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This website is very helpful because it give you a lot of theater information.

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ACTING AREA That area within the performance space within which the actor may move in full view of the audience. Also known as the
playing area
This term is also used to describe the smaller subdivisions of the main stage area which are lit separately by the lighting designer (e.g. 'The stage is split into 6 acting areas, 3 downstage and 3 upstage').
(Also the name of an early Strand down-lighting floodlight - it was called an Acting Area Flood, and was colloquially known as 'Ack Ack' or 'A.A.').

AUDITORIUM The part of the theatre accommodating the audience during the performance. Sometimes known as the "house". From the Latin
Audio - "I hear".

BEGINNERS A call given by Stage Management to bring those actors who appear in the first part of a play to the stage. e.g. "Act One Beginners to the stage, please". The actors/actresses are then called by name.

A similar call is given after the interval (e.g. "Act Two Beginners to the stage please").
The call is usually given 5 minutes before the advertised performance start time, but this may vary depending on how long the actors take to get into position.
See also HALF, QUARTER.
See Calls and Cans

BLACKS 1) Black clothing worn by stage management during productions.

2) Any black drapes or tabs, permanently or temporarily rigged. Used for masking offstage and technical areas.
Running Blacks are full stage width black tabs with a split half way, which are usually fitted to a tab track so that they can be opened and closed horizontally AND flown in and out. The tab track control can either be operated from stage level or from a fly floor (when they're flown out).
Hard Blacks are black-covered scenic flats used as masking.
A Full Stage Black is a black cloth which can be flown in and is the full width of the stage. This is used to go upstage of a gauze to make transformation scenes work effectively, or can be used as a neutral backing for carefully lit scenes downstage.
Blacks flown vertically at the edge of the stage are known as LEGS.
Blacks across the top of the stage are BORDERS.

BLOCKING The process of arranging moves to be made by the actors during the play, recorded by stage management in the prompt script. Positions at the start of scenes are noted, as are all movements around the stage (using terms such as 'Gardener X DSL' meaning the Gardener crosses to downstage left.) It must be described in minute detail, but simple enough to enable anyone to read and understand it. As well as being used to 'run the show' the prompt book is also used for the rehearsal of the understudies.

Stages which are not end-on must often use alternative notation, sometimes based on the clock face or the points of a compass.
Blocking Notation

BREAK A LEG A superstitious and widely accepted alternative to 'Good Luck' (which is considered bad luck). More available at the link below.

More on Break A Leg

CALL 1) A notification of a working session (eg a Rehearsal Call, Band Call, Photo Call). A rehearsal call for the next day / week used to be posted on a Call Sheet on the stage door noticeboard, but is now often an online document, updated by the stage management team.

2) The period of time to which the above call refers. (eg "Your call for tomorrow nights show is 6.55pm")
3) A request for an actor to come to the stage because an entrance is imminent (these are courtesy calls and should not be relied on by actors - eg "This is your call for the finale Mr Smith and Miss Jones")
4) An acknowledgement of applause (eg Curtain Call)
5) The DSM on the book is said to be "calling the cues".
6) The Colour Call is a list of lighting gel required for the lighting rig.
7) The Final Call is also known as The Half - 35 minutes before the performance starts, and the latest time when the cast and crew should be in the theatre.

CAST The members of the acting company. The Cast List contains the names of the actors and the characters they'll be playing.

Dramatis Personae is a Latin term for a list of the characters in a play.

CENTRE CENTRE (CENTER CENTER in the USA) - the position in the centre of the stage space. Downstage Centre (DSC) is the position at the front of the stage, Upstage Centre (USC), and Centre Stage (CS) or CENTRE CENTRE is the centre. House Centre / House Center is the centre line of the auditorium (which is usually the same as that of the stage).

Blocking Notation

CENTRE LINE Imaginary line running down the stage through the exact centre of the proscenium opening. Marked as CL on stage plans. Normally marked on the stage floor and used as a reference when marking out or assembling a set. A chalked snap line can be used to mark the line in the rehearsal room and on stage.

Known in the US as CENTER LINE.
House Centre / House Center is the centre line of the auditorium (which is usually the same as that of the stage).
See also SETTING LINE.

CUE 1) The command given to technical departments to carry out a particular operation. E.g. Lighting Cue, Fly Cue or Sound Cue. Normally given by stage management, but may be taken directly from the action (i.e. a Visual Cue).

2) Any signal (spoken line, action or count) that indicates another action should follow (i.e. the actors' cue to enter is when the Maid says "I hear someone coming! Quick - Hide!")
3) A journal published between 1979 and 1988. A complete collection of CUE journals is available on the Backstage Heritage Collection website to read online.

CURTAIN CALL At the end of a performance, the acknowledgement of applause by actors - the bows.

Hungarian: tapsrend.

CYCLORAMA Usually shortened to just
cyc (pronounced sike). The Cyclorama is a curved plain cloth or plastered wall filling the rear of the stage or TV studio. Often used as a sky backing to a traditional set, or as the main backing for a dance piece etc. The term is often loosely applied to a blue skycloth, or any flattage at the rear of the stage. Although strictly a cyc should be curved, most cycs are flat with curved wraparound ends. A more effective backing can be obtained by hanging a sharkstooth gauze just in front of the plain white cyc which gives a hazy effect of distance.
From Greek Cyclos (circle) and Horama (view or vision).
The first plaster cyclorama in the UK is believed to be at the Festival Theatre, Cambridge (1929)
See also BOUNCE, ISORA. The German equivalent term is operafolie.

DIRECTOR There are many types of director.

Broadly, the role involves being responsible for the overall artistic vision of a production.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - Normally in charge of the programming of a venue. May also direct shows.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Manager in charge of the administration of a venue.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - In charge of the technical requirements of a production.
(The term LIGHTING DIRECTOR is used in the UK for a TV Lighting Designer).

DOWNSTAGE

FLAT A lightweight timber frame covered with scenic canvas, or plywood. Flats are used to provide a lightweight and easy to move and re-configure backdrop to a stage set. Flats sometimes have windows or doors built into them to provide extra flexibility, for use in realistic settings. Masking flats are used to hide areas the designer does not want the audience to see, or to provide actors with an exit, or somewhere to store props.

(UK) A flat is supported by a stage brace and brace weight, connected to the flat using a screw eye.
Hardboard is sometimes used, but is unnecessarily heavy and will lose it's shape in time. Most theatres have a range of stock flattage made to a standard size, and re-used many times.
A Rail is a horizontal batten within a flat.
A Stile is a side or vertical piece within a flat.
A Sill is the bottom rail of a flat.
See also BOOK FLAT, HOLLYWOOD.
[French: Flat = panneau]

FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) 1) Every part of the theatre in front of the proscenium arch. Includes foyer areas open to the general public.

2) All lanterns which are on the audience side of the proscenium and are focussed towards the stage.
The backstage areas of the theatre are known as Rear of House (ROH).

GET-OUT Moving an entire production out of the venue, and back into storage or into transport. Usually preceded by the strike (where the set is disassembled back into component parts.

The Get Out is also known as Load Out (USA) or Bump Out (AUS.) or Pack Out (NZ).

GREEN ROOM Room close to the stage (i.e. the green) for the actors to meet and relax before or after going on stage. See the link below for some possible derivations of the term.

More about Green Room

HALF 1) The Half is a call given to the actors half an hour before they will be called to the stage for the beginning of a performance. It is given 35 minutes before the advertised time of commencement (in the UK). On Broadway, the Half is given 30 minutes before the start time.

Subsequent calls given are the 'quarter' at 20 minutes (UK), 'the five' at 10 minutes (UK) and 'beginners to the stage' at 5 minutes before curtain up (UK). See also FRONT OF HOUSE CALLS, QUARTER.
Also known as Final Call.
2) Lighting - half of full intensity, or 50%.
See Calls and Cans

NODA UK National Operatic and Dramatic Association, for amateur theatre producers, performers and crew.

NODA website

PROSCENIUM ARCH The opening in the wall which stands between stage and auditorium in some theatres; the picture frame through which the audience sees the play. The "fourth wall". Often shortened to Proscenium or Pros Arch.

In some older theatres, the Proscenium Arch is ornate and painted to contrast with the surrounding walls, to really make it stand out. Nothing outside the Proscenium Arch was part of the show.
However, as there are many different audience layouts now, many theatres (particularly multi-purpose studio theatres) have no Proscenium Arch at all, or it may not be decorated as such.
See END ON.
Italian: Boccascena
French: cadre de scène

STAGE LEFT / RIGHT Left/ Right as seen from the Actor's point of view on stage. (ie Stage Left is the right side of the stage when looking from the auditorium.)

Stage Right = OP (Opposite Prompt) French: Cote Jardin, Netherlands: Toneel Links (translates to Stage Left!)
Stage Left = PS (Prompt Side) French: Cote Cour, Netherlands: Toneel Rechts (translates to Stage Right!).
NB: The Netherlands, Portugal and Germany use the opposite to the rest of Europe; i.e. Stage Left UK = Stage Right. The directions are seen from the director's and audience's perspective, NOT the actors. In Portugal Isquerda (left) is the equivalent of UK Stage Right and Direita (right) is the equivalent of UK Stage Left.

TABS 1) Originally "tableaux curtains" which drew outwards and upwards, but now generally applied to any stage curtains including a vertically flying front curtain (house tabs) and especially a pair of horizontally moving curtains which overlap at the centre and move outwards from that centre.

[In French, tabs are Rideau. The main tabs or house tabs are Rideau d'avant-scène. In Spanish, the main tabs are Bambalinón.
A narrow stage curtain used for masking is Pendrillon
In Italian, tabs are Sipario.]
2) TABS was a journal published by Strand Electric between 1937 and 1986, about stage lighting and other equipment produced by the company. The Backstage Heritage Collection archive has a complete collection of TABS journals for you to read online.

TECHNICAL REHEARSAL (also known as the TECH RUN, or just TECH). Usually the first time the show is rehearsed in the venue, with lighting, scenery and sound. Costumes are sometimes used where they may cause technical problems (eg Quick changes). Often a very lengthy process. Often abbreviated to the Tech.

A DRY TECH is without actors to rehearse the integration of lighting, scenic changes etc. It follows that a WET TECH is a full technical rehearsal with actors and all technical elements, although this term isn't used as often as DRY TECH.
A PAPER TECH is a session without the set or actors when the technical and design team talk through the show ensuring everything's going to work as planned. Stage Managers can use this session to ensure all is written correctly in the Prompt Book.

TREADS General name for any stage staircase or set of steps. The step of the staircase is called the
tread, and the height of the staircase depends on the number of risers. The length of the staircase is called the going. Treads can be either open or closed string - meaning whether the riser is solid or not.

UPSTAGE 1) The part of the stage furthest from the audience.

US = Upstage, USC = Upstage Centre. USL = Upstage Left. USR = Upstage Right (see diagram)
2) When an actor moves upstage of another and causes the victim to turn away from the audience s/he is 'upstaging'. Also, an actor drawing attention to themselves away from the main action (by moving around, or over-reacting to onstage events) is upstaging.

See the full Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms for over 2000 more definitions!

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Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms - Beginners

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ACTING AREA That area within the performance space within which the actor may move in full view of the audience. Also known as the playing area This term is also used to describe the smaller subdivisions of the main stage area which are lit separately by the lighting designer (e.g.

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Some rules may very but they are all similar.

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Everything You Need to Know and Then Some

Learning theater etiquette will enable you to avoid embarrassment. There are certain unspoken rules that apply to theatre attendance that only those that have been initiated into the process know. Avoid the risk of seeming boorish by learning about the proper way to manage your behavior in a performance to increase your level of enjoyment and participate as a courteous audience member.

Above all, it is important to remember that the actors on stage can see and hear you at the same time you can see and hear them. Be respectful of the actors and your fellow audience members by being attentive and observing these guidelines. Going to a show is a special experience, one that you will remember for a lifetime. Everyone in the audience has been looking forward to seeing the performance just as much as you have, so it's very important to remember the rules of theater etiquette. That way, everyone can have a good time.

When You Buy Your Tickets

Purchasing a ticket is required for a live theatre performance and it will be for a specific date and show. Be sure to check your ticket when you buy it, because tickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged if it is less than 48 hours before the show.

Dress Code

Our patrons usually dress in business casual attire for most performances and in cocktail attire for Opening Nights. If you are celebrating something special, by all means, dress for the occasion. However, we'd rather have a patron come in jeans than not come at all out of concern for how they are dressed.

Always remove your hat. Ladies, if you must wear a hat and leave it on, make sure it is small and will not block anyone's view. Failure to comply may result in relocation to a wall seat or ejection from the auditorium.

While we keep the thermostat set at 70-74 degrees (F), it is still frequently chilly in the auditorium, even in the summer months. Bring a sweater, jacket or sport coat. If you forget, or find you need something after arrival, HLT has shawls and throws for loan.

Arrival and Attendance

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the performance and no later than 15 minutes before the start of a performance. Stay with your family or group at all times. Wait for the ushers to help you find your seat - they'll want to see your ticket to make sure everyone is in the right place. Be sure to sit in the seat you are given so that you don't cause confusion for other audience members.

What should I do if I arrive late? Don't push your way into the theatre or demand to be seated immediately. HLT's policy is to seat latecomers at intermission. However, if possible, the ushers and the house manager will try to work out when is the next moment when people entering the theatre will cause the least disruption. Usually this is during a scene break or the applause break at the end of a song. Just alert the usher that you have arrived late and ask to be seated. The usher will usually peek into the house, and escort you to your seat when the time is right. There is a safety issue here, too. Plunging into a darkened theatre could lead to a trip or fall; ushers with flashlights will help you avoid that. If your seat is down near the stage, you also may wish to stand at the back of the theatre until intermission. Warning: Some shows, especially comedies, will incorporate latecomers into the performance. The Blue Man Group in Orlando stops the show and puts a spotlight on arrivals being seated after the show starts. Note: Please check the curtain times on your tickets! Beginning October 1, 2012, most evening shows start at 7:30 PM and matinees at 2:30 PM, but there are ocassional exceptions. Do not argue with the ushers about having to wait, they are just doing their job. Highlands Little Theatre has a television screen in the lounge showing the performance while you wait.

Be seated and listen to the announcements before the show. While you might see it as a commercial, we see it as communicating. Yes, we tell you about upcoming shows and events we hope you will buy tickets for and attend. But, we also relate safety information and sometimes include information important to the upcoming performance. Show the same respect you would want if you were up there doing it.

At most performances, you will receive a printed program. Be sure to arrive early enough to read the program, so that you will have an idea of what to expect in the show. Also, you will find the names and information about people who are performing and helping to put on the show. Read the credits to learn more about the people and the performance. It will make the show more enjoyable and you'll learn things that might surprise you.

During the Show

Leaving during the performance is considered highly disrespectful. It is not the same as going to see a movie. Patrons pay high fees to enjoy the theater experience, and leaving in the middle of a performance should never be done except in an extreme emergency. It may also be dangerous in the dark after the show starts. Visit the restroom before the performance begins. Unless there is an emergency, plan to stay seated during the performance. Wait until the house lights come up before attempting to leave.

Turn off your cell phone and any other electronic devices (iPods, Blackberries, etc.), or better yet, leave them in your car. The light and noise from cell phones and other electronic devices is a big distraction, so please, if you must Tweet, post to Facebook or text message, sit in a wall seat on the back row or in the lounge. Similarly, make sure that any watch alarm or on-the-hour beeps are turned off. If you have one of those clap-activated car-key locators, turn it off, as well. Never use a laptop during a performance.

Can I take photos during the show? No. It's forbidden by law. Audiotape and videotape recording is also forbidden. If you're caught, you'll be asked to leave. Flash photos are actually dangerous to the actors, who may be temporarily dazzled by the flash and step off the stage. Taking pictures also goes against the agreement that you obligate yourself to when you HYPERLINK "http://www.ehow.com/info_8705519_theater-etiquette.html"purchase the tickets. And, there are copyright issues with the taking of photos and videos. Our performers are usually available after the show in the lobby. Feel free to take your photos then.

Everyone likes goodies during the movies, but in the theater we save the snacks for intermission. While food and drink is allowed into the auditorium, eating during the show is frowned upon. If you have cough drops or other items that come in noisy wrappers, please open them before the show begins. Properly dispose of all gum. Remember we want this to be a good experience for everyone.

Do not talk, whisper, sing, or hum during the performance. Be quiet when needed! Often in the theater we pretend the audience is not there. That's why we put the audience in the dark. You have to be quiet and play along. Sometimes you need to pretend you are listening in but not letting anyone know you are there.

Can I talk during the overture and entr'acte? No. They're part of the show, too.

What can I do if someone is being loud or annoying - without becoming loud or annoying myself? Start by turning, facing them directly, and glaring. This is completely silent, and generally alerts 99 percent of offenders that they're being offensive. The next step is a sharp "Shh!" or a sotto voce, "Please be quiet." Do not escalate any further than this yourself. The next step is to alert an usher or the "house manager," and let them deal with the offender.

Clapping: One of the biggest mistakes made in a theatre performance is clapping before a thespian concludes their performance. Sometimes knowing when a performance has concluded can be difficult. When in doubt, respond with the audience. Appropriate times to clap are between acts or sets. You should also applaud at the end of a solo or when the performance has concluded. At the end of the show all of the participants will come on stage and take a bow. If the audience claps for an extended period of time, the performers will come back to bow a second or even third time. Not everyone stays to watch movie credits roll, but applauding for the actors is a way you can show them how much you enjoyed it. Applause is a sound actors love to hear! Actors are thrilled when they receive a "Standing Ovation." If you want to pay them the highest praise, you might stand and applaud. It's reserved for the best performances.

React to what's happening on stage. Please feel free to have honest reactions to what is happening onstage. You can laugh, applaud and enjoy the performance. However, please don't talk during the performance; it is extremely distracting to other audience members and the actors. Save discussions for intermission and after the performance.

Wait until Intermissionto search through your purse or bag-you may be making more noise than you think.

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Learning theater etiquette will enable you to avoid embarrassment. There are certain unspoken rules that apply to theatre attendance that only those that have been initiated into the process know. Avoid the risk of seeming boorish by learning about the proper way to manage your behavior in a performance to increase your level of enjoyment and participate as a courteous audience member.

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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
―  Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/inspirational

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Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
―  Mahatma Gandhi

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70348 quotes have been tagged as inspirational: Oscar Wilde: 'Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.', William W. Purkey: 'You've gotta dance like ...

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Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.”
―  Bill Keane
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/inspirational

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“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.”
―  John Lennon
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/inspirational

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The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience, there is no theater. Everything done is ultimately for the enjoyment of the audience. They are our guests, fellow players, and the last spoke in the wheel which can then begin to roll. They make the performance meaningful.
Viola Spolin
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/532501?ref=theater

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“Everything you can imagine is real.”
―  Pablo Picasso

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70348 quotes have been tagged as inspirational: Oscar Wilde: 'Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.', William W. Purkey: 'You've gotta dance like ...

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What's great about collaborating is getting to work with wonderful people. That's what theatre is about: other people getting you to give your best, and getting everyone else's best out of them.
Jason Robert Brown

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"What's great about collaborating is getting to work with wonderful people. That's what theatre is about: other people getting you to give your best, and getting everyone else's best out of them." - Jason Robert Brown