It also refers to the drama or plot point in the story that has been arrived to at that juncture. A "good act break" heightens the tension or introduces new plot twist or complication so as to leave a cliff-hanger for the start of the next act.

The director may be involved to one extent or the other in this process, and most certainly later might adjust whatever performances result from this work, sometimes just by tweaking, sometimes in great measure.

The actor may be presenting their character from a written script that they have either memorized or are reading as they perform, or they may be improvising their performance.

"Actor" is now the preferred term for such male, female, and gendre fluid performers. Though "actress" is still in use to some extent for females.

"Thespian" was the original term for such performers, which dates back to ancient Greece and Thespis of Icaria, who is credited as the first known actor as well as having innovated the new art of theatrical story telling as a playwright, a stage director, and what can be called the first theatrical producer.

See www.actorsequity.org

Note: a specific actor's theatrical agent or manager may negotiate the wage, and perhaps other specifics, for that actor's participation in a theatre production, within the bounds of the general Equity contract agreements and stipulations.

Actors are typically required to give short performances. The performances may be from sides that the director or producers have provided before the audition appointment (sometimes required to be memorized, sometimes not), or prepared monologues they've been asked to bring in. Sometimes they are asked to do cold readings from the script, on the spot. Movie and TV productions often require screentests, though an in-person, live audition may also be required, especially as a callback audition. Singers usually are asked to bring in short excerpts of appropriate songs to perform (providing the sheet music for accompanists); sometimes they are sent specific songs to prepare for the audition. Sometimes they are asked to sight read a song. The process is similar for musicians.

Dancers and other performers have similar requirements, relative to their performance arts.

Any of these varied performers may also be given pieces or challenges during the audition to demonstrate the breadth of their ranges within their disciplines.

Beyond the screentests for screen actors, any performers, including stage actors, may be required, or allowed, to submit video recorded auditions, at least as their initial auditions. Voice actors virtually always submit audio recorded auditions first.

In some cases, an audition may be only an interview. In such cases it will typically be a situation where those conducting the audition are already familiar with the talent and skill level of the auditioner, thus only other variables are under question, such as availability or perhaps a sense of whether the performer will be a good match with the team and other performers involved in the project. The interview-only audition is most common in movie productions where the auditioner is a well-known actor.

2) VERB: to perform in some artistic manner at an audition with the goal of being cast or otherwise chosen or hired as the result.

Sometimes this technician will also act as the lighting technician.

2) The sections of a page, scene, act or script that are of a certain emotional level, a certain intention, a certain energy level, or a certain plot point, or any mixtures, thereof.

3) Significant moments on the story plot or story arch that indicate shifts in the tone, story direction, or the introduction of story conflicts. These beat changes may be subtle, grandiose, or anywhere in between.

4) "Beat" as in timing: a brief pause before a character begins to speak or take an action, each beat is usually a one count.

2) A theatre that mounts its productions on a black box stage.

2) As a NOUN: the actors' movements on stage during a play, which is recorded by stage management (SM, ASM or AD) in the prompt script.

"He loves walking The Boards" translates to: "He loves being a theatreical stage actor."

2) The broad term for theatre as mounted in the Broadway District in Broadway houses.

2)* In terms of "business" during performance, see STAGE BUSINESS

2) as a NOUN: (as in "casting") The process of choosing/hiring actors or other performers for a theatrical production or a project. Usually done by means of an audition.

3) as a NOUN: (as in "the cast") The actors and other performers who have been chosen/hired for a theatrical production or a project.

Casting directors do not make the decisions about who will be cast in a production, but they do act as filters, making available to the production only those auditioners that are deemed right for the roles being cast.

Casting directors also are the liaisons between the actors (or other performers,) or their agents/managers, and the the production team, dealing with wage negotiations and other contractual agreements.

CDs are more common in the TV and movie industry than the theatre world.

See "Casting Director/Agent" at www.media-match.com for more detailed information.

Note 1: some roles or some plays/musicals, on the contrary, actually call for such big, overbearing performances, especially if the role or material is comedic, or in many cases operatic.

Note 2: sometimes, "over-acting" does not quite meet the heights of "chewing scenery," but still may be too big for what is needed for the moment; or simply means that the perfomance is not appearing like natural behavior.

1. Independent professional productions mounted in a booked theatre space with an open-ended run, where the closing date is determined by how well the box office sales are doing. The prime example of this is a commercial Broadway production. In fact, Broadway is almost the exclusive home for such productions, with Las Vegas theatre being the runner up.
2. Professional touring companies where the producers book the show into local theatrical venues along the tour route for set periods of time from one performance date through several weeks, or more. Tours are often independent productions, but can be corporate productions, such as the tours of Disney musicals.
3. Dinner theatre productions which are produced by a theatre that, as the name suggests, serves meals to the audience members, who dine while watching the performance. Like regional theatres, dinner theatres have a set season of shows with close-ended runs for each. Dinner theatres lean toward producing lighter fair rather than heavy dramas, musicals being the most popular production choice. Dinner theatre is more prominent in the mid-west.

There may be variations on all these examples, but they all have one point in common: the productions are intended to make a profit to be shared by the investors. A commercial theatre production may or may not be Actors Equity Association union productions, except for Broadway shows, which are Equity.

The term "songwriter" is not favored for musicals, but could be the term used for someone commissioned to write a song or songs for use in a straight play.

*see also continuity, in film, which is similar but has some expanded meaning.

In British theatre, "corpsing" is used more widely for an actor breaking character in general, including when going up, or even when one's performance causes another actor to laugh or otherwise break character. British lore says the term probably comes from the idea of "murdering the scene."

Seasoned actors can, given the right circumstances save an unprompted laugh by staying in character and presenting the laugh as coming from that character. Obviously it would have to be a scene where it would be appropriate for the character to laugh, and obviously if playing a corpse would not be that time. Some actors can quickly turn the corpsing laugh into another emotion, such as crying, again, only in scenes where it would be appropriate.

See the following articles about corpsing:

• "7 times actors lost it on camera and it stayed in the show"
• "How to Stop Corpsing on Stage or in Rehearsal"

The designer may make or "build" costumes, use costumes in the theatre collection (often with augmentation and tailoring), or buy, rent, or lease costumes. The costume designer is also responsible for the accessories the actors will need for their characters, such as canes, hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry, etc., with such items often being key to helping define the perception of a particular character.

The costume designer usually is who creates the costume plot, which is the written chart of what particular costumes or pieces of clothing the actors need for each scene of the play.

2) The cloth drape that hangs between the playing area of proscenium stage and the apron. It usually opens in the middle with the two halves being pulled to their respective sides of the stage.

Sometimes the performers do not exit stage but simply take their bows, often in this case the lights fade to black at the end of the performance then come back up for the curtain call. The succession from lesser player to star is usually kept, with the lesser performers bowing first and the star bowing last.

It's often the practice for the group as a whole, after their bows, to then gesture toward the technical crew, as well as, in musical productions, the orchestra and its conductor, to acknowledge and recognize their important contributions.

In professional theatre, the director rarely gives the curtain speech, it is usually a staff member, frequently the theatre's artistics director. Also quite often, rather than a person giving the curtain speech live on stage at a professional theatre, an adio recording is played.

In non-professional theatre is is very often the productions director, or the theatre company's president or chairman of the board of directors.

A cut is essentially the same thing as a side, the distinction being that a cut or cutting is usually chosen by the actor and a side is chosen by the director or casting director.

Promotional video clips also employ "cuts," usually with more than one character (actor) in the cutting.

"The theatre (or show) is dark on Mondays" means there is no performance (or rehearsals) on Mondays ‐‐ the typical case for professional theatres.

Sometimes a show is called dark after production has closed.

"Deus ex machina" was a convention of ancient Greek theater, where actual machines, usually cranes, were used to push an actor up through a trap door or lower them from above. In present day it is most frequently criticized as lazy writing.

See the page on "Deus ex machina" at Wikipedia.

Often in the dialect work with students the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is employed.

The director further has the most significant amount of creative control over the other artistic elements of the production, with all of the potential designers (scenic, lighting designer, sound, costumes), as well as the technical director (if there is one), answering to his or her vision of the play. If it's a musical, the the musical director and choreographer will also work toward the director's vision. All of these people will usually have collaborative input concerning their specific expertise.

In some professional productions, especially in commercial theatre, there might be restrictions placed on artistic authority, restrictions dictated by the producers based on commercial considerations. In all situations (professional or non-professional) a director's artistic decision might be vetoed simply due to budgetary concerns.

Usually the director will have authority over all casting, though in bigger commercial productions producers will have strong input and even veto power. Sometimes in such bigger commercial productions the producers cast major stars before a director is engaged.

For new plays that are being first developed, the director are commonly involved in script revision, both during rehearsals and during previews, consulting with the playwright, making suggestions, etc.

2) As a movement on stage: to move down left means the actor or other performer moves toward the part of the stage closest to the audience at a leftward angle, from said performer's perspective as he or she faces the audience.

2) As a movement on stage: to move down left means the actor or other performer moves toward the part of the stage closest to the audience at a rightward angle, from said performer's perspective as he or she faces the audience.

2) As a movement on stage: to move down stage (or, down) means the actor or other performer moves directly toward the part of the stage closest to the audience ‐‐ usually with no deviation to the left or right, which would be "down left" or "down right," respectively.

Most script-writing software will format dual dialogue in this side-by-side manner. The side-by-side method is not the only way to indicate dual dialogue, but it is a favored manner in all of the film, TV, and theatrical industries.

tripple dialogue may also be formatted side-by-side, though not all scriptwriting software will format three side-by-side. If more than three people are talking simultaneously, usually there are directions to indicate such and each character's lines are on the page as usual.

In the theatre, movie, TV (broadcast, cable, or on-line), and literature publishing industries the elevator pitch will be directed at whomever it is can approve your perspective project or can get the proposal infront of the right person. It's often verbal but can just as often be written on paper or electronically.

For stage and screen projects the elevator pitch is often describe as an extended logline, and might be included in the roman numeral pages before a script begins the story pages. It may even be a cover page for a treatment.

Though the focus is on screen productions, this article at Screen Craft has good information: "How Writers Can Master the Elevator Pitch," by Ken Miyamoto

Click here for more information on Guest Artists Agreement, from AEA

As of 2017 an EMC candidate who has earned 25 credits (weeks) of work at participating theatres has the option to join the union; that option lasts for six months from the date of completing the 25 weeks. The candidate may either opt to join the union or enter into "Phase 2" of the EMC program, by paying an additional $200 and earning an additional 25 points (25 weeks). The candidate may join AEA at any point during Phase 2 "as long as [the candidate does not] have non-Equity work lined up."^[1]

However, in line with what was the case before, once the candidate has finished Phase 2, (i.e.: worked a grand-total of 50 weeks), the actor has five years to join. But the actor is required to join if she or he is hired into an Equity production during the five years.

In either phase of candidacy, the weeks worked do not have to be consecutive, and may be accumulated over any length of time.

There are fast-track procedures that may come into play under certain circumstances, especially if an actor or production person already belongs to another related professional union (a "sister union"), such as SAG/AFTRA, AGMA, to name two.

There are specific circumstances that can cause a candidate to lose all points and eligibility. As stated above, once EMCs have earned the 50 points they have five years to join the union, if they do not, they lose the eligibility and have to start over. Also, during that five year period, if eligible persons are engaged to work an Equity production, they must sign an Equity contract and join the union or forfeit their eligibility.

[1] from the standard Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) Registration Form

Click here for more information on Special Appearance Agreement, from AEA

The term is sometimes used for Equity/non-Equity theatres as well, but is often restricted as reference to Equity-only houses.

Exposition can be done in clever manners that make the introduction of the information smooth and perhaps even matter-of-fact. The danger is that exposition can also be clumsy and seemed forced and unnatural, which calls attention to it and may take the audience members out of the story, out of their suspension of disbelief.

Also, the end of the last performance in a production run.

Though, often during Previews, it's labelled as "the final draft," it might end up getting further revisions before the official opening night performance.

2) Sometimes the fly line is thin but sturdy wire, designed to be difficult or impossible to see from the audience. Fly wires are connected to items or to specially fitted harnesses on actors so the object or the person can be elevated above the stage floor, giving the illusion that the thing or character is flying. In these cases, these fly lines are elements of a special effect.

Verb: the act of recording Foley sound.

*I've taken the liberty of using this term to apply to sound design for a theatre production, when it technically applies to film making

The actual performace of the whole show in front of an audience, is clearly, also a full run.

**see also full tech run

This can also refer to the full run of only one act, but not the entire show.

*See also full run

Generals often are jointly conducted by more than one theatre company, perhaps all the theatres in a region, and will then be known as "unified general auditions" or just simply as either "unified auditions" or "unifieds."

*Generals are almost exclusively a practice of professional theatres; non-professional theatres rarely have general auditions for their seasons.

The director may also say "give more."

*as opposed to pulling back

A situation where this most prevalent is with actors who have been hired by medical schools or law schools to play the roles of patients, clients, or witnesses, armed with fact sheets but no script and expected to improvise based on the details they've been given to help teach the medical or law students.

Some auditors may also accept 5"x7" or 4"x6" headshot prints.

Other members of a company besides performers may also have their headsots in the program or on display, especially the director of a play.

House mangers are charged to be sure the audiences members feel welcomed to the show and that they have a safe experience throughout their visit to the theatre. House managers are also there to answer questions, listen to patrons' compliments and concerns, and see that the ushers do likewise.

In smaller professional theatre and many non-professional theatres the HM may also act as the usher, being the one who takes tickets, hands out the playbills, and helps audience members find their seats. Often, however, the ushers perform these tasks, answering to the house manager.

HMs also coordinate with box office managers and workers, and stage managers, concerning when the box office will be closed before the curtain and whether the curtain (start of the show) needs to be held. He or she also works with the stage manager concerning when it is okay to "open the house" ‐‐ i.e.: open the seating area to the public.

Often, in both professional and non-professional theatres, there will be a head house manager, who could be called General House Manager, and subordinate house managers who are on-site to manage specific performances. This head house manager will be the one who is in charge of all training for house, as well as hiring (or recruitment, in volunteer situations) of all assistant HMs and all ushers, as well as the scheduling of such.

The most prolific examples of improv are improv comedy troupes such as the famed Second City, which originated out of Chicago, The Upright Citizens Brigade, also founded in Chicago, or The Groundlings (Los Angeles).

But there is also dramatic improv acting both on stage and in movie or TV productions. Often in the latter two there will only be moments that are improvised rather than whole productions. It may be as simple as an actor improvising one line in a scene, or some, most or all of a particular scene may be improvised.

Actors may also be hired by medical schools or law schools to play the roles of patients, clients, or witnesses, armed with fact sheets but no script and expected to improvise based on the details they've been given to help teach the medical or law students. This may be referred to as "guided improv."

One major purpose is to avoid the sense of, or the actual perpetration, of sexual harassment or sexual abuse, whether that might come from one of the performers involved, from the director, or from anyone else on the production team.

One major purpose is to avoid the sense of, or the actual perpetration, of sexual harassment or sexual abuse, whether that might come from one of the performers involved, from the director, or from anyone else on the production team.

The other major purpose is to create an environment that, beyond the avoidance of sexual harassment or abuse, still otherwise is an environment that fosters he feeling os safety and comfort for all involved, especially the performers acting out the intimacy.

In the terms of theatre this will mostly apply to the playwright or the composer, but can also apply to anyone else on the creative team, from director to any of the designers, or anyone contributing creative input, and translates to whatever creative elements such are responsible for.

see "How to 'Kill Your Darlings' and Survive the Process," by Ruthanne Reid.

*Note that this definition is not gender specific

In the case of an opera, the librettist will write only the directions and possibly the lyrics, and only the occasional, rare spoken word.

2) The action or line on stage during a theatrical performance that designates the execution of lighting or a light change.

Timing reflects what verbal or visual cue the light technician will use to execute each light cue that is run from the light board in the tech booth.

Length means what it suggests: how long the light stays up, or how long it takes to fade up a light or fade it to black.

Focus means what space or object on stage each light or group of lights is to illuminate or highlight.

Intensity means how bright or dim, harsh or soft each light will be.

Color means what it suggests.

In most professional and many non-professional settings, the light tech will follow cues as called by the stage manager, who either will be seated nearby or will communicate over a walkie-talkie system. Otherwise, the light tech will execute cues by following along in a script with the light cues marked.

In non-professional theatre, line notes are frequently given verbally; they are usually still under the umbrella of the stage manager's responsibilities.

After a production has opened to performances, line notes may still be given in professional theatre, and usually are verbally delivered by the stage manager. In non-professional theatre, they are not as common during the performance stage.

2) "Running lines" is also when actors practice their lines outside of a formal rehearsal time, by themselves, with the help of someone prompting them, or with other actors. Often actors will run their lines from a scene together before a rehearsal or performance, or during down time for either a rehearsal or performance. Actors also run their lines alone or with help from a friend or loved one while away from the theatre and perhaps while doing the everyday things of their personal life: cooking, jogging, doing the laundry, taking a walk, etc., etc.

The LORT membership theatres bargain collectively with Actors' Equity Association, The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and United Scenic Artists, among other major labor unions in the entertainment industry.

Many LORT theatres are Equity/non-Equity houses that offer Equity membership candidate contracts, as well as local jobbers contracts.

In musical theatre the lyricist is often also the playwright, who has written "the book" (I.E.: the dialogue of the show), in this case being known as the librettist.

There are many well-known teams of composers and lyricists in Musical Theatre, such as Lerner and Loewe, and Rodgers and Hammerstein, to name only two from a much longer list.

*The lyricist is not to be confused with the "songwriter" who creates both the music and lyrics.

One example from the theatre world of magic realism are the appliances which interact with the lead character, Caroline, in Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change.

When there is a main stage and one or more other stages, there is usually more than one production being mounted in the theatre building at any given time, whether one or both are in rehearsal or performances have begun.

Some theatre groups may refer to their only stage as the main stage, but typically if there is a "main stage" there is at least one more stage.

2) A production at a theatre that is part of the theatre's regular season line-up and not an extra, such as a special holiday production, a children's theatre production, or some sort of new play series production.

2) as a verb: the act of putting up an object or material to obscure the audience's view of something.

In a professional production the master carpenter will coordinate with the scenic painters and fabricators to meet the scenic design. In a non-professional production the master carpenter may also serve as manager of the painters and fabricators.

If she or he is a staff member at a regional theatre or a college theatre, the master carpenter usually manages the scene shop, maintains all the equipment and tools, and coordinates with the visiting production staff who may be renting the theatre.

This may also be called a soliloquy, especially if the length starts to reach a page or more; though soliloquies more often feature the character (the actor) alone on stage or with the other actors in darkness, and perhaps motionless, if they are on stage.

Many auditions, especially for professional theatre companies, have a requirement that actors perform at least one monologue, and often two of contrasting dramatic intent (i.e.: dramatic and comic), and usually restrict each monologue to one minute or less, or a similar time length.

Traditionally, in most theatres, the first intermission is 15 minutes long and the the others are 10 or fewer minutes. Often the second intermission, and/or third, etc., is five minutes "to stretch your legs."

It is rare in the third millennium for new plays to have three or more acts, even musicals. In fact, far more than half of all new straight plays are one-acts.

See also:
two-act play
three-act play

2) The graphical representation of notes on the musical staff bars, on paper or some manner of electronic document (such as pdf or a web page).

IE: in a musical, two lovers singing to each other are simply having a conversation, whereas in a straight play, they would understand that they are singing to each other as a unique behavior.

Traditionally, the original French revues did incorporate much dancing ‐‐ chorus lines, especially ‐‐ as well as interspersed comedic skits.

2) In any sort of reading, the actor or production person who reads aloud the selected stage directions or any other information that is not the lines of the characters.

Performers, designers, and production crew will only receive financial compensation for their involvements in a production under special circumstances:

1. There is some need for an Equity actor, perhaps to perform in a special fund-raiser for the organization, who appears under a Equity special appearance contract, which must be approved by the Actors Equity Association union.
2. It is not uncommon to pay musical directors and musicians (including rehearsal accompanists) when non-professional theatres mount musicals, in light of the special skills needed.
3. Some non-professional theatres pay for lighting or other designers, either as a rule or under some extenuating circumstances.
4. Some non-professional theatres pay a stipend to directors.
5. A non-professional theatre production is in need of some unique skill set, such as for a video that needs to be produced for use in the show, or for an original portait of a cast member is needed for the show, and no volunteer with the skill set is available,

In general, most organizational and artistic ventures in a non-professional theatre and its productions are volunteered "for the love of the craft," and in many non-professional theatres, all are volunteered.

Non-professional theatres do typically charge ticket fees for performances, but all proceeds are for covering production overhead; any proceeds left are for operational overhead ‐‐ i.e.: no one draws a personal dividend from the production, or from the tax deductible donations made to the organization.

**For More Detailed Perspectives on the Specific Term "Community Theatre" see the following:

Kudos about what was done well also fall under the term, "notes."

After a production has moved into performance, all notes go through the stage manager, who relays them to cast and crew members, especially in a professional production.

On rare occasions there may be a prompter (someone on book) during a live performance, usually prompting the lines via a microphone that feeds to an ear bug speaker.

Also, to follow along to check the accuracy of the actors' delivery of their lines against the written dialogue.

Note that in this third millennium, most new straight plays being written and produced are one-acts. Less than half of all new plays are two-acts, and it is extremely rare for one to have three acts or more. Though contemporary musicals are still more likely to be written and performed in two acts.

One-person shows (AKA: one-handers) are often written by the actor who performs them. Many actors will also commission a playwright to write the script, usually based on a concept or some parameters that will highlight and showcase the particular actor's strong suits.

A One-Man Show would obviously be an OPS featuring a male performer, and a One-Woman Show would feature a female performer.

Often in professional theatre settings there have been one or more preview performances, which have also been open to the public, but with ticklets at slightly to greatly reduced prices and for which critics were prohibited from attending. In non-commercial theatre, preview performances are incredibly rare, though an audience of invited guests are sometimes in attendeance at the Final Dress Rehearsal.

Though the overwhelming percentage of operas are in the musical genres of the classical tradition, the genres of popular music (especially rock) have been employed to great success in the last several decades. One of the most well-know examples being Jesus Christ Superstar.

But "The Pit," can be located anywhere that it does not obstruct the audience's view of the stage, even in theatre houses with proscenium stages. Often the pit is up stage, behind the action, or off stage (stage right or left), again, in locations that do not obstruct the view of the audience.

Not necessarily all designers, cues and actions may be discussed at particular paper tech, thus other paper techs for the production would happen with other designers attending and other elements covered. But the ideal paper tech had all those involved in attendance and all aspects covered.

Paper techs are not as common in non-professional productions.

Pick-up techs are almost exclusively done in professional productions.

The call to places is also directed at the stage crew and the technicians who must then be at their appropriate stations.

Typically, early warnings, such as "Ten minutes till places," are also given so the cast and crew have time to prepare.

see "How to Write a Screenplay: Script Writing Example & Screenwriting Tips."

Playbills may also be available as a website or downloadable PDF document.

2) a written or verbal assessment of a production, after its completion, following some or all of the guidelines in the paragraph above.

Practical, or organic, sound also is any sound effects created by performers or stage techs who mechanically manipulate objects during a live performance, by doing such things as:

• flexing pieces of aluminum, or like substance, to simulate the sound of thunder
• pouring kitty liter, or like substance, onto a surface to simulate the sound of rain
• any other physical actions to simulate any other sort of sound

This mechanical sound creation during live stage performances is often referred to as "Foley sound," borrowing the term from the movie industry where it originated.

Often concerts also have pre-show music, especially modern pop and rock shows.

The term preproduction can also apply to the gathering of information and resources for the develeopment of a lighting or sound design, or for the design and creation of special effects.

Independent Producers (professional) ‐‐ In commercial theatres productions, such as those on Broadway in New York City, on the West End of London, or national and international touring productions, the producers will be the ones who have raised the financial backing, perhaps even contributing from their own liquid assets, and either will play an active role in the mounting of the production, involving themselves in the management aspects, perhaps even creative aspects, or will hire or partner with producers under them to take such active participation. All the producers, from the backers to the managers are considered independent producers since they are attached to a production and not a specific theatre or theatre company.

Producing Artistic Director or Managing Artistic Director (professional) ‐‐ this is a producer for a professional regional theatre, a repertory theatre, or a theatre company (or "troupe") where the entity has resident artists or company members, and often permanent production staff, such as a resident stage manager, resident directors, a head carpenter, and designers (lighting, sound, costumes, etc. ‐‐ who are often classified as resident artists). Usually, but not always, such theatre companies are professional non-profit theatres, rather than for-profit enterprises. The producing artistic director is in charge of putting together the company's theatrical season, either picking the shows that will be produced, or overseeing that process. If the company also has a managing director, many of the more business management aspects of running the company, such as soliciting funding for the organization are likely to be under the management of that managing director; if there is not one, they will fall to the artistic director, who may have the label of "Producing Artistic Director" or that of "Managing Artistic Director." The artistic and managing directors will work in partnership with their split of responsibilities coming from mutual agreement or the dictates of a charter or constitution. Either way, the artistic director will oversee the artistic direction of the company, including production budgets.

There may, however, be a staff producer, perhaps labelled as a "line producer," assigned to each specific production during a theatre company's season, who oversees the specific budgetary and creative needs of the production, answering back to the artistic director.

In non-professional (amateur) theatre, which in the U.S. will overwhelmingly be the familiar "community theatre" (also prone to be a registered non-profit organization), the producer, in general terms, will be charged to oversee the production of each, or of a specific, show mounted by the theatre.

Producers for such organizations tend to be mandated to be a member of the board of directors or other governing body, so such are essentially the equivalent of staff producers or line producers. The breadth of the producer's responsibilities may very from one such theatre to another, but rarely will not include oversight of the production budget ‐‐ with varying degrees of authority and veto power over expenditures, depending on the dictates of each theatre. The responsibilities will include all or most of: securing the designers (set, lighting, sound, costumes, properties, etc.), the securing of stage crew, some level of outreach to potential cast members before auditions, management of auditions, perhaps some or much involvement in publicity for the production, and trouble-shooting throughout pre-production, the rehearsal period, and the production run.

The degree in which the non-professional theatre producer is involved in some of the tasks in the previous paragraph will depend on the set-up and philosophy of the theatre organization or on the particular director for a specific production. Some directors will come into the project with a favorite stage manager or set designer, as examples.

In general, in the non-professional theatre setting, with the virtually universal authority of budget oversight, the producer's job is to help meet the needs of the director and the production as a whole, as each need arises.

The most common usage of the term is for the period of the rehearsals and the performances of the play, or other performance artform.

Occasionally one may be only referring to the performance period, and often then, the performances after the previews have finished, i.e.: from Opening Night, onward.

Thusly, "in production" typically means a theatrical show is somewhere in the rehearsal or performance periods. Occasionally, it may mean only being in the performance period, and sometimes then, only from Opening Night onward. "When does the production go up?" translates to "when do performances begin?"

The musical score of a musical production is not considered "production music," though there may be sound effect music that is considered so in a musical.

Sometimes production photos are taken during performances, but that circumstance is rare.

Also known as "sound cues."

‐‐ K.L.Storer          

The prompt book may also hold a contact list of all pertinent production people, including the cast, as well as information about the theatre or performance facility, show reports, local amenities (for a touring company), safety and emergency procedures and other pertinent information.

Frequently, as you look at an opened prompt book, it has the script on one side (page), and the cues on the other, with a line between the cue (a word or line of dialogue or an action of blocking), and the effects cue itself (be it a light cue, a sound cue, or other special effect).

The above description is the common standard for professional theatre productions. Often in non-professional theatre the prompt book is less elaborate, especially in cases where the stage manager does not call the show (give verbal instructions to the sound tech, light tech and any PAs of all cues during a performance). Frequently in non-professional productions the SM does not call the show, but supervises the set changes between scenes and the management of props and costumes. In these cases the prompt book may not contain all cues, just blocking, which is mostly useful during rehearsals and falls to the side by the time performances have begun. In these cases, usually the technicians, especially lighting and sound, have their own prompt scripts with only the cues relevant to them in the book; and they are responsible to execute the effects themselves when the correct verbal or visual cues happen during performance.

Sometimes things that are otherwise considered set pieces will become props if the actors/characters use them in a significant manner. For instance a dinning room chair will still be considered a set piece if all the actor does is pull it out and sit on it as an act incidental to the scene. If it becomes a bone of contention between to characters in the story who argue over where it goes in the room, and each keeps moving it to make a point, or if pulling the chair out to sit on it is significant to the plot of the scene or overall story, it is now a prop.

Conversely, any item mentioned in the first paragraph above is not a prop, but rather a set piece if it is on the set but is not used by the actors/characters. These items may also be referred to as set dressing.

At regional theatres, dinner theatres, and collegiate theatres, the property master (as distinguished from a property manager/coordinator) will be on staff, and will manage the theatre's inventory of properties as well as work with each production of the season.

In independent commercial theatre productions, booked for open ended runs in one house or for close-ended runs on tour, there is also a property master/manager/coordinator on the production staff but he or she is generally freelance and tethered only to that particular production. Such may be alternately distinguished at the prop manager.

In non-professional theatre there usually is a volunteer, who usually is a member of the board of directors or other governing body, who is prop master for the theatre and manages the theatre's prop inventory, but may not work directly with each production but rather advises the production prop masters (or manager/coordinator), or other volunteers working on specific productions.

The director may also say "give less."

*Though "going bigger" is the term usually used for the opposite of this, "pulling back" is more commonly used for this than is "going smaller."

2) Also a reading with actors that occurs for a play in progress, or for a newly finished play, so the playwright can hear the words (the dialogue) out loud and gage how effective the manuscript is at that moment. It's usually an informal venture and typecasting is frequently not taken into consideration. Such readings may take place as part of a play writing class, or a play writing group, and it's not uncommon for them to be arranged by playwrights, on their own, and may occur in their's or a colleague's home. Often these readings are closed (or private) with only a small amount of invited participants.

2) A production staff member who reads with an actor who is auditioning.

3) Short for reader's theatre.

The actors usually are not in costume, but are dressed in blacks or other subdued, neutral tones. Though there is sometimes costuming involved.

Playwrights often have dramatic readings, as table readings, of their works in progress, so they can hear the work out loud, which aids them in identifying problems to be addressed, problems not as easily discerned by simply reading the text.

2) An actor's emotional and intellectual interpretation and execution of the lines, or any portion of the lines, the character, which that actor is portraying, has in a play,

See Wikipedia's "Regional Theater in the United States" for more detailed information.

To be "in rehearsal" means the person or the production is in this stage of preproduction preparation and practice.

*Generally differentiated from a "rewrite," which is usually considered to result in more significant changes to the script than a revision does.

*Generally differentiated, as here, from a "revision," which is usually considered to result in less significant changes to the script as a whole than a rewrite. Revisions may also occur during the periods mentioned above

2) NOUN (as in "production run"): The period from the beginning date to ending date of the performances in front of a live audience.

3) VERB: The act of rehearing a play, act, scene or scenes, or portions of a scene, in consecutive order, with as few stops as possible.

Sometimes, only the stage hands and anyone who works to physically place, strike, or otherwise move properties, set pieces, trucks, or other set items that move or change on stage, are considered the "run crew."

Scene work is common in acting classes, as well, as a teaching device to hone acting skills.

2) NOUN: the music score.

To some extent or another most of those involved with the production will analyse the script. Directors will need to have as broad and as complete an understanding of their interpretations of their scripts as possible. The designers likewise need to have a firm understanding and interpretation, though they will work in close consultation with their directors, whose visions of the script take precedence.

Actors need, at a bare minimum, to analyse their characters' mental and emotional goals and motivations, and what part they play in telling the story. But it is better if they have more of an understanding than simply just that which concerns their characters.

Often during table work for a production the group as a whole works on script analysis.

Though set dressing items are set pieces they can usually be considered more as garnishes: both a sofa and the knitted throw that covers its back are set pieces, but the knitted throw is also set dressing, while the sofa generally is not considered such.

Other set pieces that are also set dressing include, but are not exclusive to, such things as tchotchkes, refrigerator magnets, items on shelves, pictures or paintings on walls, so long as these things are not used by or interacted with by the actors/characters (which would make them props) or are not somehow a focal point of plot for the scene or overall story line. A painting that hangs on the wall of a set and is not attended to by the characters, is set dressing; one that is a topic of conversation or is somehow a relevant item in the story is a prop, even if not physically used by the actors/characters.

2) as a VERB: the act of placing items, which the actors/characters do not use or interact with, on the set of a theatre, movie, TV, or video production, that represent or enhance one or more of the sense of location, time (usually as in era), personality of a character or characters, or events in the universe of the script. The scenic designer will usually have authority over set dressing, and may do the set dressing rather than delegating it to a set dresser.

Some set pieces may also be considered set dressing, usually smaller items such as tchotchkes, househild items, decorations, etc., again, so long as these things are not used by or interacted with by the actors/characters, making them props.

In this new millennium, many stage actors now submit video auditions while on the road or otherwise geographically distance from the auditors casting a theatrical production. Generally such auditions follow the same rules of slating as above, which are comparable to slating for a screentest.

Slating is also done in reader's theatre, where the person reading any stage directions will also slate the script by reading the title, the playwright's name, and any charatcer or setting information that is necessary to read.

The term tends to not be used in musical theatre, with the term "composer & lyricists" (or "composer/lyricists") being the norm. However, the term may be used for one who writes a song to be used in some capicity in a straight play.

2) The action or line on stage during a theatrical performance that designates the execution of a sound effect.

Timing reflects what verbal or visual cue the sound technician will use to execute each sound that is run from the sound board and sound equipment in the tech booth, or other production assistants will use to execute practical sound cues from back stage.

Length means what it suggests: how long the sound lasts.

Physical placement means from what speaker or speakers or practical prop (phone, radio, etc.) will the sound emanate, or from where will the stagehand cause the practical sound to emanate from in his or her back-stage position.

Musical theatre productions, as a rule, do not have or need production music, but often need sound effects, and often have pre-recorded pre-show and intermission music.

The sound designer also will have at least some input, if not complete control, as to whether a sound effect is practical (such as a phone that actually rings on stage) or is a pre-recorded sound effect (a sound file of a phone ringing that is played through a speaker).

The sound designers will usually have a large library of sound effects and may create sounds specifically for a production through new recordings or through mixing two or more sound from their libraries together, or otherwise altering a pre-existing sound file to make it work (slow it down, add reverb, change the treble-bass equalization, etc.) In general terms all this new sound can be called "Foley sound," though strictly speaking, only that which is newly recorded from a practical or organic source is really Foley in the traditional cinematic sense ‐‐ movies being where the term comes from.

The sound designer will also oversee any mechanical engineering or sound wiring and/or cable laying for speakers placed on stage, inside set pieces, or backstage, as well as for any other device that will emit sound, such as a prop phone.

Sound designers may work in close collaboration with directors, or may bring in their own autonomous sound designs, or various points in between, but, all sound design will be subject to final approval by the directors.

• pre-recorded sound
             • types of electronic sound file (AAIF, MP3, WAVE, ect.), digital or analog tape recording, vinyl record
             • system sound is delivered through: main PA, isolated device
• practical sounds
             • telephones, doorbells, etc., on set that can be rang from the sound booth
             • voices, door slams, foot steps, crashes*, ect. that are performed off-stage by actors or production staff members

Selections for pre-show and intermission music are usually part of the sound plot, as well.

*see crash box.

This will include some or all of recording new SFX (Foley) or music, building new SFX from a SFX library and/or with Foley sound, modifying each audio element (for one or more of volume level, equalization, speed, pitch, addition of reverb, echo or other effects), and the programming all sound and music into a computer software application designed for a sound technician's execution of each SFX or piece of music on cue during performance. It also entails the planning and engineering for the execution of practical sounds.

"Sound production" can also be a synonym for sound design.

In most professional and many non-professional settings, the sound tech will follow cues as called by the stage manager, who either will be seated nearby or will communicate over a walkie-talkie system. Otherwise, the sound tech will execute cues by following along in a script with the sound cues marked.

May also be called an Italian run, though such usually also includes the actors doing their blocking, also at a faster pace.

The stage manager is the head of the stage crew, with any assistant stage managers or other production assistants being the subordinates.

The technicians are usually not considered to be stage crew, though they, too, are subordinate to the stage manager

SEE sdcweb.org.

2) As a Movement on stage: To move stage left (or, left) means the actor or other performer moves directly toward the part of the stage to his or her left, as she or he faces the audience ‐‐ usually with no deviation to the front or back of the stage, which would be "down left" or "up left," respectively.

During pre-production and the rehearsal period, the responsibilities of SM vary greatly between Equity, non-Equity professional, and community theatre and other amateur productions.

In an Equity house the SM will supervise the scheduling of actors and technicians, make sure all rehearsals adhere to AEA rules about work hours, conditions and breaks. Thus, the SM works closely with the Equity Sargent (an Equity cast member who has been elected as AEA union rep for the production).

Though PA's or deputy (assistant) stage managers may have the direct duties to execute many or most of these, the SM oversees the recording of all stage directions the director gives each performer, the tracking of all line errors and the dissemination of line notes to the offending actors, the movement, placement and organization of all props, set pieces, and costumes (and costume changes), and all the recording and the error notes for all lighting, sound and special effects cues. In non-Equity professional houses there is rarely deviation from this.

In community theatres there may be much deviation from this, with the director or assistant director taking responsibility for many of these duties. But, generally, after a show is up, SM's in all categories become the boss.

In Equity productions, especially on tour, SMs have great influence, and in some cases, the absolute power, toward firing actors and production employees for cause, with the possible exception of performers (actors) with the heavy clout of "Star Power."

2) The script for a live stage play, and that which meets the proper formating as required by the live theatre business.

see "How to Write a Screenplay: Script Writing Example & Screenwriting Tips."

2) As a Movement on stage: To move stage right (or, right) means the actor or other performer moves directly toward the part of the stage to his or her right, as she or he faces the audience ‐‐ usually with no deviation to the front or back of the stage, which would be "down right" or "up right," respectively.

A stage reading is not to be confused with reader's theatre, where the actors stay stationary at music stands or a table, and use few or no props.

The bible's purpose is to maintain consistency in the lives of the characters and the events in their lives. A story bible becomes especially helpful when applied to any of the serial story-telling mentioned above, especially when different individual scripts, books, or comic books are written by different authors. Often there are additional guidelines about where stories can and cannot go and what can or cannot happen to characters.

Producers, head writers, and editors often demand strict adherence to the applicable story bible and any guidelines, whether all the different stories remain in one medium or cross over into others.

Though a story bible is less likely in the medium of stage plays, playwrights may still create them or, if writing a cross-over script, may be consigned to follow one.

IE: in a musical, two lovers singing to each other are simply having a conversation, but in a straight play, they would understand that they are singing to each other as a unique behavior.

Street Theatre has a legacy of social or political themes though not all Street Theatre adheres to this principle.

As the Wikipedia entry states:

The logistics of doing street theatre necessitate simple costumes and props, and often there is little or no amplification of sound, with actors depending on their natural vocal and physical ability. This issue with sound has meant that physical theatre, including dance, mime and slapstick, is a very popular genre in an outdoor setting. The performances need to be highly visible, loud and simple to follow in order to attract a crowd.

Outdoor theatre that is scheduled and performed in specially designated spaces, such as in reserved spaces in parks, especially such places as amphitheaters, and which has been advertised with tickets sold, and is somehow cordoned off, is not considered Street Theatre.

Click here for the full Wikipedia entry on Street Theatre.

2) As in "Striking a prop, or set piece": to remove a prop or set piece from the stage set during the performance of a show. Usually done by a stage crew member, but sometimes done by an actor. The actor may, in fact, strike the piece during the course of the scene, in character, usually not because the character needs to perform the act, but because it is a strategic way to deal with getting a prop off stage that would otherwise be a problem ‐‐ such as the character has been drinking a cup of coffee and that cup must be gone at the top of the next scene so the director tells the actor to "strike it to the sink" during the scene. Most strikes happen between scenes or at the end of acts and are performed by crew members.

"Stumble-through" can also mean, in a more expansive deffinition, the first time all elements of production are done in a run of the show, including light and sound cues, any musical numbers and choreography, and any special effects, as well the cast being off-book.

*Note: this deffinition is not gender specific

It's also a term used for additions, alterations, or rewriting some portion, or other editing, of a script ‐‐ though the term "punch up" is a little more common.

But any aspect, visual or otherwise, that is somehow altered or enhanced might be considered "sweetened."

See TECH REHEARSAL.

"Tech Sunday" is traditional for many community theatres; professional theatres may have this initial tech day on a different day, often the Friday before that last weekend of rehearsals that kick off Tech Week.

Meanwhile, in non-professional theatre (community theatre), a "Tech Sunday" is the common practice.

In community theatre it is common for this to be the Sunday before the show opens, and is thus know as "Tech Sunday"; professional theatres may have this initial tech day earlier, often the Friday before that last weekend of rehearsals that kick off Tech Week.

2) All of the following rehearsals, where the technical elements are also incorporated into the rehearsal performances can also be referred to as "tech rehearsals," as well as "dress rehearsals" or "tech/dress rehearsals."

3) "Tech" can also refer to the technical elements themselves, as in, "Let's run this section without (or with) tech."

2) As a resident staff member at a professional regional theatre, the technical director, as well as usually taking on all duties as described in "1)," above for all shows produced at the theatre, she or he also ensures that all the technical equipment is consistently in working order and properly maintained, and oversees the safety concerns for all technical equipment. Inventory and all technical schematics for all equipment, lighting, sound, etc., are his or her responsibility, too. The staff technical director will work with the contracted designers and production crews for all productions mounted at the theatre and will be in charge of organizing all set strikes and the accompanying clean-ups for all productions.

• see LIGHTING TECHNICIAN
• see SOUND TECHNICIAN
• see SPECIAL EFFECTS TECHNICIAN
• see VIDEO TECHNICIAN

2) As a verb, to "tech a show" means to do one or more of these duties, above.

3) A technician can also be someone who is brought in to instal or assemble an electronic or mechanical element of the show during the preproduction phase. Such technician might put together a special lighting or sound element, or some elaborate special effects element. They may report to, or work in collaboration with, one or more of the lighting designer, sound designer, or technical director, but will definitely answer to, or collaborate with, the director. This type of technician may stay on, or be available, after the show opens to maintain and/or repair the specific technical element in question.

*) Sudden Fiction: a genre of literature consisting of short stories that are shorter than what is standard, rarley with a word count over 2000 words, and often half that much.

A theatre company may be professional or amateur in nature and will usually have all or some of the following elements: a board of directors (with officers), trustees, an executive director, an artistic director, a producing director, a house manager, outreach, public relations, resident artists (both performers, and sometimes designers), though non-resident artists are frequently employed both as cast members and production staff.

Theatre companies are usually incorporated, either as for-profit or non-profit/not-for-profit entities.

Like thrust stages and traverse stage, theatre-in-the-round dictates that directors, designers, and actors be conscious of different audience members watching from different angles, so blocking, projection and design must be executed so as to not cheat any audience members from seeing or hearing what is going on. Actors should not have their backs to one side for too long a period and must be sure the speak loud enough so those watching them from the back can hear them. The designers, especially the scenic designers, must assure that no section of the audience is blocked from seeing the action.

2) A theatre or facility where the focus is workshopping new plays or musicals.

3) "Workshopping" is the act of these described rehearsals, performances, and the resulting judgements and revisions.

New ballets and operas similarly usually have a workshopping period.

Traditionally, in most theatres, the first intermission is 15 minutes long and the second is 10 or fewer minutes. Often the second intermission is five minutes "to stretch your legs."

It is rare in the third millennium for new plays to have three acts, even musicals. In fact, far more than half of all new straight plays are one-acts.

It may also refer to a scene or a sides with only three characters.

Like traverse stages and theatre-in-the-round, thrust stages dictate that directors, designers, and actors be conscious of different audience members watching from different angles, so blocking, projection and design must be executed so as to not cheat any audience members from seeing or hearing what is going on. Actors should not have their backs to one side for too long a period and must be sure the speak loud enough so those watching them from the back can hear them. The designers, especially the scenic designers, must assure that no section of the audience is blocked from seeing the action.

Like thrust stages and theatre-in-the-round, traverse stages dictate that directors, designers, and actors be conscious of different audience members watching from different angles, so blocking, projection and design must be executed so as to not cheat any audience members from seeing or hearing what is going on. Actors should not have their backs to one side for too long a period and must be sure the speak loud enough so those watching them from the back can hear them. The designers, especially the scenic designers, must assure that no section of the audience is blocked from seeing the action.

Treatments are far more common in the film and TV industry, but can show up occasionally for stage plays. Though these articles are about screenplay and teleplay treatments, for more information see:

"Film treatment" at Wikipedia
"How To Write A Treatment," by Marilyn Horowitz at movie outline

Traditionally, in most theatres, the intermission is 15 minutes long.

Note that in this third millennium, less than half of all new straight plays being written and produced are two-acts. Most new plays are one-acts. Though contemporary musicals are still more likely to be written and performed in two acts.

It can also refer to a scene or a sides with only two characters.

To be "typed" into or for a role means to meet the type description.

*See also, against type

Typecasting can both work to an actor's advantage or be problematic for her or his career. In the first instance actors may get a lot of work because they are strongly identified as particular types. However, some actors may be identified with such a specific type (usually because of some sort of physical attribute) that it becomes hard to imagine them in other types of roles.

In the live theatre world, type casting by reputation of work is more prone to be an issue for actors who constantly work in the same cities or regions. Typecasting by appearance and physical attributes will be an issue regardless of where the stage actor works.

It should be noted that typecasting is a far bigger issue with screen actors than stage actors, the latter who have a better chance of being cast against type.

2) VERB: to "understudy" a role means an actor learns the lines, blocking, music, choreography, and any other relevant aspect of performance in order to take the place of the actor who is primarily cast, whenever such is needed.

See www.usa829.org.

2) As a movement on stage: to move up left means the actor or other performer moves toward the part of the stage farthest from the audience at a leftward angle, from said performer's perspective as he or she faces the audience.

2) As a movement on stage: to move up right means the actor or other performer moves toward the part of the stage farthest from the audience at a rightward angle, from said performer's perspective as he or she faces the audience.

2) As a movement on stage: to move up stage (or, up) means the actor or other performer moves directly toward the part of the stage farthest from the audience ‐‐ usually with no deviation to the left or right, which would be "up left" or "up right," respectively.

3) As a term of undesirable movement or action by an actor, it is: a) when said actor moves upstage of one or more actor, forcing, her, him, or them to turn away from the audience, thus diluting the impact of performance of that actor or those actors; b) when an actor draws undue attention to oneself by exaggerated movement or other over-acting, thus taking the focus away from where it belongs at that moment in the scene.

If the production is an Actors' Equity Association project, the actors will be, by contract, paid for their appearance in the video.

In most professional and many non-professional settings, the video tech will follow cues as called by the stage manager, who either will be seated nearby or will communicate over a walkie-talkie system. Otherwise, the video tech will execute cues by following along in a script with the video cues marked.

In some cases this, technician will operate both the visual and audio (sound) cues for the production and will be designated as the "AV tech."

See "A Brief History of Viewpoints."

• to prepare the person's vocal folds for the repetitive, sometimes intense vibrations in their vocal folds and accompanying areas of their throat, that come along with their use of their voice.
• to better enunciate both vowels and consonants
• with regular practice, to increase the persons vocal resilience and stamina and ability to better control their breathing and to breath deeper, and to condition their throat to dehydrate too quickly

2) In a movie, TV, or video production: In general terms. a voice-over is any voice heard where the actor or spokesman is not on screen. Usually it means that the person is not intended to be considered physically present in the action being seen on screen. It is a voice from a TV, radio, phone, or an answering macine. It may also be a voice in an on-screen character's mind, such as the voice of the person who has written the letter we see the character reading, or it's a poignant remembrance. Lastly, it is narration or informational speaking by someone not on camera and not suggested as in the scene but out of frame.

The apocryphal account of the meaning of the word in theatre is that it was the place where thespians of old would throw-up when nervous about going on stage. The truth, however, is that "vom" is the shortening of the word "vomitorium," derived from Latin ("vomo" or "vomitus"), which means: to vomit or spew, as in expel. In other words, the vom of a theatre is where the audience members are expelled from the theatre house when the performance is finished. It is, of course, also an entrance area, as well.

Performers certainly do warm-ups before their performances, but many also have a daily routine even when not performing.

Beyond body warm-ups, many performers of all the performing-arts disciplines also engage in regular, more intense physical exercise routines to keep themselvs in good physical shape and stamina, making sure their muscles are toned and less prone to fatigue, that their physiques are in good shape and that they oxygenate at a peak levels. They often have specific dietary practices as well to enhance their health and performances.

See also: See crewing a show for a different definition.

2) as a VERB: the act of finishing any element or portion of the production, as mentioned above, or the act of sending an actor or crew member home for the day, for some period of rehearsal time, or from the production from that point forward. For instance the stage manager might instruct a PA to wrap an actor for the day.

This term is not as common in theatre as it is in movie and television productions. In theatre, it tends to be used more frequently by those who work in movies/TV as well as theatre and thus carry the term over.