Glossary of Theatrical Terms | E-G

This is a glossary of theatrical, technical, lighting, video and audio terms you may hear at the Rose Theatre. And don't let the length of this list intimidate you. It is as much for us as it is for you!

Edge Up

1. To raise a piece of scenery up-right onto its edge.
2. A mild form of upstaging.

Echo

A sound that has been reflected off a surface so as to arrive back at the source an audible time later.

Echo Unit

A sound signal processor that duplicates the effect of a sound echo. Echo units originally used an endless loop of audio tape passing over several tape heads. Now the processors are almost all solid state, except for those used by a few die hard audio engineers who are looking for a specific sound. See Digital Delay.

Edison Screw

(Abbreviation ES) Type of lamp base which is basically a screw thread. The drawback is that the lamp, once tightened, may not be orientated correctly to the lens and reflector. Also has a propensity to crack the glass when over tightened, thus breaking the lamp. This type is now only used for a few basic floods, though it is still widely used in general purpose household type fittings. From Thomas Edison, the father of the modern electric light bulb.

Effects

(Abbreviation FX) Special lighting and audio effects.

Effects Relays

A low voltage relay system used to switch mains powered special effects equipment that is not suitable to be connected to the lighting dimmer system.

Effects Soundtrack

See Surround Sound.

Electrics

1. The members of the electrical team.
2. All of the electrical equipment. Almost always now abbreviated in writing and speech to “LX’.

Elevation

A working drawing usually drawn accurately and to scale, showing the side view of the set or lighting arrangement.

Elevator Stage

Type of mechanical stage with sections that can lowered or raised.

Ellipsoid

The type of reflector used in many profile spots. Often used in America now to refer to all profile spotlights. The reflector is formed in a regular oval shape.

Enclosure

The housing or cabinet which contains the speakers.

Ensemble Acting

Actors working as a group on stage rather than individual characters.

Entrance

1. Place on a set through which the actor may appear.
2. Point in the script at which an actor appears on stage.

Envelope

1. Jargon for Lamp.
2. The glass tube part of the lamp, containing the filament.

Epilogue

A speech to the audience by an actor after the formal action of the play is concluded.

Equalisation

Series of controls on the sound mixer for adjusting the tonal quality.

Equalisation Cut

A switch on the sound mixer to allow the equalised tonal quality to be compared to the original sound.

Exit

1. The process of leaving the stage.
2. Point in the script at which an actor leaves the stage.

Expander

A unit that increases the dynamic range of an audio signal. Works in reverse to a Compressor.

Exposition

Background knowledge required by an audience to understand the play. The information is sometimes not in the script, but more often is conveyed in early speeches by subordinate characters.

Exterior

A setting depicting an outdoor scene.

Extra

See Supernumerary.

Fader

The control knob or slide that provides the means of controlling the output level of a lantern or amplifier.

Fade Time

The time taken to execute a lighting change.

Fall Down Backward

Traditional good luck greeting between cast and crew before a performance. Also Break A Leg, Chookas.

False Proscenium

An inner frame which narrows down the opening of the proscenium arch. It may help to hide lanterns or may be required by the design of the show.

False Stage

A special stage floor laid a few inches above the real stage, to allow the running of steel cables to pull trucks across the stage.

Feedback

High pitched squeal when a microphone picks up acoustically from a speaker to which it is connected. Also Howl Round.

Fill Light

Diffuse lighting used to complement Key Lighting.

Filter

See Colour Filter.

Fire

Because of the high incidence of fires in theatres during the candle and gas lighting eras, to speak of fire whilst in a theatre is generally considered unlucky.

Fire Curtain

The heavy fire-proof curtain that, in an emergency, is dropped at the front of the stage, effectively sealing the stage from the auditorium and thus slowing the spread of flames. Jargon - The Iron.

First Pipe

The lighting bar immediately upstage of the proscenium arch.

Fitting

See Lantern.

Fit-Up

See Bump-In.

Flame Retardant

Chemical applied to fabric to reduce its ignitability when exposed to fire. In some places regular or periodic flame retardant of stage drapes and sets is law.

Flash Button

A push switch on a lighting desk that turns the channel on instantly to full when operated. Some desks have a flash button level master that allows the channel to flashed on to a set level.

Flash Out or Through

To check whether the lanterns are functioning correctly by putting them on one at a time.

Flash Pot

A small, strong metal cups from which black powder is exploded as a pyrotechnic effect. The black powder is poured on top of a small detonator, which is then fired from a battery.

Flat

A basic unit of scenery, a wooden frame covered with either canvas or plywood, and painted with the required picture.

Flat Truss

See Truss.

Flight Case

See Road Case.

Floats

See Footlights. Floats were very early forms of footlights, utilising the age old method of a floating wick lamp - where the wick floats in a bowl of oil or is threaded through a floating disk.

Floodlights

Also Floods. Lanterns without lenses which give a general fixed spread of light.

Floorcloth

A canvas covering for the floor of the stage. The cloth can be painted to resemble some surface, but be easily removed to reveal another cloth, or the stage floor below.

Floor Pockets

See Dips.

Floor Plan

See Ground Plan.

Flown

“Flown scenery’ has been attached to the counterweight system and is able to be hoisted into the flys.

Flys

1. The space above the stage in which scenery, lanterns and so on are hung invisible to the audience.
2. The counterweight system.

Fly Floor

Also Fly Gallery. A high platform which runs along the side of the stage from which the flying lines are operated.

Fly Gallery

See Fly Floor.

Fly Man

Crew person who operates the flys.

Fly Tower

The part of the theatre building above the stage that contains the flys.

Focus

1. That items and objects on the set are consistent with the theme envisaged by the director.
2. Pulling focus - when an actor deliberately tries to draw the audience's attention away from another cast member to themselves.

Focusing

1. Adjusting a lantern to give it a well defined image.
2. The process of adjusting and directing the lanterns prior to the technical rehearsal. Can be “The Focus’.

Fogger

See Smoke Machine.

Fog Juice

See Smoke Machine.

FOH

See Front of House.

Foldback

Sound reinforcement from loudspeakers on the side of the stage to enable actors to hear their musical accompaniments clearly, and to hear their own voices when the sound is heavily reinforced for the audience.

Follow On Cue

A cue that is executed automatically after the previous one.

Followspot

A manually operated spot light with a beam which can be directed to follow an actor around the stage. Also Dome, Limes.

Footlights

A batten of lights mounted on the stage floor, generally not used today except for special effects. The earliest English use of footlights was 1672 - but they became popular after their installation at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, in 1758 by the legendary David Garrick, after whom there have been theatres named in both England and America. Garrick probably used an idea from the French. A rumoured use of footlights was to blind the cast so they could not see the audience, hopefully to reduce nervous tension.

Forestage

The area in front of the house curtain in a proscenium arch theatre.

Fore And Aft

Measuring the depth rather than the width of the stage.

Fork

See Harness.

Foul

To entangle lanterns or scenery hung in the flys.

Fourth Wall

The imaginary wall which separates the audience from the stage in a proscenium theatre.

Freeze

To stop all action and movement on stage, usually during applause or just before a lighting cue.

French Action

See Tab Track.

French Brace

A rigid triangular timber brace attached to a flat to hold the flat upright. If hinges are used it can be folded flat for storage or to be moved.

French Flat

A flat which is flown into position.

Fresnel

A type of spot light with a Fresnel lens, which due to a set of concentric circular ribbing on its surface, gives an even field of light with soft edges.

Fribble

A 17th century word used to describe ad libbing to cover lapses of memory.

Front of House

(Abbreviation FOH) Any part of the theatre in front of the proscenium arch.

Front of House Lighting

Lights placed in front of the proscenium arch. Only generally introduced in the 1870s. Previously - through the candle chandelier and gas ages - all stage lighting came from above or to the side of the stage. Also Ante-Pros Lighting.

Front of House Manager

The staff member in a Theatre responsible for the audience and Front of House facilities, such as the bars, concessions, programs, and ticket selling.

Front Cloth

Scenic cloth hung close to the front of the stage so scenes may be changed behind it.

Frost

A type of Diffusion Filter.

FUF

See Full Up Finish.

Full Up Finish

(Abbreviation FUF) Increase in lighting at the end of a musical number.

Fuse

Replaceable protective device for electrical equipment which melts or breakdowns under specific conditions, thereby stopping the flow of power to the device and so preventing damage.

FX

See Effects

Gaffer Tape

Heavy duty cloth adhesive tape with many uses in the entertainment world.

Gaffer Grip

Type of spring loaded clamp used to attach a light to scenery etc when a standard G-clamp would not be suitable.

Gain

The difference or increase in audio levels from one point in the circuit to another.

Galaxy

Series of large memory lighting control consoles by Strand Electric, used world wide in both theatre and television.

Gas

Gas was used as the primary method of lighting both the stage and auditorium from around the 1830s, though it was certainly tried 10 or 15 years before that, until the advent of the electric light later that century.

Gate

The part of the lantern in between the lamp and the lens where shaping of the light beam is possible using shutters, gobos, and irises.

Gate Rostrum

See Rostrum.

Gauze

See Scrim.

G-Clamp

See Clamp.

Gel Frame

See Colour Frame.

Gel

See Colour Filter.

Gemini

General Purpose Outlet

(Abbreviation GPO) The typical mains power wall socket. On stage is used to refer to a power outlet not connected to the lighting dimmer system, and so providing an independent source of power.

Mid 1980's Strand Electric memory desk, originally designed as a touring/portable version of the Galaxy.

Get-In/Out

See Bump-In/Out.

Ghost

1. n. Beam of light which inadvertently leaks from a lantern and falls where it is not wanted.
2. v. To allow a small dim light to emit from a follow spot to allow it to be properly lined up before turning the lantern to full. No theatre would be complete without a resident ghost!

Globe

See Lamp.

Gobo

A metal plate with a pattern punched out of it and placed in the gate of a profile spot to produce an image or outline on stage.

Gopher

General dogsbody who is sent to “go for’ things for the cast and crew.

GPO

See General Purpose Outlet.

Graphic Equaliser

Advanced audio tone control unit that allows very precise control over the frequency spectrum at a number of centre frequencies.

Green

The part of the stage area visible to the audience.

Green Baize

Until the mid 19th century it was common practice to lay a green carpet on stage when a tragedy was to be performed. Practically it was to protect the costumes when the cast collapsed in death, but became a tool to raise an audience's expectations when the carpet was laid during interval.

Green Room

Room adjacent to the stage (.i.e. the Green) for the actors to meet and relax. One explanation for “green’ is that in medieval days, when strolling players gave performances on the village green (hence “Green’), a tent would be set-up for them to change costumes in (hence “Green Room’). Perhaps the best known Green Room is at Drury Lane Theatre in London, and it is possible that it was once draped or painted in green, and this is the origin. Another possible theory is because of the Green Baize as described above. Green, the colour, is also known to be psychologically soothing.

Grid

1. The arrangement of wooden or metal slats above which are mounted the pulley blocks of the flying system.
2. The system of trusses and bars from which lanterns are hung.

Grided

Any flying piece raised as high as possible into the flys.

Ground Plan

A scale drawing which shows the exact position of the openings, wall and windows, and other details on in a stage set as seen from above.

Groundrow

1. A row of lanterns on the floor of the stage for lighting the bottom area of a cyclorama or cloth. This is usually masked by a scenic groundrow.
2. Shaped pieces of scenery usually less than a metre high. Also Scenic Groundrow.

Grouping

The arrangement of actors in and around the set at a particular time. See Blocking.

Grudgeon

Bracket fixed to fly rail in hemp houses to which the hemp ropes are tied off. Also Cleat.

Gun Microphone

See Shot Gun.