Copy of `British Theatre Guide - Theatre info`

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British Theatre Guide - Theatre info Category: Arts > Theatre terms Date & country: 26/04/2012, UK Words: 216

Insert
A way of inserting sound into a mix whilst by-passing some of the controls.

Intelligent Lights
Lanterns which can move, change focus and colour, insert gobos (qv), by remote control from the lighting desk. Very useful, but they use a large number of DMX (qv) channels.

Iron
The safety curtain (qv).

Jack
A type of connector used in sound equipment; sometimes called a phone jack. There are two types, mono and stereo, found in two sizes (standard: 6.3mm and mini: 3.5mm). At one time most sound equipment used standard jacks, but now they are usually only used on line-level (qv) gear: microphones normally have XLR (qv) connectors.

Juve
Abbreviation for Juvenile Lead: the young male main part.

KW
Sometimes in lower case: kw, or abbreviated to k. Kilowatt (= 1,000 watts): the power (and therefore brightness) or a lamp. Also used for the power of an electric motor or heating element.

Ladders
High stands for hanging lanterns at the side of the stage. Not for climbing!

Lamp
In the theatre, the bulb which is fitted to what, in normal use, we call a light, is referred to as a lamp.

Lamp Round
The daily (usually) check of all lanterns and other lights in a theatre to make sure that lamps (bulbs) do not need replacing.

Lantern
What in normal English we call a light, in the theatre is called a lantern. Actually, it's a slightly old-fashioned expression: luminaire is used more often nowadays, whereas some prefer the American term instrument.

Lavalier
A type of (usually radio) mic, often called a tie-clip although they are probably best concealed above the hairline or behind the ear.

Left
Stage left, or the LHS as you face the audience. Also called the Prompt Side or PS.

Legs
Curtains used to cover the wings (qv).

Leko
American term for a profile spot (qv). Originally a brand name.

Lighting Designer
Responsible for designing, focusing and plotting the lighting for a production. In the professional theatre he is not normally responsible for operating the lighting, although he will usually do that in the amateur theatre. Responsible to the Director, not the Stage Manager. Works in close co-operation with the Designer (qv).

Lime
See Follow Spot. Lime is an old-fashioned word, going back to the earliest days of stage lighting.

Line level
Sound term, referring to non-microphone inputs: CD, tape, MIDI, mini-disk, instruments

Loop
Or induction loop. A means of providing a direct feed of sound to a hearing aid.

Luminaire
The more modern term for Lantern (qv). Also known by the US term instrument

LX
Electrics. The title is given to the lighting department, and the Chief Electrician is known as the Chief LX.

Mac
Manufacturer's name for one of the most used intelligent lights (qv).

Maroon
An electrically fired thunderflash, set off in a steel tank fitted with a wire mesh top, to simulate an explosion. These are so loud that it is as well to inform the police in advance if one is to be set off (and at what time), so that they can be ready to deal with hundeds of reports of bombs going off!

Mask
To hide: an actor masks another when he stands in front of him and prevents the audience from seeing him properly. Note: if this happens by accident during a performance, the upstage person (i.e. the one being masked) should move, as (s)he is more likely to notice what has happened than the actor who is doing the masking. Also a noun: fabric hiding a row of lanterns hung above the stage (also known, probably more commmonly nowadays, as a border).

Microphone
Usually shortened to mic. An instrument which collects live sound and coverts it to electrical impulses which are then input into a mixer/amplifier.

MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A protocol for linking electronic instruments such as keyboards to a computer or a sound control system.

Mix, The
The name given to the result when a mixer (qv) mixes together incoming sounds from a variety of sources.

Mixer
Or Mixing Desk. A device for mixing together and modifying sounds from a variety of sources - microphones, tapes, CDs, musical instruments, etc. - before feeding them to one or more amplifiers. There are also Powered Mixers which inlcude one or more built-in amplifiers.

Monitor
A special kind of loudspeaker which is used to monitor the sound (either onstage or in the lighting/sound box) and not to relay it to the audience.

Move Fade
A type of lighting change (cue) in which the brightness of the lanterns already on is changed. Distinct from a cross fade in which one set of lanterns fades down while another set fades up.

Multi
See multicore

Multicore
A type of cable which contains (normally) six ways of power to a lighting bar. Can also be used in sound and, indeed, to refer to any cable which carries more than three ways.

Multiplex
A means of sending control signals from a lighting control console to the dimmer packs. Signals are sent down one cable rather than using one cable per channel as is the case with analogue desks. At the dimmer end, a de-multiplexer (DMUX) is used to separate the signals and route them to the right dimmer. Often shortened (in brand names) to MX.

Musical Director
(MD) In complete control of the music in the production, under the overall control of the Director. Rehearses the singers and musicians, conducts the orchestra or band, and usually arranges the music too.

Neutric
A type of connector found on sound equipment, usually but not restricted to loudspeakers.

Notes
At the end of each rehearsal, the director will give his notes, which are his comments on the performance.

Number 1 Bar
The lighting bar immediately behind the proscenium arch (qv) or the front bar which hangs over the stage in a non-proscenium arch theatre.

Omnidirectional
A type of microphone which takes in sound coming from all directions.

OP
Opposite prompt: the right hand side of the stage as you face the audience. If the prompt corner (or simply corner (qv)) is on the OP side, it is called a bastard prompt.

Pan
One of the controls on a sound mixing desk. It determines where in the stereo image the sound will appear. For example, if the pan control is turned fully left, all the sound will go to the left channel; fully right, all goes to the righ channel. If the pan control is centred, the sound will be equally distributed between both left and right channels.

Pass Door
In many theatres, a door which leads from the auditorium to the backstage area.

Per Diems
Very important to actors: the daily expenses paid on tour.

Perch
A place for hanging lanterns, on the side wall of the auditorium. They put people (with followspots) up there sometimes too!

Phantom Power
A means of powering condenser microphones. A current of (usually) 48 volts is sent along the mic cable from the mixing desk or, where the mixer does not have phantom power facilities, from a phantom power box, into which the mic is plugged and which, in turn, plugs into the mixer. Phantom power can only be used when the connectors are XLR (qv)

Phase Coherent Cardioid
A type of mic which works in a similar way to a Boundary Zone Mic (qv) but more efficiently.

Phono Plug
A type of connector used on some sound equipment, usually domestic HiFi or video gear.

Pin Spot
Either a small (usually 100W) spotlight used for special effects (i.e. with a mirror ball) or, more usually in the theatre, a follow-spot with its iris diaphragm closed to its smallest diameter to illuminate, for instance, just a face.

Pit
The sunken area in front of the stage in which the orchestra sits.

Powered Mixer
A mixer (qv) and an amplifier (qv) in one unit

Practical
Adjective used to describe properties or scenery which have to work as in real life when used; e.g. a practical ceiling light must actually light up when switched on by an actor. Abbreviates to prac.

Preset
The ability, on a manual lighting control desk (as opposed to one which is computer-controlled) to set up a lighting cue before it is actually operated. Also the lighting state on a stage before the show actually starts. Most manual desks have two presets: each has a fader for each channel and another to fade the whole preset up or down. Using a two preset desk, it is possible to set the next cue on the unused fader and, when the time comes, the two can be crossfaded by moving the masterfaders. Some preset desks have a timer which can be set to control the speed of the crossfade.

Pressure Zone Mic
Another term for a Boundary Zone Mic (qv), usually abbreviated to PZM

Preview
Many shows (especially in the West End) have previews before they open officially. These are performances which are essentially try-outs in front of an audience. Changes to script, performances and all other aspects of the show can be (and often are) made during previews. The actual first night is designated the press night, when press critics are allowed in to review the show.

Prism Convex
Another name for a Pebble Convex spotlight.

Producer
In amateur companies usually synonymous with the Director, but in the professional theatre the person who makes all the necessary arrangements for the production to be put on: finding the finance, smoothing the way for the Director. Almost the equivalent of the Business Manager. The best producers (the best known is probably Cameron Mackintosh, who produced Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and many other great hits) has the genius to recognise a potentially great piece of theatre as well as find the finance for it to be put on.

Profile
A type of spotlight (qv), with an optical system rather like a projector which produces a narrow, hard-edged beam of light.

Prompt Copy
See Book. The copy of the script in which all notes, moves, cues etc. are noted.

Prompt Side
The left side of the stage, as you face the audience. Traditionally the side of the stage on which the prompt corner (or simply corner (qv)) is situated.

Property Master
(or Mistress) Responsible for the obtaining and/or construction of the properties (qv).

Pyropot
A safe container into which a pyro (see Pyrotechnics) charge is plugged for firing electronically.

Rack
A rack into which permanent equipment is bolted, eg. dimmers, amplifier and other sound equipment, etc. The unit of measurement of the height of a rack is 1.75 inches (44.45mm). Oddly a 1RU rack is 19 inches high, a 2RU 38 inches, and so on.

Radio Mic
Also known as a wireless mic. A mic which incorporates a small radio transmitter which sends its signal to a receiver which is attached to a mixer. This does away with the need for trailing cables. Note that only certain radio frequencies can be used without a licence.

Reprise
Musical term: to repeat, in whole or in part, a song which has already been sung in the show.

Reverb
An effect which a signal processor (qv) can add to a sound: the reverberation of a sound which varies according to the size of the room.

Revolve
A stage or, more usually, part of a stage (usually circular), which can revolve through 360 degrees. The most famous, to older UK TV watchers, is the revolve which was used at the end of the TV show Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

Rig
A lighting term. To set the lanterns in position. As a noun, its refers to the entirety of the lanterns on the show..

Rigger
A small console (which nowadays can be hand-held) for operating lights during focusing

Rostrum
(Plural: rostra) A platform, whether moveable or fixed.

RU
See rack

Safety Chain/Bond
A metal chain or wire used as a backup to prevent a luminaire from falling from the lighting rig if the clamp fails.

Scene Dock
Backstage area for storing scenery (and loads of other things too!).

Scroller
A device placed in front of a lantern which allows the colour of the light to be changed remotely. Scrollers usually consist of a roll of gels which scroll in front of the lens on receiving a DMX (qv) command.

Segue
(Pronounced seg-way) Musical term for when one tune moves seamlessly into another.

Set
The scenery for a particular show or individual scene.

Set Dressing
Items on a set which are not actually used by anyone but which make it look more realistic (e.g. curtains over a window, a bowl of flowers on a table, and so on).

Shotgun Mic
A type of condenser mic (qv) which is designed to pick up sounds from a distance. Also known as a rifle mic (because of its long barrel) or hypercardioid (because of the narrowness of its pick-up range).

Sightlines
The area of the stage which can be seen by everyone seated in the auditorium. In some (badly designed!) theatres, a member of the audience sitting at the ends of certain rows, can only see two thirds of the stage!

Signal Processor
A unit which adds effect such as reverb (qv) to sounds which are passed through it.

Skycloth
A cloth, usually upstage, painted to look like the sky.

Smoke Machine
A machine which produces the effect of a haze of smoke in the air by heating up a harmless scented oil. These should not set off smoke alarms!

Sound Reinforcement
Reinforcing the sound produced by the actors on a stage. This is very different from amplifying the sound (as happens when a vocalist uses a mic to be heard above a band), for the audience should not be aware of the amplification. It is much more complex to achieve and requires greater sensitivity on the part of the operator.

Source 4
A recently introduced design of lantern (qv) (available in the usual formats), which uses the light produced more efficiently than previous lanterns. Source 4 is a trademark of the ETC company: Strand use the term SL to designate their lanterns of this design.

Special
Lighting term: a lantern (qv) - usually a spotlight (qv) - not used for general illumination but for a special effect, such a lighting a single actor in one place.

Spotlight
(Or, simply, spot) A type of lantern (qv) whose beam is focused through a lens or series of lenses to make it more controllable.

Stage Door
The entrance into the theatre for all personnel involved in the show. It is usaully small and unobstrusive and well away from the door(s) through which the audience enter. It is presided over by the stage doorman or doorkeeper.

Stage Manager
(SM) In charge of everything that happens backstage: all other backstage peronnel, including heads of departments, report to him. In the professional theatre, once the show starts its run, he takes complete control (including taking any rehearsals for understudies etc.), as the Director's job is finished once he has given his notes after the final dress rehearsal.

Strobe
A lantern which emits a regular, controllable series of high power flashes rather than continuous light. NOTE: strobes can induce fits in epileptics and so warning about their use should always be given in the programme and verbally before the show starts.

Sub-Master
Lghting term. In modern lighting desks, a whole lighting state (qv) can be allocated to a single fader, called a sub-master, so that when this fader is operated, the whole state responds.

Sub-Mixer
A small mixing desk which is then plugged into a channel on the main mixing desk, thus providing more channels. For example, the Musical Director (qv) use a sub-mixer to mix together the band's sound (thus ensuring that (s)he has full control over the balance of instruments in the band), and this is then fed to the main desk, where the sound operator adds it to the mix of all sound sources, thus making sure the balance of the band against other sounds is set correctly.

Swing
A member of a musical theatre company who can take over a number of different chorus parts at a moment's notice. An American term. Also swing showboy, swing showgirl, swing show.

Tab Dressing
Light on the House Tabs (see Tabs) before the curtain goes up and during the interval.

Tallescope
(I have to confess that I am not certain the spelling is correct!) Scaffolding on wheels for moving around the stage to rig and focus lanterns.

Tech
Short for technical rehearsal: a rehearsal specially held to get all technical effects (lighting, sound, stage) right.

Techies
Theatre slang for the technical crew

Theatre in the Round
A way of staging a play in which the audience sits on all sides of the stage.

Thrust
A type of stage which projects out into the auditorium and has audience seated on three sides.

Tormentor
Lots of opportuities for bad jokes here but tornentors are simply flats at the front of the stage which are inside the pros arch and narrow the opening, and hence the acting area.

Tracks
The rails on which curtains (tabs) run,

Trap
A trapdoor set in the stage floor.

Trebling
One actor taking three parts in a play.

TRS
Usually used to refer to 15 amp cable, although TRS actually stands for Thick Rubber Shielding