A

AD

Assistant director

Animateur

From the French meaning “to bring alive, to make something happen”, refering to a person who runs and facilitates workshops. Someone with the skills necessary to lead effective and successful workshops, focussing on everything from planning through to performance.

Apprenticeship

A training scheme aimed at giving both on-the-job and educational experiences in a particular sector or job.

Arts centre

A multi-arts complex usually running a variety of work in different artforms - from films to exhibitions, workshops to plays

ASM

Assistant stage manager

AV

Audio-visual, meaning sound and light

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B

Banksman

The person who checks reversing vehicles, is responsible for lifting movement safety, etc

Black box

A type of theatre, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor

Blocking

The way in which a show is directed in terms of the movement of the actors on the stage within the boundaries of the set

Book

The manual which stage managers and other technicians use to run the show, which will include notes, visual and audio prompts, set and costume changes, etc

Break a leg

A theatre way of wishing someone well before a performance, because saying “good luck” is considered unlucky by some

BTEC

A type of vocational or occupational qualification

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C

Calling

The point at which the crew tell the staff who run the theatre space that they are ready to let the public in to the auditorium (as in calling the show)

Casual

Another word for temporary and/or freelance. Usually used to mean someone who comes in once in a while to help, especially stage or tech crew.

Circus arts

Circus arts includes theatre, music, dance, clowning, aerial work and spectacle. The work takes place in tents, theatres and non-traditional performance spaces, both inside and outdoors.

City & Guilds

A provider of a type of vocational or occupational qualification

Comp

A shortening of the phrase complimentary (free) ticket, given to friends and family of cast and crew, agents, promoters, reviewers, etc

CSM

Company stage manager

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D

De-rig

The opposite of rigging - taking the lights, etc down from their stage positions

Desk

The lighting or sound board, where shows are operated from

Down-stage

The opposite of up-stage, meaning closer to the audience

Dress

The final run through of a show before it opens to the public. It usually happens the day before opening night, but not always, and sometimes members of the public, or a selected audience are allowed to attend for free/ reduced price entry (as in dress rehearsal).

DSM

Deputy stage manager

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E

Elevation

A working drawing usually drawn accurately and to scale, showing the side view of the set or lighting arrangement

Elevator stage

Type of mechanical stage with sections that can lowered or raised

Ensemble

Actors working as a group on stage rather than individual characters

Entrance

Place on a set through which the actor may appear, or point in the script at which an actor appears on stage

Exit

The process of leaving the stage, or the point in the script at which an actor leaves the stage

Exterior

A setting depicting an outdoor scene

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F

First dayman

An older theatre term meaning the assistant to the chief electrician

Fit-up

The process after the get-in during which the stage is prepared/ set, the sounds and lights are rigged, etc

Flying

The moving of lights, scenery, set, etc by use of ropes, pulleys, rigging, etc to help with installation (as in ‘flying of scenery’)

Followspot

A light that is used to focus only one performer (usually a spotlight) and follows them wherever they move on the stage

Freelance

Self-employed person who doesn’t have one job as such, but moves from project to project, or show to show. They are responsible for their own working hours, tax, National Insurance, etc.

Front of house

The areas of the theatre where the public are allowed, eg bar, foyers (not including the auditorium)

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G

Get-in

The allotted time for the technical installation, particularly of the set, lights, special effects etc

Get-out

The allotted time for the technical removal of items associated with the get-in, particularly of the set, lights, special effects etc

GNVQ

A type of vocational or occupational qualification

Gobo

A sort of metal or other cut-out cover that is put over a light or lamp to create a pattern, word, image, etc

Going dark

A term used to mean the closure of a theatre, usually over the summer

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H

HND

A type of vocational or occupational qualification

House

A word used to mean the whole theatre building, or sometimes just the auditorium

House-keeping

The management and maintenance of the theatre space, particularly the public areas

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I

In the gods

To be seated right in the top of the theatre (usually on the highest balcony)

In-house

Meaning a person employed or retained by a company, rather than contracting it out to a company or freelancer

Internship

A work placement, usually for a period of weeks or months, and generally unpaid

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K

Kill

To turn off lights or sound effects, or to remove something from the set, such as a prop

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L

Lamp

A sort of theatre light

Logistics

The management of the details, resources, etc – eg shipping equipment, the get-in/ out

LX

Electrics/ electricals - lighting, sound, effects, etc

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M

MD

Musical director

Millinery

Hat design and making

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N

Notes

Where the director gives notes to the cast and crew after a show about the good and bad points of the show

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O

Offstage

Any position on the stage floor out of sight of the audience

Onstage

Any position on the stage within the acting area

Orchestra

The musicians who provide the musical backing to a show. Sometimes used to refer to the ground floor seating in an auditorium (also stalls).

Orchestra pit

The sunken area in front of the stage where the orchestra play during a performance (also called the pit)

Out

A flying term for "up" (also "in" means down). This prevents confusion with up stage and down stage.

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P

PAT testing

Portable appliance testing - a key element of health and safety rules to ensure that all electrical items are tested annually and safe to use

Pro rata

A phrase meaning "part of" - usually used meaning hours worked or wages earned are for only "part of" a week, month or year (eg three days a week, pro rata)

Producing house

See repertory theatre. A theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire (selection of plays/ shows), usually with two shows alternating over the same season.

Programming

Decision-making and booking process for agreeing to take a touring show, or which shows to put on in a theatre space, usually done by a theatre manager or artistic director

Proscenium arch

A type of theatre, usually with tiers of seating, and an arch over the stage, through which the audience view the play

Prosthetics

Make up or other effects to create the impression of a different physical appearance, eg larger nose, missing limb

Pyrotechnician

Someone who specialises in pyrotechnics (fireworks, other effects, etc)

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Q

Quick change

A fast costume change

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R

Receiving house

A venue that does not create its own shows, but accepts those on tour created by others

Repertory theatre

A theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire (selection of plays/ shows), usually with two shows alternating over the same season

Rigging

Hanging lights, effects and sound equipment, etc, usually from fixed beams above the stage

Run

A 'run' at rehearsal stage, refers to a run-through of the performance, helping the director to see how the performance works as a whole, and to get an early indication of its duration. The 'run' refers to the 'lifetime' of the production, or the number of performances it will give from first night to last night.

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S

Safety curtain

A key piece of stage procedure and equipment, to separate the stage from the orchestra pit/ auditorium

Scenographer

A person who creates or designs scenery, particularly when representing objects in perspective

Scottish Play

The words that some people use to describe Shakespeare’s play about a tragic king (concerning lust for power and the betrayal of friends), because saying its name is considered unlucky by some

Season

A fixed term of a production or theatre show

SFX

Special effects

SM

Stage manager

Sparkying

Working as an electrician, on lighting, sound, technical elements of a show, etc

Stage door

The theatre “back door”, usually manned by a stage door keeper, who controls the flow of goods and people in and out of the building. Historically it’s where you’d go to get the autograph of the “star”.

Stage left

The opposite of stage-right, meaning the area to the actor's left

Stage right

The opposite of stage-left, meaning the area to the actor's right

Stalls

The ground floor seating in an auditorium

Street arts

Street arts includes theatre, music, circus, dance, carnival, mela, installations and pyrotechnics. Street arts is presented outdoors and is often free to the public.

Subsidised

Getting funding to help reduce the cost of something - in this case usually used to refer to a type of not-for-profit company or theatre that makes work that is paid for with public or other funds

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T

Tech

The run through before the dress rehearsal of the all the technical elements, cues, changes, etc (as in technical rehearsal)

TIE

Acronym for "theatre in education" - companies that tour theatre shows into schools, usually plays that are specifically written for that setting and age group and relating to specific themes or topics

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U

Understudy

An actor who studies and takes on a leading role if another actor falls ill, has to pull out, etc. Usually they already have another part in the play, as part of the chorus or a minor role.

Up-stage

The opposite of down-stage, meaning further away from the audience

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W

Welding

Metalworking - usually connecting pieces together to construct something

Wings

Areas at the side of the stage, out of view, used by the SM, actors, etc

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