6th six weeks vocab

agent (TA 6, 7) -- a professional representative who takes care of bookings and negotiates performance contracts for actors in return for a percentage of the actor’s pay.

closing (TA 6, 7) -- the last night of a run of shows.

comp (TA 6, 7) – a free ticket.

dinner theatre (TA 6, 7) – a play performance that comes with dinner served during the show.

encore (TA 6, 7)-- a request by an audience through applause for a performer to repeat part of his performance in a musical or opera.

extra (TA 6, 7) -- person who is onstage to provide atmosphere and background and who may speak only with a group.

flat (TA 6, 7) -- frame constructed of 1-by-3 boards, covered with canvas or ¼” plywood, painted, and used most often for interior or exterior walls of a building in a stage setting.

marquee (TA 6, 7) -- an overhanging canopy or lighted billboard over the main entrance of a theatre which advertises the current production.

matinee (TA 6, 7) -- an afternoon performance.

noises off (TA 6, 7) – sound effects that happen off stage.

running crews (TA 6, 7) -- all the skilled employees who run the show including flyman, production electrician, production soundman, production property man, wardrobe supervisor, wig master, union stagehands, etc.

shoestring production (TA 6, 7)-- -- a show put together with a bare minimum of financial help.

sound designer (TA 6, 7)-- -- the person who operates the sound system during a performance, also picks and mixes the sounds needed for the show.

SRO (TA 6, 7)-- -- indicates a full house; standing room only.

stage crew (TA 6, 7)-- -- the crew that works backstage during the show, shifting the scenery.

stage crew chief (TA 6, 7)-- -- the person who decides how the shift will be done and assigns the crew their individual jobs.

stage manager (TA 6, 7)-- -- member of the artistic leadership of a theatre company who accepts full responsibility for the integrity of a production once it is open to the public. The stage manager normally “calls the show” (i.e., gives commands to execute all cues during performance) and accepts responsibility for maintaining the artistic integrity of the production throughout the duration of its run. Must keep a script with all the cues in it as well as everyone’s name and contact information.

tableau (TA 6, 7)-- -- moment in which a living picture is created on stage and held by actors without motion or speech.

tag line (TA 6, 7)-- -- final line of a scene or act, or the exit line of a major character. When it is the final line of an act it is also called a curtain line.

take five (TA 6, 7)-- -- slang term used to indicate that you are going to take a break from working for five minutes. Quite often the break is ten, rather than five, minutes.

top billing (TA 6, 7)-- -- the star of the show whose name is most prominent on the marquee and at the top of the playbill.

traveler (TA 6, 7)-- -- a horizontally drawn curtain.

wardrobe (TA 6, 7)-- -- all articles of clothing worn by the cast (costumes).

Middle School Level 2 Vocabulary

art director (TA 7) - the person who creates the look of the film through the use of sets, lighting, costumes and props and works with the set designer to achieve the final look in TV and film.

cameo (TA 7) -- important, but small, character role – usually played by a guest artist.

cyclorama (cyc) (TA 7) -- white or blue tautly stretched canvas drop or plaster dome across the back wall of the stage which that when lit simulates the sky.

gag (TA 7)-- a line delivered to get a laugh.

glow tape (TA 8) - tape that glows in the dark; used to mark important locations or things that need to be seen during a blackout.

impersonate (TA 7) -- to play a role on stage usually of a well known person.

legs (tormentors)(TA 7) -- curtains or flats placed on either side of the stage just upstage of the curtain line. Legs serve to mask the wings from the view of the audience and vary the width of the playing area.

manuscript (TA 7) -- the typed version of a play.

masking (TA 7) -- the draperies or flats that hide backstage from the audience's view.

master carpenter (TA 7) -- the person in charge of all the carpenters who build the set.

master electrician (TA 7) -- the person in charge of all the electricians in charge of the lighting of the show.

master fader (TA 8) -- on a lighting control board, the slider that causes all the lights to fade out.

noh plays (TA 7) -- classical Japanese drama having a chorus offering comments and having fewer than seven characters, all men, doing stylize acting with masks, detailed costumes and music.