Robin Barton |
| - Lighting - AV - IT - Staging - Electrics - Electronics - Programming - |
| A | |
| ABTT | Association of British Theatre Technicians |
| Act | (1 - General) To perform a dramatic role. (2 - General) A section of a production, often acts are seperated by intermissions. |
| Amp | (1 - Technical) A unit of electrical current. (2 - Technical) See Amplifier. |
| Amplifier | A unit used to increase the amplitude (e.g. volume) of a signal. |
| Apron | The area of the stage, if any, which protrudes in front of the proscenium arch. |
| Aria | A reflective solo (usually sung). |
| ASM | Assistant Stage Manager |
| Auditorium | The area from which the audience watches the production. |
| B | |
| Backcloth | A cloth hung to form the back of a set. |
| Bar | A horizontal, flown rod or pole from which scenery, lighting and other equipment is hung. |
| Bar Bells | Bells sounded front of house to warn the audience that the performance is about to begin. |
| Barndoors | Adjustable flaps on the front of a luminaire used to control the beam. See also shutters. |
| Batten | (1 - General) See bar. (2 - Staging) A wooden strip at the bottom of a cloth to keep it straight and taut. (3 - Staging) A piece of wood used to join a number of flats together. (4 - Lighting) A group of luminaires. |
| Beamlight | A luminaire with no lens that provides an almost parallel beam of light. |
| Beginners | The backstage call 5 minutes prior to curtain up to get the cast into position for the first scene. |
| Blacklight | Ultraviolet light. |
| Blackout | A period when all stage lighting is turned off. |
| Blocking | Arranging the movement and actions of the cast on stage. |
| Blueout | Similar to a blackout but with dim, normally blue, lights left on to provide enough light for scene changes. |
| Board | See desk. |
| Bomb Tank | A strong metal container used to prevent debris from maroons causing injury or damage. |
| Bookflat | Two flats hinged together. |
| Booking | Closing a bookflat. |
| Boom | A vertical lighting bar. |
| Boom Arm | Used to hang equipment from a boom. |
| Border | Masking hung above the stage. |
| Box Set | A set which encloses the acting space on three sides. |
| Brace | A straight piece of wood (metal and other materials are rarely used) that supports a flat. |
| Bridge | (1 - General) A walkway above the stage and/or auditorium which allows access to equipment. (2 - Staging) A link between two raised areas. |
| Bulb | The glass part of a lamp. |
| C | |
| Call | The person responsible for calling the cast to position at the correct time. |
| Call desk | The desk from which the call operates. |
| Cans | The communication system, usually consisting of headphones and a microphone that allows co-ordination of the technical departments during the show. |
| Centre Line | The dividing line (imaginary) between the left and right halves of the stage. |
| Channel | A controller of one or more circuits in the lighting or sound system. |
| Chase | A repeated sequence of lighting states. |
| Chippie | Carpenter |
| Circuit | The phsyical electrical circuit between a luminaire and the associated dimmer channel. |
| CL | See centre line. |
| Cleat | A fixture with two wings used for quick fastening of ropes. |
| Cloth | A piece of fabric, often painted, that forms part of the scenery. |
| Clothscene | A scene which takes place on the audience side of a cloth. |
| Colour | See gel. |
| Colour Call | A list of gels required. |
| Colour Frame | See gel frame. |
| Colour Scroller | A device containing a strip of different gels the position of which, and thus the gel in use, can be adjusted remotely. |
| Colour Wheel | A revolving disc which holds a number of different gels allowing them to be changed sequentially. |
| Counterweight | The weights used in a counterweight system. |
| Counterweight System | A system used for flying where weights are used to balance the load and make lifting easier. |
| Cradle | A frame used to hang equipment. In a counterweight system a cradle is used to hold the weights. |
| Crossfade | A change from one lighting or sound state to another without darkness or silence. |
| Crossover | (1 - Sound) A device which routes certain pitches of signal to the correct parts of the loudspeaker. (2 - Staging) The path from one side of the stage to the other which allows cast to move without being seen by the audience. |
| Cue | The signal to do something, for example say the next line. |
| Cue Light | A device which allows cues to be passed by means of illuminating lamps. |
| Cue Sheet | A list of cues in a production. |
| Curtain Call | The bows at the end of a show after the finale. |
| Curtain Up | The time at which the housetabs rise and the show starts. |
| Cut Cloth | A cloth which has been cut to allow the audience view to extend beyond it. |
| Cyc | See cyclorama. |
| Cyclorama | An undecorated set backing which is formed by either a cloth, a set of flats or the wall at the back of the stage. |
| d | |
| dB | The symbol for decibel. |
| D | |
| Dead | (1 - Staging) The point at which a piece of scenery reaches the desired stage position. (2 - General) Redundant items. |
| Dead Stack | A pile of dead items. |
| Decibel | A measure of the volume of sound (symb |
| Desk | (1 - Backstage) See call desk. (2 - Lighting) The console used to remotely control the dimmer racks. (3 - Sound) See mixer. |
| Diffuser | A textured gel which is used to soften and spread light. |
| Dim | Reduce the intensity of luminaires. |
| Dimmer | The equipment that is used to set the brightness of the lighting. |
| Dip | A hole in the stage floor containing electrical sockets. |
| DMX | The USITT standard digital control data protocol and cabling specification for control of lighting equipment. |
| Dock | The offstage area where scenery is stored when not in use. |
| Double Purchase | A counterweight system where the cradle travels half of the distance of the bar. |
| Downstage | The area of the stage closest to the audience. |
| Dress | (1 - General) See dress rehearsal. (2 - Costume) To put on a costume. (3 - Properties/Staging) To decorate the set. |
| Dress Parade | The final check of costumes prior to the dress rehearsal. |
| Dress Rehearsal | The rehearsal where all costumes are used |
| Drop | Lower suspended equipment. |
| DSM | Deputy Stage Manager |
| E | |
| Elevation | An accurate drawing depicting the side view of a rig. |
| Ellipsoidal | A type of reflector, used in an increasing number of luminaires. |
| Entrance | (1 - General) A gap in the set through which the cast may enter the stage area. (2 - General) The point in the script at which a person, or persons, enter the stage area. |
| EQ | See equalisation. |
| Equalisation | Control of the audio tone to produce the desired sound. |
| Exit | (1 - General) A person, or persons, leaving the stage. (2 - General) The point in the script where a person, or persons, leave the stage area. |
| F | |
| Fader | The sliding control on a desk to adjust the volume of sound or intensity of light. |
| False Proscemium | An extra proscenium arch used for decorative purposes or to reduce the size of the stage opening. |
| Finale | The final scene of a production. |
| Fit Up | See get in. |
| Flash Out | Testing the operation of lighting equipment by turning them on one by one. |
| Flashpot | A small container containing a detonator and flash powder for special effects. |
| Flat | A piece of scenery formed with a panel. These are often constructed with a covered wooden frame and can be made to any shape. |
| Flies | See flys. |
| Floats | See footlights. |
| Floodlights | Very basic luminaires with no lense which provide a fixed, wide spread of light. |
| Floorcloth | Cloth, usually painted, used as a to cover the stage floor for effect. |
| Flown | Suspended equipment. |
| Fly | Suspend equipment and/or people. |
| Fly Floor | The gallery from which the flying equipment is operated. |
| Flying | Suspending equipment and/or cast members. |
| Flys | The area directly above the stage used for flown equipment. |
| Focussing | The adjustment of the light ouput by a luminaires to give a desired effect. |
| FOH | Front of house. |
| Follow Spot | A luminaire used to follow actors around the stage. |
| Footlights | Luminaires set into the stage floor to provide uplighting. |
| Fourth Wall | An imaginary wall between the cast and audience which completes the area in which a piece is set. |
| French Brace | A fixed triangular brace. |
| Front of House | All areas in front of the proscenium arch. |
| FX | Effects. |
| G | |
| Gauze | A special cloth which is opaque when lit from the front but transparent when lit from the back. |
| Gel | A coloured and/or textured medium used to alter the light produced by a luminaire. |
| Gel Frame | The frame used to hold the gel in place. |
| Get In | The set up of the theatre for a production. |
| Get Out | The clearing up of all things used for a production from the theatre. |
| Ghost | (1 - Lighting) The leakage from a luminaire. (2 - Lighting) A low intensity beam from a followspot used to find a target. |
| Gobo | Inserted into the focal plane of a profile luminaire, these patterns allow projection of images. |
| Green Room | The area in which cast and crew rest and wait for their next cue. |
| Grelco | 15A 2-way splitter (Tradename) |
| Groundrow | (1 - Staging) A low piece of scenery at floor level. (2 - Lighting) A row of luminaires on the floor. |
| H | |
| Half | The backstage call given 35 minutes before curtain up (30 minutes before beginners). |
| Hand Prop | Any handheld or handsize property. |
| Hang | Suspend an item. |
| Hook Clamp | A clamp used for holding equipment to bars. |
| Hot Lining | A method of testing lighting equipment during rigging by using a single live cable. |
| House | (1 - General) The auditorium. (2 - Opera) The theatre. |
| Houselights | The lighting used to illuminate the auditorium. |
| Housetabs | The main tabs which are normally used to define the start and end of acts. |
| Hum | Interference that resembles a hum. This is often caused by lighting circuits close to audio devices. |
| I | |
| Inset | A small scene inside a larger one. |
| Intermission | The break during a show, between acts. |
| Interval | See intermission. |
| Iris | Used in profile luminaires for adjusting the circular beam size. |
| Iron | A fire proof curtain that can be dropped downstage of the housetabs in case of fire. |
| J | |
| Jack-knife Stage | Staging consisting of two rostra which pivot at one corner. |
| Jumper | An electrical cable with a different type of connector at each end. |
| Juve | Abbreviation for Juvenile Lead: the young male main part. |
| K | |
| Kill | Cease an effect. |
| L | |
| Ladder | A ladded shaped frame used for hanging lighting. |
| Lamp | The light source of a luminaire, domestically refered to as a bulb. |
| Lampie | Lighting Technician |
| Lantern | See luminaire. |
| LCL | Light Centre Length (of a lamp) |
| Left | See stage left. |
| Legs | Full height panels used for masking. |
| Level | The intensity of light or volume of sound. |
| Light Centre Length | The distance from a reference point on a lamp base to the centre of the light source - i.e. the centre of the filament or arc. Base reference points are: Bayonet Candelabra - Top of base pins DC Prefocus - Plane of locating bosses of prefocusing collar Medium Bayonet - Top of base pins Medium Bipost - Bottom of bulb Medium Prefocus - Top of base pin Mini-can - Intersection of 45 degree taper with maximum diameter of base Mogul Prefocus - Top of base pin SC Prefocus - Plane of locating bosses of prefocusing collar Screw Bases - Bottom case contact |
| Limes | See follow spot. |
| Linnebach Projector | A type of luminaire used for projecting images from a gel or glass slide. |
| Loose | Turn off lighting or sound or remove an item from the stage. |
| Luminaire | General term (not just theatre) for a lighting instrument. |
| M | |
| Marking | (1 - General) The use of tape to mark the on stage position of items. (2 - Music) Singing without using the full volume or vocal range. |
| Maroon | A pyrotechnic which produces a loud bang. Must always be used in a bomb tank. |
| Masking | Preventing the audience from seeing areas of the stage. |
| MD | Musical Director |
| Mixer | The console used to adjust the volume and characteristics of audio signals. |
| Moving Light | A lighting fixture which can have its pan and tilt position moved by remote control. |
| N | |
| Noise Boy | Sound engineer |
| Noises Off | Sound effects produced off stage. |
| O | |
| Offstage | The area surrounding the stage that is not visible to the audience. |
| OP | See opposite prompt. |
| Opposite Prompt | Stage right. (In the |
| Out | Flown items which are in storage position out of sight of the audience. |
| Overture | The music that is played immediately before a performance. |
| P | |
| PA | (1 - General) Production Assistant. (2 - Sound) See public address. |
| Pack | (1 - Staging) A number of flats stored together. (2 - Lighting) See Rack. |
| Pan | (1 - Lighting) The movement of lighting or sound from side to side. (2 - Make-up) See pancake. |
| Pancake | A water based stage make-up. |
| Par Lamp | A sealed beam unit which consists of a parabolic reflector, lamp and lense. |
| Parcan | A luminaire which holds a par lamp. |
| Patch Panel | A panel which allows different circuits to be connected to dimmer channels. |
| Perch | A lighting position hidden behind the proscenium arch. |
| Periactus | A prism shaped piece of scenery which is revolved to show different scenes. |
| PLASA | Professional Lighting and Sound Association |
| Plot | (1 - General) The story depicted by a production. (2 - General) A list of cues or effects in a production. |
| PM | Production Manager. |
| Pole-op | A luminaire that can have its pan and tilt adjusted by means of a special pole. Most commonly found in TV or film studio locations. |
| Practical | An item which must do on stage what it would do in real life, i.e. a working item. |
| Preset | (1 - General) Any item put in place prior to a performance. (2 - Lighting) A lighting state that is set up prior to being activated with a master control. |
| Prompt Side | Stage left. (In the |
| Prop | See property. |
| Property | Any item or article used by the actors in performance other than costume and scenery. |
| Prosc | See proscenium arch. |
| Proscenium Arch | The arch around the front of the stage. |
| PS | See prompt side. |
| Public Address | An audio amplification system used for addressing the public. |
| Pyrotechnic | Any chemical effects used on or offstage for lighting or special effects. |
| Q | |
| Q | See cue. |
| Quarter | The backstage call given 20 minutes before curtain up (15 minutes before beginners). |
| R | |
| Rack | (1 - General) A rack (often 19"" wide) of equipment. (2 - lighting) See dimmer. |
| Rail | The top or bottom batten of the frame of a flat. |
| Rake | The slope of a stage floor. |
| Readthrough | An early rehearsal where the script is read without actions. |
| Reflector | A shiny material used at the back of a luminaire to reduce light wastage and intensify the beam. |
| Rehearsal | A session where the production is practiced. |
| Rig | (1 - General) To set up the equipment for a show. (2 - General) The equipment in position for a show. |
| Right | See stage right. |
| Riser | The vertical part of a step. |
| Rostrum | A raised platform. |
| Run | The scheduled performances of a production. |
| Runner | A person whose job is to transfer messages between other people. |
| Runners | A pair of tabs which part in the centre and move horizontally. |
| S | |
| Saturation Rig | A lighting rig where the maximum number of luminaires are positioned all available spaces. |
| Scatter | The light that strays from a beam. |
| Scrim | See gauze. |
| Scroller | See colour scroller. |
| Seque | Indicates that one musical number should go straight into the next. |
| Set | (1 - Staging) The set of scenery used in a scene. (2 - General) To position an item ready for the production. |
| Shutters | Adjustable blades, inserted into the focal plane of a luminaire, used to adjust the beam in profile instruments. See also barndoors. |
| Sightlines | The edges of the audience view of the stage. |
| Single Purchase | A counterweight system where the cradle travels the same distance as the bar. |
| SM | Stage manager. |
| Solo | A piece performed by one person. |
| Special | A piece of lighting equipment specifically for one function. |
| Spiking | See marking. |
| Spill | Unwanted light on stage. |
| Spotlight | A profile luminaire which produces a hard edged beam of light. |
| Stage Left | The left hand side of the stage when looking from the stage towards the audience. |
| Stage Right | The right hand side of the stage when looking from the stage towards the audience. |
| Stalls | Floor level seating for the audience. |
| Starcloth | A black cloth with a star effect built in, constructed with miniature lamps or fibre optics. |
| Strike | (1 - General) Remove an item from the stage. (2 - General) See get out. |
| Strobe | See stroboscope. |
| Stroboscope | A luminaire which produces a rapidly flashing, intense light. |
| Swag | Tabs gathered so they do not hang straight. |
| Switchboard | Console from which the lighting is controlled. |
| T | |
| Tab Warmers | A lighting state onto the House Tabs used before and after the show and during the interval. |
| Tabs | Any curtains other than those used to dress the set. |
| Tabtrack | The metal track on which tabs are hung which allows them to be opened and closed. |
| Teaser | A short border used to mask equipment. |
| Tech | Technical rehearsal. The rehearsal in the production venue where the technical aspects are rehearsed in the context of the show. |
| Theatre in the Round | A production where the audience surrounds the stage area. |
| Throw | The distance between a luminaire and the stage. |
| Thrust Stage | A stage which protrudes into the audience. |
| Tilt | The vertical movement of a luminaire. |
| Trap | A hole in the stage floor covered by a door allowing access from the understage area. |
| Trapeze | A single, short, hung lighting bar. |
| Treads | The horizontal part of steps. |
| Tripe | A collection of cables bundled together. |
| Truck | A wheeled trolley or platform loaded with set. |
| Turtle | A very low stand or base plate for a luminaire. |
| Twofer | (Elec.) An adapter allowing two plugs to be connected to a single socket. |
| U | |
| Uplighting | Illuminating a subject from below. |
| Upstage | The area of the stage furthest from the audience. |
| USITT | United States Institute for Theatre Technology |
| UV | Ultra Violet - Ultra violet lighting causes certain materials to fluoresce and create unusual effects. |
| V | |
| Vomitory | A passageway running underneath the auditorium to the stage. |
| W | |
| Walk Through | A rehearsal where the cast go through the movements in a production. |
| Ways | The number of channels in a control system. |
| Wings | The areas at either side of the stage, which are not normally visible to the audience. |
| Wobbly Bucket | Moving Light |
| Workers | Dim lighting used in blueouts to allow work to take place. |
| WYSIWYG | What You See Is What You Get |
| X | |
| Xfade | See crossfade. |