Lib - improvised action onstage.
- Advance Bar - Lighting bar hung from auditorium close to stage.
- Amp - abb. amplifier used to amplify sound.
- AMP - abb. Ampere, a unit of electrical current.
- Apron - section of stage that extends beyond the Pros.
- ASM - Assistant Stage Manager.
- Auditorium - where the audience sit!
- B
- Baby Spot - small spotlight under 500w
- Backer - financial backer.
- Backcloth - flown cloth behind scenic element.
- Backing Flats - flats behind scenic element.
- Backlight - light that illuminates from behind.
- Backstage - part of theatre building behind stage.
- Balanced Line - cable carrying two signals.
- Band Call - call for orchestra or band.
- Bar - metal tube used for hanging scenery or lanterns.
- Bar Bells - warning to FOH and Bar Staff.
- Barn-door - device to adjust spill of light on a fresnel lantern.
- Batten - 1) length of wood attached to cloth to keep it taught. 2) group of flood lights.
- Beam Light - lantern with no lens but with parabolic reflector.
- Beginners - call given to cast/crew involved in opening of play.
- Below - to move downstage (“Brian moves below table”)
- Blocking - recording of movement on stage.
- Board - abb. for ‘lighting control board’
- Book - means script or Prompt Book.
- Book Flat - a hinged flat.
- Boom - vertical hanging bar.
- Border - flown scenic element used in masking.
- Box Set - Interior set built from flattage.
- Brace - portable support for flats.
- Brail/Breast - moving bars up or downstage by ropes.
- Breaking Down - artistic process of aging costume, props or scenery.
- Bridge - catwalk above auditorium or stage.
- Build - increase sound or light levels.
- Bulb Round - lighting check.
- Business - actions performed by actors.
- Butterfly Tabs - Tabs fixed at top and drawn in from sides.
- C
- Call - 1) schedule. 2) backstage call 3) abb. for Curtain Call.
- Cans - backstage communication device.
- Cardioid - heart-shaped pick-up pattern of microphone.
- Carpenter - (Scenic, Deputy, Master): maker of scenery.
- Centre Line - imaginary line shown on ground-plan.
- Channel - connected circuit in lighting or sound system.
- Check - decrease sound or light levels.
- Choreograph - to ‘choreograph’ a scene.
- Choreographer - director of dance or movement.
- Cinemoid - type of colour gel.
- Circuit - means by which a lantern can be identified and connected to a dimmer.
- Clamp - normally used to attach lanterns to bars.
- Cleat - metal device used for tying sash lines.
- Cloth - scenic canvas.
- Colour Call - list of gels for a design.
- Colour Call - list of gels for a design.
- Come Down - when the curtains come down.
- Condenser - type of microphone.
- Control Room - where lighting and sound is controlled from.
- Counterweights - system used for lowering and raising scenery.
- Cross-fade - in lighting or sound, change at which some channels are increased while other are lowered.
- Crossover - sound system device that routes pitch to the correct part of the speaker.
- Cue - verbal/physical signal for action or effect to begin.
- Cue to Cue - rehearsal in which dialogue is reduced to technical cues.
- Cue Lights - system of lights used to give ‘Cues’.
- Cue Sheet - list of effects.
- Curtains - at front of stage. called Tabs.
- Curtain Up/Down - beginning and end of performance.
- Cut Cloth - scenic piece with no centre.
- Cyclorama - ‘Cyc’ semi-circular backing.
- D
- Dead - 1) marked position of scenery or equipment. 2) anything no longer needed.
- Decibel - dB. measurement of sound.
- Designer - set/costume/lighting/sound.
- Desk - Prompt Desk - operated by person running show.
- Desk - Sound Desk - sound operators desk.
- Diffusion Gel - also called Frost. Softens light.
- Dimmer - device that controls electricity passed to lanterns.
- Dips/Dip-trap - hatches/troughs/channels at side of stage containing sockets.
- Dock - area at side/rear of stage for storing scenery.
- Downstage - area of stage nearest audience.
- Dress Circle - raised seating above stalls.
- Dress Parade - costume check on stage.
- Dresser - crew member who aids with dressing.
- Dressing - to dress set.
- Dress Rehearsal - Dress full costume/lighting/effects/soundaction rehearsal.
- DSM - Deputy Stage Manager.
- Dubb - reproduce sound from one copy to another.
- Dynamic - type of microphone.
- E
- Effect - sound/lighting/scenic.
- Electrician - (Chief, Deputy, Assistant) responsible for lighting.
- Elevation - technical drawing showing side view.
- Elex - or ‘LX’ electrical things or electrical department.
- Elex Tape - or ‘LX’ tape sticky back plastic tape available in various colours.
- Ellipsoidal - type of reflector used in profile spots.
- EMU - Electrical Multiple Unit, used to describe stage machinery compsed from multiple moving parts.
- Engineer - usually ‘sound’ but can be ‘lighting’
- Entrance/Exit - points in script and physical space where performer comes and goes!
- E.Q. - abb. for equalisation.
- F
- Fader - means of controlling lights or sound.
- False Pros’ - decorative proscenium arch.
- Feedback - when a mic picks up its own signal from a speaker.
- Fit Up - installation of equipment and scenery.
- Flash - when lights are flashed for effect.
- Flash Up - method of testing lanterns.
- Floats - (little used now) jargon for footlights.
- Floatmic’s - microphones placed along front of stage.
- Flat - unit of scenery.
- Flies - area above stage where flown scenery is kept.
- Floods - lanterns with no lens.
- Floor-cloth - painted canvas flooring.
- Footing - to steady a ladder/flat with your foot.
- Flown - scenery or equipment which has been ‘flown’ into the flies.
- Fly - raising scenery above audience sight level.
- Flyman - crew member operating flying equipment.
- Fly Tower - structure above stage containing flying equipment.
- Focus - adjustment of lighting/projection equipment.
- Focussing Session - when adjustment and plotting is done.
- FOH - abb. Front Of House.
- Foldback - sound sent to performer.
- Fore-stage - area in-front of tabs.
- Follow spot - Large profile spotlight with operator.
- French Flat - solid flat.
- French Brace - collapsible brace fixed to flat.
- Frequency - number of times a sound vibrates.
- Fresnel - spotlight with fresnel lens that gives soft edge.
- Full Company Call - everyone needed.
- FX - abb. for ‘effects’.
- G
- Gaffer Tape - sticky back fabric tape.
- Gain - the ‘master’ volume control on mixer.
- Gate - optical centre of profile spotlight.
- Gauze - scenic cloth used for ‘vanishing’ effects.
- Gel - coloured lighting film (originally made from gelatine)
- Genie Trap - a mechanised trap where actor shoots through stage floor.
- Get In - when a touring company installs a show.
- Get Out - when touring company uninstalls show.
- Gobo - metal slide placed in gate of lantern which throws a pattern.
- Grave Trap - body length trapdoor in stage.
- Green Room - cast/crew recreation room.
- Grid - metal frames in flying tower from which flying equipment is held (wooden in very old theatres)
- Ground-plan - technical drawing of stage.
- Groundrow - floodlight battens placed on stage.
- H
- Half - half hour call given to cast/crew 35mins before curtain-up.
- Halogen - gas contained in lamps.
- Header - horizontal flying piece.
- Heads Below - warning shouted if anything is dropped from above.
- Hemp - type of abrasive rope originally used in theatre for flying (some theatres still use hemp)
- Hemp Flying - traditional method of flying using 3 or 5 hemp ropes and no counter-weights.
- Hemp Set - (as above)
- Horns - metal speakers.
- House - the audience.
- House Manager - often ‘Front of House Manager’
- House Lights - lights illuminating the audience.
- Hypercardioid - type of pick-up pattern of a microphone.
- I
- Impedance - term of electrical resistance.
- In The Round- audience seated on all sides of stage.
- Iris - device in lantern gate that allows beam size to be altered.
- Iron - fireproof metal curtain.
- L
- Ladder - framework in shape of ladder.
- Lamps - the thing that creates light in a lantern (‘bulb’ in domestic terms)
- Lantern - stage light.
- Lavalier - type of radio-mic fitting (collar/costume/hair/wig)
- Left - Stage Left.
- Leg - flown cloth or flat masking side of stage.
- Level - intensity of sound or light.
- Lighting Plot - lighting cue description.
- Limes - old term for Follow Spots.
- Lose - to turn something off or remove from set.
- M
- Mains - power source.
- Mark It - instruction to record position of performer/object on stage.
- Mark Out - temporary objects/lines on rehearsal floor used to describe set/stage.
- Maroon - electrical device giving effect of explosion.
- Mask - to hide from audience’s sight.
- Masking - flats/cloths used to Mask.
- Master - lever/slide which controls all sound or light.
- MD - Musical Director.
- Mixer - desk/software for mixing sound.
- Model - model of stage design.
- Model Box - model of theatre in which stage design model is housed.
- Multicore - thick cable containing many cables.
- Milliput - type of modelling plastic used to create model figures and model scener.
- O
- Offstage - outside performance area.
- Omnidirectional - pick up pattern of microphone.
- Out - piece of scenery that has been flown ‘Out’
- Overture - music which starts a musical performance.
- P
- PA System - the public address system or any sound system.
- PC - Prism Convex or ‘Pebble’. a lens in a lantern.
- PFL - ‘Pre Fade Listen’: means of listening to a mic channel without brining up the fader.
- PS - Prompt Side, usually Stage Left.
- PZM - Pressure Zone Mic. Small plate collects reflections of sound into a small condenser mic.
- Paging - to make a call over the show relay.
- Pan - to move light or sound from one place to another.
- Pancake - water based stage make up, applied with sponge.
- Paper A House - to give away tickets to fill an audience.
- Paper House - audience full of freebies!
- Par Can - type of lantern containing a fixed beam par lamp.
- Pass Door - door allowing access to FOH from backstage.
- Patch Panel - panel where lighting circuits are connected and changed - ‘patched’.
- Perch - lighting position concealed behind proscenium.
- Personal - small prop, retained by actor.
- Pin Hinge - hinge jointed by removable pin.
- Pit - area at front/beneath stage where musicians sit.
- Pit Lift - mechanical lift that lowers to create pit.
- Plot - any list of cues.
- Practical - a working object onstage, such as a door or window.
- Preset - position of scenery and effects at start of performance and scene.
- Production Manager - person in charge of all technical aspects of the production process.
- Production Meeting - meetings for staff involved in production.
- Profile Spot - lantern which can produce hard or soft light.
- Promenade - performance with no set seating for audience.
- Prompt - given to actors during rehearsals but *NOT* during performance.
- Prompt Copy/Book - the master copy of the performance, including all blocking, effects and cues.
- Prompt Corner - place where prompt corner was placed now usually behind the audience.
- Prop - abb. for Properties. Any items used onstage which are not costume or scenery.
- Prop Table - table situated in wings on which props are placed.
- Prop Box/Skip - place to store props.
- Props Room - Room for construction of props by Stage Managers or Property Master.
- Pyrotechnics - bombs, bangs, flashes etc.
- R
- Radio Mic - personal microphone without power lead.
- Rake - incline of the stage.
- Readthrough - usually the first meeting with full company and director.
- Record - plotting a lighting cue by saving it to the lighting board.
- Reflector - shiny surface in back of lantern which helps throw light.
- Rigging - fixing lighting, sound and scenic devices to the theatre structure.
- Right - Stage Right.
- Run - number of performances in production.
- Run Through - rehearsal that “runs through” two or more scenes.
- Runner - used to hold down carpet edges.
- S
- Saturation Rig - lighting rig at full capacity.
- Scatter - low level light cast at side of normal light beam.
- Scenic Artists - people who paint scenery.
- Scrim - same as Gauze.
- Set - prepare stage for action.
- Setting Line - line past which no scenery, props or furniture may be set.
- Shin Buster - low side lights.
- Shout Check - check carried out by stage management to ensure all is set.
- Shutter - device in lantern used to shape beam.
- Sightlines - angles of visibility from audience.
- Size - glue like preparation made from animal bones, used to harden and preserve canvas on flats.
- Slots - side lighting position in auditorium walls.
- SM - Stage Manager.
- Spike - nail something to floor.
- Spill - unwanted light on the stage.
- Spot Line - line rigged from grid to fly a specific item. is Lampshade.
- Stage Brace - extending support for scenery.
- Stage Crew - employed to move/operate scenery.
- Stalls - seating on ground floor of auditorium.
- Star Trap - a mechanised trap where actor shoots through stage floor.
- Strike - to remove object or scenery from stage.
- Strobe - flashing light.
- Supernumerary - actor playing a variety of non-speaking roles, extra.
- Swag - curtains fashioned so they do not hang straight.
- T
- Tabs - curtains.
- Teaser - short flown border.
- Tech - Technical Rehearsal.
- Throw - distance between lantern and object.
- Thrust Stage - multi-sided stage (with at least one back wall)
- Top and Tail - rehearsal in which dialogue is reduced to technical cues.
- Traverse - staging with audience facing each other.
- Treads - steps or stairs.
- Tripe - thick bundle of cables from lighting bar.
- Tri-lite - lighting/scenic metal section made from three lengths of lightweight alloy (triangular construction.
- Truck - platform with wheels.
- W
- Walter Plinge - traditional actor for actor with more than one role.
- Wardrobe - department where costume is constructed.
- Wardrobe Maintenance - washing and repair of costume.
- Warning Bells - warns of interval.
- Working Drawings - drawings made in addition to designers.
- Working Lights - lights used by stage crew to aid work.
November 21st, 2007 at 4:43 am
Hi - thanks for this website. I’ve used some of the information for my Year 11 / Stage I Drama Studies class examination. They
will be continuing through to final year High School Drama studies next year and so this has been a great help.
Thankyou.
Joy Perkins
Senior Drama Teacher
Glossop High School
South Australia/Australia
February 20th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I am studying Theatre History and have come upon two terms you don’t have listed:
Vampire Trap and Ghost Glide — both used in the early 1900’s
May 27th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
A “Ghost Glide” is an alternative name for a “Corsican Trap” and is one which alows an actor to slowly rise through the stage, while travelling across it. (It’s basically a trap door opening set into a part of the stage that resembles a roll-top desk.) - As far as I am aware, the only working Corsican Trap is to be found in the Gaiety Theater in the Isle of Man. - The stage was refurbished in 1999-2000. - The name comes from the play “The Corsican Brothers” which as far as I know is the only production which calls for it’s use!
I recently came across a description of a Vampire trap some time ago now, on the internet - don’t know where, but as far as I can remember, it is a pair of sprung trap doors in the stage which allow an actor to fall through the stage with the doors closing behind them - try a search for yourself and try the spelling as “Vampyr” I think!
Regards
John