Theatre VocabTheatre Vocab

Weeks 1-2Weeks 1-2

Profile Left or Profile Profile Left or Profile RightRight

face completely to the left face completely to the left or rightor right

Open UpOpen Up

turn more fully towards the turn more fully towards the audienceaudience

Open TurnOpen Turn

turn towards the audienceturn towards the audience

Closed TurnClosed Turn

turn one’s back to the turn one’s back to the audienceaudience

Full FrontFull Front

face the audience straight face the audience straight onon

Blocking Blocking

The movement and stage The movement and stage business designed by the business designed by the director and performed by director and performed by the actors.the actors.

Downstage Downstage

The part of the stage closest The part of the stage closest to the audience. At one time to the audience. At one time stages were raked, or sloped, stages were raked, or sloped, with the lower ("down") part with the lower ("down") part closest to the audience, and closest to the audience, and the higher ("up") part further the higher ("up") part further away.away.

Stage Right Stage Right

That part of the stage to That part of the stage to the actor's right when the the actor's right when the actor faces the audience.actor faces the audience.

UpstageUpstage

The area of the stage The area of the stage farthest way from the farthest way from the audience and nearest to audience and nearest to the back wall.the back wall.

Stage Left Stage Left

That part of the stage to That part of the stage to the actor's left when the the actor's left when the actor faces the audience.actor faces the audience.

Apron Apron

The area of the stage that The area of the stage that extends toward the extends toward the audience, in front of the audience, in front of the grand drape.grand drape.

Wings Wings

The space off stage The space off stage masked by the legs masked by the legs (curtains), often used for (curtains), often used for exits and entrances.exits and entrances.

Day 2Day 2

Thrust StageThrust Stage

A theatre with audience A theatre with audience seated around three sides seated around three sides of the stage. extends of the stage. extends beyond the proscenium beyond the proscenium with a 3-side audiencewith a 3-side audience

Proscenium StageProscenium Stage

A traditional theatre with A traditional theatre with the audience seated in the audience seated in front of a proscenium arch front of a proscenium arch framing the stage.framing the stage.

Black Box Black Box

A bare room used as a A bare room used as a versatile theatre space in versatile theatre space in which the seating and which the seating and production elements can production elements can be presented in any be presented in any configuration.configuration.

Arena Stage Arena Stage

A theatre with a central A theatre with a central playing area and the playing area and the audience seated around audience seated around the perimeter, also called the perimeter, also called "theatre in-the-round.“"theatre in-the-round.“

Fly SystemFly System

hanging rails above the hanging rails above the stage to drape scenery stage to drape scenery drops and “fly” things in & drops and “fly” things in & outout

SetSet

All of the scenery—walls, All of the scenery—walls, platforms, doors, etc.—that platforms, doors, etc.—that makes up the physical makes up the physical environment of the world environment of the world of the play.of the play.

Props Props

All the stage furnishings, All the stage furnishings, including furniture, that including furniture, that are physically used by the are physically used by the actors.actors.

Flats Flats

Canvas or wood-covered Canvas or wood-covered frames that are used for frames that are used for the walls of a stage the walls of a stage setting.setting.

Dress the StageDress the Stage

balance the stage picturebalance the stage picture

Cross Cross

The actor's movement The actor's movement from one stage location to from one stage location to another.another.

CatwalkCatwalk

walking area above the walking area above the audience and stage to be audience and stage to be used when working on the used when working on the scenery or lights scenery or lights