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Acting 101
Midterm
103
Other
Undergraduate 4
11/03/2010

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Cards

Term
Onstage
Definition
The stage area within the set, visible to the audience
Term
Offstage
Definition
The stage areas outside the set, not visible to the audience
Term
Backstage
Definition
The entire part of the theatre that is not accessible to the audience
Term
Front of House
Definition
The entire part of the theatre accessible to the audience (e.g. foyer, box office, auditorium)
Term
In front
Definition
In the auditorium
Term
Center
Definition
The central point of the stage area
Term
Stage Right
Definition
The actor's right as he faces the audience
Term
Stage Left
Definition
The actor's left as he faces the audience
Term
Downstage
Definition
Towards the Audience
Term
Upstage
Definition
Away from the audience
Term
Below
Definition
Downstage of someone or something
Term
Above
Definition
Upstage of someone or something
Term
Move/turn in
Definition
Towards the center of the stage
Term
Move Out
Definition
Away from the center of the stage
Term
Turn/Face Out
Definition
Look in the direction of the audience
Term
Cross
Definition
Move from one place to another on stage
Term
Counter
Definition
Move in the opposite direction to balance the move or cross of another actor
Term
Turn front/Face front
Definition
Turn to face the audience
Term
Open it up
Definition
Adjust your position so the audience can see more of you
Term
Apron/Forestage/Thrust
Definition
The part of the stage that extends into the auditorium beyond the curtain line
Term
Arena theatre/Theatre-in-the-round
Definition
A threatre having the acting area in the center of the auditorium with the audience seated on all sides
Term
Aside
Definition
A line spoken to the audience that the other actors are not supposed to hear. A convention, as obviously they can hear it.
Term
Audition/try out
Definition
The reading or performing by heart of a speech or scene before the director to enable him to judge your suitability for a part in the play
Term
Backdrop
Definition
A large area of painted canvas used for a background which hangs straight at the back of the stage.
Term
Blocking
Definition
The director's movment of actors on the stage (for a play).
Term
Build
Definition
Increase the tempo and/or the volume of a speech towards a climax.
Term
Business or Stage Business
Definition
Small actions such as using a handkerchief, taking of gloves, telephoning
Term
Bit Part
Definition
Small part with one or very few lines
Term
Cast
Definition
The group of actors who are performing together in a play
Term
Call
Definition
Notice to actors backstage announcing the amount of time before the curtain, normally at half-hour, fifteen minutes and five minutes. Also notice of rehearsal or performance placed on the callboard and reiterated by the stage manager.
Term
Character Part
Definition
a role usually depicting an old, unusual or eccentric person.
Term
Cheating
Definition
Turning the body towards the audience slightly more than absolute naturalism would demand.
Term
Clear Stage
Definition
Leave the stage.
Term
Company
Definition
The group of people gather together to put on a play.
Term
Corpse
Definition
Dissolve into misplaced laughter on stage
Term
Cover
Definition
Understudy
Term
Crew
Definition
The stage manager and technicians involved in running a production.
Term
Cue
Definition
A signal in dialogue, action or music for an actor's action or speech, or a technician's dute backstage.
Term
Curtain
Definition
The large ____ that is either lowered or drawn from the sides that separates the stage areas from the audience. Also used to mean the time a show starts
Term
Curtain Call
Definition
A fully blocked and rehearsed appearance of the actors after the performance to acknowledge the applause of the audience
Term
Curtain line
Definition
An imaginary line across the stage which marks the position of the front curtain when it is down or closed. Also means the last line of a scene whcih is the cue for the curtain to fall.
Term
Cyclorama
Definition
usually a huge (often curved), semaless backing sheet of material (can be curved or straight plaster wall) which may be lit to indicate sky
Term
Deck
Definition
Stage Floor
Term
Dialogue
Definition
The lines spoken by the characters in a play
Term
Double
Definition
To play two or more roles in the same play.
Term
To Dry/Dry up
Definition
When an actor forgets his lines
Term
Dry Tech
Definition
A technical rehearsal without the actors
Term
Exit (plural: exeunt)
Definition
literally means he exits. Also means the place where the actor exits
Term
Extra/Walk-on/Super (supernumerary)
Definition
A small non-speaking role.
Term
Flats
Definition
Canvas covered frames used e.g. as walls of a set
Term
Flies
Definition
The space above the stage where scenery is hung and from where it is lowered
Term
To fly
Definition
To lift scenery our of view of the audience by lines from the grid
Term
Fourth Wall
Definition
Name given to the hypothetical wall of separation between the stage and the audience in a proscenium theatre
Term
To go up
Definition
To forget one's lines. Also common usage as "What time does the curtain go up?" meaning what time does the show start. Thirdly, "to go up for a role"
Term
Greenroom
Definition
A lounge backstage for the use of the actors
Term
Gridiron (grid)
Definition
A framework of steel located in the flies for hanging scenery
Term
Improvisation
Definition
Spontaneous invention of lines and/or business by performers
Term
House
Definition
Auditorium. Also means the size of the audience.
Term
House lights
Definition
Those that provide light for the audience in the auditorium
Term
Indicating
Definition
Shallow performance devoid of intention or psychologial motivation
Term
Intention
Definition
Objective.Want
Term
To kill
Definition
To take an article off a set. To extinguish lights or stop sound or other effects.
Term
Load in
Definition
Process of moving all of a company's equipment into a theatre
Term
Load out
Definition
Process of moving all of a company's equipment out of a theatre
Term
Masking
Definition
A piece of scenery used to conceal backstage from the audience
Term
Monologue
Definition
A speech of some length spoken by one actor
Term
Motivation
Definition
Reason for an action
Term
Mugging
Definition
Exaggerated facial expressions
Term
Out front/In front
Definition
In the auditorium
Term
Pick it up
Definition
Speed it up
Term
Pick up cues
Definition
Come in on cue more quickly, i.e., start your line of dialogue as the other actor finishes his line. Adds pace to a scene.
Term
Places
Definition
A call given by the stage manager for the actors to be in their positions on stage for the beginning of an act
Term
Pointing
Definition
Giving special emphasis to a word or line.
Term
Practical
Definition
Something that is usable, e.g. a pair of doors might be made so that only one opens. The one that opens is the _________one.
Term
Prompt Book
Definition
Copy of the script including all business, action and cues needed for the production. Marked during rehearsal by the stage manager.
Term
Props (properties)
Definition
Articles used for a play
Term
Proscenium arch
Definition
The arched opening in the wall through which the audience can see the play
Term
Run
Definition
Length of a stage engagment or the total number of performances
Term
Run-through
Definition
an uninterrupted rehearsal of a scene, act, or entire play
Term
Scrim
Definition
A large piece of fine material (usually taking the place of a flat or drop) through which light (and consequently the set) may or may not be seen.
Term
Side
Definition
Page of an actor's part. When bound together called ______.
Term
Sightlines
Definition
Imaginary lines which divide the area the audience can see from the area they cannot see
Term
Soliloquy
Definition
A speech consisting of the thoughts of a character, spoken aloud when he is alone on the stage
Term
To spike
Definition
To mark the position of a piece of the set on the stage floor, usually with tape
Term
Stage door
Definition
The _____through which the actors enter and leave the theatre
Term
Stand-by
Definition
An actor's temporary replacement (e.g. in case of illness) who does not have to be in the theatre during performances in which he is not playing. He is, however, on call and must hold himself available to come to the theatre when needed.
Term
Stealing
Definition
Taking the audience's attention when it should be elsewhere
Term
Straight Part
Definition
A role without marked eccentricities
Term
Strike
Definition
To clear the stage of scenery, props, etc.
Term
Subtext
Definition
The actor's thoughts that give meaning to his lines and actions.
Term
Technical rehearsal (tech)
Definition
A rehearsal at which the technical aspects of the production are integrated
Term
Telescoping
Definition
Overlapping speeches so that one actor speaks before another has finished. It accelerates the pace and helps build twoards a climax
Term
Top
Definition
To "build" a line higher in volume and/or pitch and/or intensity than the one before it
Term
Trap
Definition
The _______or opening in the stage floor
Term
Typecast
Definition
Cast in a role very close to the actor's own personality
Term
Understudy
Definition
An actor's temporary replacement (in case of accident or illness) who has to remain in the theatre, whether or not he is performing that show, until the last act of the play has started.
Term
Upstaging
Definition
When one actor forces another actor to face ____ or away from the audience, usually by moving farther_______himself and thus forcing his partner to turn his back on the audience in order to address him
Term
Vom (short for vomitorium)
Definition
Exit (or entrance) from the stage to backstage, often in the form of a tunnel whose entrance is beyond the stage in teh first few rows of the audience
Term
Wagon
Definition
A low platform on wheels on which a set may be placed and then rolled quickly into place on stage
Term
Wings
Definition
Space outside the acting area, at the right and left of the stage.
Term
Martha: deceptive, manic, bi-polar, cruel, insensitive, fragile, abusive, vulgar, relentless, victim, loud
Definition
Character
Term
Revolve
Definition
A circular stage mounted on top of the permanent stage electrically or manually turned to effect scene changes
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