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The Sault Opera LegacyA look back at the seasons and productions of Sault OperaPrinter-Friendly Pages |
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Glossary of Theatrical Terms
A
Act: Subdivision between sections of a play
Acting Area: Portion of the stage, excluding the apron, that is viewable by the audience
Admission: The fee paid by a member of the audience for the privilege of entering the performance venue
Advance Box Office: The location outside of the venue where the play is performed where the box office is located, usually inside a store or shopping mall
Apron: Portion of the stage which protrudes from the proscenium arch into the audience area
Audience: Members of the general public who come to view the performance
Auditorium: The building or the portion of the building consisting of: the audience seating area, orchestra pit, lighting and sound booths, stage, wings, dressing rooms, set construction area, greenroom, and rehearsal areas.
B
Back Drop: A large fabric sheet that light reflects off of to create the appearance of sky
Back Light: Light falling on a performer from behind to distinguish the person from the backbround
Backstage: All areas not seen by the audience that the performers have access to including the greenroom, dressing rooms, and technical areas
Box Office: The place that members of the general public can purchase tickets and reserve seats for a performance
"Break A Leg": A superstitious and widely-accepted alternative to "Good Luck" (considered to be bad luck)
Breakaway: Props or furniture that are designed to be safely broken or shattered on stage
C
Cast: The participants in a production who act out specific characters in a play
Concertmaster: The leader of the first violin section of an orchestra who acts as an assistant to the conductor
Conductor: The person who is responsible for keeping all musicians in the orchestra playing at the same tempo and key by waving a baton in time to the rhythm. Frequently, the conductor also fulfills the role as music director in a production
Costume: The garment worn by an actor to depict a certain character in a particular period
Curtain: Commonly referred to the main curtain or the proscenium curtain that is opened (curtain up) and closed (curtain down) at the beginning and end of a scene, act, or performance
Curtain Call: An acknowledgement of the applause at the conclusion of a performance, usually accompanied by a song or musical interlude with the cast members taking individual and group bows
Curtain Time: The scheduled start time of the performance
D
E
F
G
Greenroom: The room that serves as a waiting area for actors and backstage personnel
H
House: The main area of the auditorium in which the audience is seated
House Box Office: The box office that is located at the same venue as the performance, usually in the the theatre lobby
House Manager: The person in charge of the overall safety and security of the audience by overseeing the ushering, traffic flow in and out of the house, and ticket collection
I
Intermission: A short break, usually mid-way or between acts, to give the audience, actors, and technical crew a time-out
J
K
L
M
N
O
Orchestra: A group of musicians, under the direction of the conductor and concertmaster, who play various musical instruments to provide the musical accompaniment for the actors
P
Properties (or Props): Hand-held objects or pieces of furniture used by actors on stage
Proscenium Arch: The opening in the front wall of the house through which the audience views the performance
Q
R
S
Season's Ticket: A ticket or group of tickets entitling the bearer to be admitted to one performance of each production in the season of any given year, usually at a discount rate
T
Ticket: A card or coupon, usually purchased at the box office, entitling the bearer to enter the house to view the performance on a certain date