Download IDEAS HS Theatre Majors Should Be Familiar With for the

IDEAS 10ht &11th Grade HS Theatre Majors Should Be Familiar with for the 4th 9 Weeks Final:
ACTING & DIRECTING JARAGON
Acting Choice
What an actor is playing in a scene. Be it as a character, objective or tactic or phrase or an emotion or behavior.
Act
Means- to do. If you are an actor then you do things on stage. So what are you doing at this moment in the scene and what do you mean to
get by doing it? What does your character want? See objective.
Action
Loaded word in the world of theatre. Can be used to describe the feel of a play, scene or a specific acting moment. See tactic.
Remember- Acting is playing of an action while trying to overcome an obstacle in the pursuit of an objective.
Allusion
Many times thought in plays is communicated by allusion—references to previous art, literature, historical event, geography, and culture. When
audience members recognize these references, they are likely to find parts of the play opening up in unexpected ways. Allusion is a method of
layering and texturing the play, enriching it for those who are prepared for the recognition. In some cases the entire play can function as
something of an allusion. Of course, the use of Allusion is found in classic theatre like the Bard and comedy.
Apron
The area of the stage just in front of the proscenium. Usually not that big of a space to work from in the Proscenium style theaters. However,
this is where much of the action would happen before box sets came to being in the 1800s. Stand and deliver behind those footlights!
Arc
Term used to describe the path that a character takes in the story. Actors need to have a big picture of where a character begins and ends in a
story along with what happens to the character on this trip.
Archetype
The original pattern or model after which at thing is made. The model of the first form, prototype. Used liberally when discussing the literature
genres, characters and plot lines. Joker in Batman is an archetype of the Big Bad Wolf like the Star Wars’ dark side and all these are the Devil.
Aristotle
Greek philosopher who wrote the Poetics which shaped the way in which productions are still judge.
As If Images
The use of an image to bring out an “interesting take” on an acting choice. Example might be your character is old so you play this physical
choice as if your back was lined with ice cubes. Always use images that stir and inspire the imagination.
Avante Garde
Any artistic effort that is considered to be experimental and unorthodox in its creative outcome or process.
Beat
Several meanings. Could be to take a simple count of one. Also known used to describe where an action changes in a scene. So when
referring to breaking a scene up into beats then it is also into units and is done by changes in actions.
Catharsis
An emotional purging. Aristotle saw Art as necessary. It creates emotional purging for the masses which keeps them in check and prevents
revolution. Even now this is what is needed for a commercial production.
Climax
Where all rising action comes to one point and is determined for the outcome. The major turning point in favor of the Protagonist.
Comedy
Dramatic literature that aims to poke fun at the human condition and ends with all plot problems usually resolved. Storm to calm.
Conclusion
Or resolution or dénouement (French). Very quick wrap up of all characters and plot elements end with a sense of finality.
Dramatic Irony
The idea in a theatrical viewing situation where that the audience knows more about the story and the double meanings of the situation(s) on
the stage than all of the characters in the piece do.
Empathy
Emotional Identification. Empathy refers to a sense of participation- an identification with character. One feels along with the characters.
Essence of Theatre
Of course, one may make argument but for many here is what the essence of the art form of theatre is about- A story, one to perform it and
somebody to watch it. All else on top of this is merely of a supportive means and is not needed for the act of the theatrical art form to take
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place. Theatre is not a building or place but a live activity.
---Another way of looking at this idea is through the Spanish soldier, adventurer and scholar named Lope de Vega. He transformed Spanish
culture by creating simple character-driven plays, written for the first time in colloquial Spanish. One of his most enduring pronouncements was
that theatre consisted of nothing more than two boards and a passion. All that is required, he said, is a platform to stand on, and a script that
evokes passion – in the character and in the minds of the audience.
---And another way of looking at this is through Ruth Draper, a famous monodramatist in the early 20th century. She said, “It is the audience
that must supply the imagination…. It is they who must give you even more than you give then in the way of imagination and creative power.
This was once the great fact of the drama. It needed no artificial effects; it simply brought the actor and the audience together and fused their
minds and feelings in an imagined reality. The great trouble today is that so much entertainment--cinema, radio, television--makes people
passive, deadens their imagination. It gives them so much that it leaves them nothing to give in return.”
---And one last way of looking at this is in his inspirational book The Empty Space (1968) famous theatrical director Peter Brook reminds us that
only three elements are necessary for theatre to exist: “I can take an empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across the empty space
whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.”
Whenever one person performs and another watches in the same location, theatre is created. Lots of other things might be present: lights,
costumes, scenery, makeup, seats, a raised platform, music, predetermined words; the event could incorporate hundreds of actors, thousands
of spectators, and millions of dollars. But the basis of theatre, the essence of the event, is a theatrical collaboration: one person “acting,” one
person “auding” (listening and/or watching), in the same space at the same time.
Since, by definition, the performer and the spectator (or “seer”) share the same time and space, a theatrical performance can happen only once.
The same actors may perform the same text with the same movement for two different audiences, but it is not the same event if different
people are watching. Even if the same people attended both performances and the actors said exactly the same words and played the same
action, the events could not be identical. An actor might inflect a word differently; the audience might laugh at a particular line, causing a
performer to wait before beginning the next speech.
Exposition
The beginning of a simple plot structure. In this segment the basic elements of the story are introduced such character, situation, environment,
previous background and style.
Falling Action
The consequences after the climax and how everything falls out because of the climax.
First Circle, Second Circle, Third Circle
This theory is base off not forcing the development of a performance too fast. A stage light hanging directly over the head of the actor and its
beam focused only on the actor is the image Stanislavsky uses to begin with in the first circle of concentration. As an actor begins in a rehearsal
process he should just focus on just his inner life of thoughts and feelings and establish good honest and truthful foundation for himself. Then
as confidence grows in his inner life the stage light beam widens to take in the other actors on stage with him which would then be the second
circle of concentration. Then as this becomes stronger and more secure the beam widens to the largest of the third circle which takes in the
whole audience as well as bringing the performances energy to reach them. Stanislavsky sees this as a very fluid relationship with all
performance elements and moments not developing at the same speed as well as new discoveries taking place in all three circles. By beginning
small and simple at first and establishing things in the first circle one will gradually work out into the third circle. Stanislavsky believes to
maintain a truthful performance in the third circle and this is the way to do it.
French Scene
Way of breaking a scene up which is designate when ever somebody exits or enters a scene. The origin of this term is generally considered to
come from French farces.
Genre
French word for style.
House
Where the audience sits while watching the stage. House directions are done from its viewpoint just like stage directions are done from theirs.
Back of house is where one enters into the audience seating area from the lobby area. Front of house is right by the stage’s DS edge.
Imagination
A loaded word in the world of Arts. For an actor it is the ability to play pretend and create a character for the role he is playing and being able to
live in that world of make believe. For Stella Adler this is what the actor should rely on the most, not his past experiences like early Strasberg
method stuff
Inciting Incident
That which begins the major story in a plot structure. Without this happening the rising action would not be able to begin.
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Inner Monologue
The thoughts, feelings and images inside a character's dead. Good acting technique to use to get inside the actor's mind.
Mask
To conceal action or things from the audience. Also used as a term that describes the basis of character acting. Like in the commedia dell
arte, character acting is always about putting on the character like a mask on one’s face. And to be honest whatever your technique, some form
of disguise (mask) is not only an aid to acting but also a basic necessity when you are a member of a theatre company and have a series of
roles to perform over a season or even in one show. Audiences will tire of anyone who appears before them in weekly rep or in a multiple
character parts without changing. This kind of laziness encourages the actor to take short cuts, another word for which is mannerisms—”those
cushions of protection,” as Laurence Olivier called them, “which an actor develops against his own self-consciousness.”
Mannerisms
Mannerisms are found in actors because they are acting choices (or personality characteristics) which have been successful for the actor in
past performances. And, the crux of it is, an actor will be casted because of these mannerisms. Or the actor will be called on to do these
mannerisms again by directors because their success. However, they can also become imbedded knee jerk choices done unaware by the actor
due to fear, not having enough time to discover new choices or just plain laziness. Thus, the actor is what is called stuck. If one does not
explore each succeeding role from a completely different point of view then the actor’s aesthetic career is limited indeed. You will be labeled as
one who plays themselves and that is all.
There are, of course, wonderful actors especially in the world of film who have had long and successful careers playing themselves with all of
their wonderful and publicly cherished mannerisms. Cary Grant is a good example; so is Jimmy Stewart. They varied somewhat from part to
part, but it was often a small variation of themselves. However, on the other side there are no roles which can called “straight” parts or parts in
which the actor always shows the same version of himself as he is in his day to day life. If the theater became as such it would never grow and
develop. Meaning how would you evaluate a playwright who in all his plays unfailingly dramatizes himself as the leading character, or a painter
who is unable to create anything but self-portraits?
Nowadays, American theater depends so much on typecasting that it is often the director who is deciding the character choices when he casts
the play. There is a long tradition for it dating back centuries to the stock category of roles actors would be regulated to play in their theatre
career. The situation is even more extreme in film and television, where casting notices describe not only the age, sex, race, and “type” of the
role being cast, but the particular stars who represent the type that is being look for. Moreover, there are a good many American actors,
especially in film and television, who make amazing incomes without ever having to act character at all. Some of these actors can actually play
a wide range of emotions and convince some folk that they are playing a different character by altering only their costume or hair color.
It should be remembered that the best plays ever written require character work for many of their most exciting roles. It may be possible for a
director to typecast Stella or even Stanley Kowalski, but no director could typecast Blanche DuBois, because no actress who actually was a
Blanche would survive long enough to make it to the audition. How many actors do you know who are Shakespeare’s Richard III?
Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman do character work. That is why they get to play such a wonderful variety of roles. And, what does it mean to
“be ourselves” anyway? The fact is that even if we’re not aware of it, most of us play several characters each day. We are not the same person
on our job as we are with our parents. And we are not the same person with our parents as we are with our lovers. Character is part of life.
Meta
When something is playfully acknowledging that it is what it is. Self referential. A villain turns to the audience before he steals a kiss from the
damsel and says “Aren't I a bad little boy”. Or he could give the same comment to the poor damsel too. Also have the definition of meaning
beyond- like the word “metaphysical” which means beyond the physical world in which one knows of things. Therefore, to say that something is
metatheatrical is to say that the act is obviously commenting that it is a theatrical event and is self aware of it being so. It has gone beyond its
existence and is looking back at itself. The Bard does this a lot.
Mime
In the early 1970s a pantomime style devise by Marcel Marceau which was very popular Know for the white face and black tights and
movement clothes wear. In ancient Greece and Rome, a “pass the hat” street performer; a kind of variety entertainment. Today it is sometimes
used interchangeably with pantomime and pantomime artist.
Moment Objective
See tactic or action.
Moment
Smallest part of a role. Could be a thought, a line, a simple non verbal expression or anything that an actor or a director deems it to be.
Objective
What a character wants. Sometimes know as the need, motivation, intention, want, desire, wish for, fancy, would like, feel like, crave, covet,
yearn for, hanker after, be after, be looking for, require, care for, intend, or plan to! It's the objective. Remember- as Stan the man says...
Acting is the playing of an action while in the pursuit of an objective while trying to overcome and obstacle.
Obstacle
That which is the way of the pursuit of an objective. Could be anything. Both physical and/or mental.
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Pathos
The ability to arouse the feelings of pity and compassion in an audience which is a characteristic of tragedy.
Parody
When a specific piece of literature, art or performance genre is being made fun of through humorous imitation
Plot Structure
Sometimes known as Dramatic structure. It is the structure of the play. Many scholars have analyzed dramatic structure, beginning with
Aristotle in his Poetics. Gustav Freytag (July 13, 1816 – April 30, 1895) was a German dramatist and novelist whose analysis of ancient Greek
and Shakespearean drama is what is generally consider the basic standard by which all plots are looked at. That Pyramid that is always drawn
is called Freytag's pyramid. According to it, a drama is divided into five parts, or acts: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax (or
turning point), falling action and resolution (conclusion or dénouement). Although Freytag’s analysis of dramatic structure is based on five-act
plays (neoclassism), it can be applied (sometimes in a modified manner) to all types of theatrical works and to short stories and novels as well.
Freytag's analysis was intended to apply not to modern drama, but rather to ancient Greek and Shakespearean drama but is still used today
when talking about dynamics and structure.
Plot, according to Aristotle, refers to the organization of the action of a play. The most important element because it organizes all the rest.
Playable action is vital to a good play, but plot is not action. Plot is not a story or list of events, but an organizing principle: Plot is what gives a
play its unity. Without plot a dramatic performance would seem to be a series of random events with no observable connection.
Poetics
In The Poetics (fourth century B.C), an early examination of dramatic literature, Aristotle identifies the components of a play. The Poetics,
considered the most important tract on western drama ever written and even though his ideas are over a thousands of years old, it is still a
useful place to begin. Aristotle identified six elements of a play: plot, character, thought, language, music, and spectacle. It is important to
understand the definitions of the six elements because they are used as a kind of shorthand by many people who work in, talk about, and write
about the theatre. Aristotle also introduced the term catharsis (the purging of audiences emotions through experiencing a play. He also
introduced the concept of the unities of time, place and action- that the action of a play should take place within no more that 24 hours, have but
one location and have only one plot point.
Presentational
A style of acting or theatrical event that is being “theatrical”. Acknowledging and playing to the audience. Larger than real life along with
embellishments to how life is being presented.
Projection
The ability to being heard and understood as one is speaking with no electrical support in a large performance space. Articulation, breathe,
resonances all go into this basic skill of being a stage actor.
Proscenium
The picture frame opening through which the audience sees the action on the stage through.
Representational
A style of acting or theatrical event that is representing life as it is. Naturalistic in its approach and aims to present things as they are without
any artistic embellishment. “A fly on the wall” is the function of the audience as they are viewing through the fourth wall at the life of the play.
Rising Action
The meat of any story or plot structure. A succession of happenings or events that added tension and propel the characters on to more
obstacles and happenings in the story.
Satire
A literary or performance piece in which human vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to judge by means of ridicule, irony, humor
and poking fun at.
Scene Objective
Another term used when analyzing an actor's motivations. Basically this is what an actor wants for a scene and this must be able to fall under
the Super Objective too. These would be simple wants along the arch of the role for the length of the play
Scoring a role
Going through a script and notating all of the moments that a character is going through in the part. Usually begins with cutting things up into
units and then breaks down from there into actual moments. Objectives, tactics and acting notes are also part of this work.
Spectacle
Spectacle refers to the visual elements called for in a play. It could include scenery, costumes, props, lighting, actor, physicality, and movement
and a satisfying sensory experience. In addition, visual elements can convey mood, furnish excitement, and convey meaning. Many choices
regarding spectacle are left up to the production team, but the play often calls for or implies important visual elements. The opening brawl
between the Capulet and Montague factions gets Romeo and Juliet off to a rousing start and clearly establishes the feud between the families.
The image of Romeo and Juliet touching each other’s palms is clearly indicated in the dialogue and has become a familiar symbol of young
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love. The Capulet party offers opportunity for colorful costumes and dancing—a scene of gaiety—in sharp contrast to the tableau of the lifeless
young lovers at the play’s end. Of course, big time action spectacle is a major part of summer Hollywood blockbuster movies.
Spine
The spine is the psychological essence behind why the character has his super objective. It is called the spine because it is what really drives
the character's motivations.
Strategy
Also known as scene objective. Sees the character as having different plans and devises per each scene.
Super Objective
What a character wants for the whole play. What is driving and deciding all of the objectives in the story. An example of this is that Scrooge
wants to make, keep and retain money. This is his super Objective that would drive everything that he does in the play.
Tactic
Sometimes know as the action or the moment objective. Specifics behaviors that a character is doing at a specific moment to obtain his
objective. Verbs or verbing is sometimes used to decide what this is.
Technique
The process of how somebody goes about doing something. For the actor it may be how he goes about rehearsing. Generally speaking the
two categories of acting techniques are split into inner and outer. Inner techniques are those in which the actor begins to develop his acting
from an inside impetus. The outer technique would be the actor doing something physical to begin his acting choice. Usually actors work in
both of these categories simultaneously
Text
What is said or physically being done in the script. Actual words or movement/blocking.
Thespis
Consider the first known actor in history. Greek performer who was the first to step out of the chorus and have individual lines.
Thrust staging
The audience on three sides of the playing area.
Tragedy
Drama literature that usually ends with somebody dying or the lost of something. Calm to storm. Tragedies are based on profound emotions
that, in their universal appeal, transcend time and place. Strong emotions, such as love, hate, ambition, jealousy, and revenge, move the
audience to empathize with tragic figures. Since emotions are the true expressions of humanness, it is neither necessary nor desirable to
intellectualize tragedy. Instead, you should be struck by an emotional bolt of lightning that leaps through the storm of conflict.
Comedies, on the other hand, often depend upon local, regional, or topical situations. They seem entertaining when the audience’s cultural
background, temperament, and past experience relate to the comic events. Or when the characters go beyond their particular situations and
can be related to something or someone familiar to an audience.
According to Aristotle, the tragic protagonist is a “better than average person” guilty of harmartia. Hamartia is an error in judgment or a
shortcoming (tragic flaw or Achilles heel) The most common form of hamartia is hubris, an act of excessive pride. Pride goes before the fall.
However, it is quite wrong to look for a “tragic flaw” in every tragic hero, for the greatest tragic characters do not possess a real flaw. They more
frequently fail because of costly errors in judgment, or even because of their own almost too-virtuous nature. Through suffering, the tragic
protagonist usually acquires a sense of awareness — of truth, of self, or of others. During this time of struggle, the protagonist becomes
alienated and isolated from society. Human beings seem capable of seeing clearly only when under great stress. The student of drama will
observe certain other characteristics in tragedy apart from Aristotle’s theories. The essential quality of a tragic character is suffering. This
suffering occurs in most instances because of a rebellion against some divine or human authority or against society. Most tragedies have a
ritualistic nature, and the protagonist assumes the role of a sacrifice or scapegoat.
Another characteristic of tragedy is inevitability. What is going to happen will happen. There is no way to prevent the protagonist’s tragic fall. For
example, in Romeo and Juliet the chorus informs us that Romeo and Juliet are “star-crossed lovers.” From this point, their fate is sealed.
Pathos is another characteristic of tragedy. Pathos is the power to arouse feelings of pity and compassion in an audience. It is through these
feelings that the tragic impact of events is intensified. Still, by the time the tragedy is over, the pathos has been purged.
Tragedies are sober, thoughtful examinations of life dealing quite often with laws of the gods and laws of humanity, social conflict, or the identity
and sanctity of self. In all cases, a struggle exists — a struggle of dignity and value. The higher the goals toward which the protagonist reaches,
the greater may be the fall and the greater the catharsis for the audience. If the character is not noble in rank or stature, there must be
something that elevates that character above the average. Great tragic characters all have five characteristics in common: (1) they know what
they stand for and do not swerve from that stand; (2) they make no apology for their actions; (3) they set goals based on their dogmatism; (4)
they know that almost everything worth having demands some sacrifice; and (5) they are willing to make the sacrifice themselves, never asking
another to do what they alone can do.
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Traverse Staging
The audience on two sides of the playing area. Known as alley staging too.
CCSOA MS THEATRE MAJOR ADJUDICATION TERMS / JARAGON
Above/Upstage
Stage direction, indicating a move away from the audience.
Actor
Creates the inner life of the character
Ad-Lib
Extemporize dialogue or movement.
Aesthetic
Having to do with beauty.
Antagonist
The force or character that opposes the main character.
Apron
In a proscenium theatre setting; an extension of the stage below the proscenium arch.
Art
A reflection of life; how we think, feel and live.
Aside
Words spoken by a character that are intended only for the audience and not for the other characters on stage.
Avant-Garde
Experimental and unorthodox artistic movements in a given historical period
Balance
An aesthetically pleasing arrangement of elements.
Beats
Also bits/moments; smaller parts of a measure or where the unit changes
Upstage/Down stage
Stage direction, indicating a move toward the audience.
Blocking
Stage Movement
Box Set
A "standard" setting with three of the four walls of a room.
Break
To drop character suddenly, often by laughing or in some way “breaking up”
Brush-Up
A rehearsal during the run of a production to maintain show quality.
Bunraku
Traditional Japanese Puppet theatre that uses large puppets. Operators are visible to the audience.
Call back
A second audition by invitation only.
Catharsis
A term used by Aristotle to describe the audience’s emotional release at the end of a tragedy.
Chorus
Actors working together to represent masses. First used in Greek Theatre and now used in Musical theatre.
Collaboration
Working together
Commedia dell’Arte
Improvisational comedy that began in Italy based on stock characters that utilized mask and movement to define characters.
Composition
Stage images created by arranging actors, props and set pieces in certain places.
Concept
The way in which the theme is presented by the production team.
Costume Designer Designs all of the clothing for the show; works with the director and is part of the production team.
Counter
Small move made in a direction which is opposite of a move by the focus.
Cue
A signal for either a timed change in a technical element(light, set or sound) or a signal for an actor to speak or move
Curtain Line
Also Tag/Button; the last line or action of a scene.
Dialogue
Words spoken by two or more characters in a play.
Director
Controls the entire stage picture; creates a unified whole; through his vision makes an artistic statement
Drop
Curtain or flat hung above the stage and lowered as needed.
Ensemble
Group oriented or team effort
Environment
Surroundings
Era
A time period.
ERS
Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight; a lighting instrument which allows variable beams, sharp focus; slang: Leko.
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Festival of Dionysus
Greek; origin of western drama; ceremony for god of wine, fertility and revelry.
Flat
A wooden frame covered by muslin, canvas or linen; used for creating stage settings.
Flies
The area above the stage from which scenery may be flown into view.
Fourth Wall
The idea that the audience is looking through a wall of a room at the action of the play
Fresnel
A diffused lighting instrument that can be flooded or spotted. So named for its lense which was create by a guy whose Last
name was Fresnel.
Globe Theatre
The theater in which Shakespeare's plays were originally produced in the 15th century; a wooden structure full of
different seating levels which pertained to your social class; the reconstruction of this theater today is on the Thames
River in London.
Green Room
A room or area backstage for relaxing, eating or socializing.
Ground Plan
A floor map of the stage picture and setting.
Improv
Short for improvisation, working without a preset script, creating in the moment.
Inflection
A change of pitch in the voice
Ingénue
Young female role, traditionally the love interest.
Juvenile
Young male role, traditionally the love interest.
Kabuki
Traditional Japanese theatre form; based in song, dance and skill. Make up and costume to distinguish character.
Legs
Provides vertical masking of the stage.
Leko
Slang for Lekolite is a type of ellipsoidal reflector spotlight (ERS) used in stage lighting. The instrument was widely
used in theatre and entertainment venues into the 80s and 90s, particularly in the USA. The instrument's inventors,
Joseph Levy and Edward Kook (Strand Lighting Company), combined the first two letters of their own last names and
called the unit "Leko." Most stage lighting technology used in theatre today are not technically Lekos, the term has
stuck and is commonly used to refer to any ERS. However, "Source Four" named for the Source Four lighting
instrument (manufactured by ETC) in the ERS configuration, is now becoming the slang to use when talking about
these instruments.
Lighting Designer Designs the lights of the production both artistically and technically; works with the director and is part of the
production team.
Mask
To conceal action or things from the audience.
Method Acting
A variation of the Stanislavski “system” which got its start with Lee Strasberg
Monologue
An extended speech spoken by one character and heard by the audience or other characters.
Mood
An emotional state
Mug
To exaggerate facial expressions and reactions to the point of caricature
Musical Theatre
Style of theatre in which song and dance is used to punctuate the story line.
Objective /Motivation
A specific reason for saying or doing something; what a character wants
Objective
What a character wants; a specific reason for saying or doing something a certain way.
Opera
A production which is all music and everyone sings.
Operetta
A light opera in which some lines are spoken; not as heavy with emotion as opera.
Overlap
To begin speaking during another actor's speech.
Pantomime
Bodily movement and expression without dialogue
Paraphrase
To put the text in your own words with out memorizing them exactly.
Playwright
Writes the script
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Presentational
Acknowledging and playing to the audience, the theatricality of the event
Production Team Team of theatre artists that collaborate ideas in order to create a theatrical production.
Proscenium arch
A large open arch that marks the primary division between the audience and performance space.
Protagonist
Main Character with whom the audience’s empathy lies.
Rake
An incline
Reads
How the action of the stage looks and feels to the audience
Representational
Creating the reality that the audience is not present, representing “real life”
Restoration
A period of theatre in the late 1600’s when theatre was reinstated as acceptable entertainment.
Run
Length of a play's engagement.
Run Through
A rehearsal in which actors and performers alike perform the entire show from beginning to end.
Scenic Designer
Creates the environmental elements of a production; works with the director and is part of the production team.
Shtick
Silly or cheap piece of business done for a laugh.
Sight Lines
Areas of the stage visible to the audience
Slapstick
Broad comic action focused on movement. Originally to punctuate movement a large flat paddle that created a
“slapping sound”
Soliloquy
A solo speech that is intended only for the audience usually discussing the inner thoughts of the character.
Sound Designer
Enhances the environment of the show with sound; works with the director and is part of the production team.
Spatial
Refers to the space between things and their relationships
Spontaneous
Immediate; unplanned, all of a sudden
Stanislavski
The Godfather of all modern actor training; developed 10-step “System” to create honest and truthful acting.
Strike
To take apart a set after a show has completed its run.
Subtext
Hidden meanings of a dramatic text; what is really being said with out saying it.
Swing
Usually in the chorus and covers multiple chorus and dance parts.
Tactic
One way of getting what a character wants.
Teaser
Also called a Border; horizontal masking of the area above the actors and/or setting.
Theme
The meaning that the playwright intends.
Theory
An idea or way of looking at and explaining something.
Thespis
Greek, considered the first actor
Throw Away
To underemphasize a line or action.
Timing
To give lines and movement at the exact, effective moment.
Unit/Measure
A section of the scene’s action
Upstaging
Doing something on the stage which draws focus from the real action of the play
Walk-On
A part where the actor walks on and off the stage without having any lines to say.
William Shakespeare
Perhaps the most famous English playwright; also known as the "Bard;" wrote 39 plays which are divided into
Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.
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