STAGE AND ACTING TERMINOLOGY
STAGE DIRECTIONS, AREAS, BODY POSITIONS, and MOVEMENT
Closed The actor is turned away from the audience.
Countercross Adjustment in the opposite direction of the cross.
Cover An actor stands in front of another actor.
Acting Area Two sit-down positions 6' or more apart.
Action Pursuit of a specific goal.
Apron Also known as forestage, that part of the stage which juts out in front of the curtain.
Aside A line spoken to a character which is not supposed to be heard by others on stage.
Beat From the beginning to the end of an intention or objective.
Build Increase volume or tempo to reach a climax.
Concentration Giving complete attention to something. Key to effective acting.
Cue Line or piece of business which tells another actor it is time to speak or act.
Pick up cues - Actors may be given the direction to pick up cues. This means to begin speaking immediately as the cue is finished, and possibly even before.
Dialogue Lines spoken by the characters in a play, scripted by a playwright. Be true to the script.
Ensemble Acting The stress is on the group rather than on an individual performance.
Fourth wall In an interior setting of four wall, the side between the actor and the audience.
Given Circumstances
Unchangeable fact that affects the playing of the scene. Particularly important are time, place, social, educational, and climactic facts.
Ground Plan
Arrangement of the place of the scene. Includes walls, steps, furniture, doors and so forth. Drawn as if directly overhead. NOTE: A high-tension ground plan has 5 or more acting areas.
Motivation Why a character does what he or she does.
Mugging A term for exaggerated facial expressions.
Objective Pursuit of a specific goal. Must be phrased in terms of action - to _____ him/her. Intention.
Obstacle Physical or psychological hindrance or obstruction.
Point (or punch) Giving special emphasis to a word or business. For instance, the last line of a scene, act or play is usually pointed.
Properties "Things" or "objects" which are integral to the performance.
Kinds: 1. Hand props - small things held in the hand (coffee cups, pens, etc.)
2. Personal props - Things which are carried by an actor but are specifically used by him (watches, cigarette holders, glasses, etc.)
3. Costume props - Costume accessories (gloves, etc.).
4. Stage props - Items used to dress the stage (books, lamps, etc.)
Prop table - Table placed offstage where properties are placed when not in use.
Runthrough An uninterrupted rehearsal of the entire scene, act, or play. This is in contrast to a "working" rehearsal where director or technicians may stop the run to work problems, or a "blocking" rehearsal where director gives movement to actors.
Stealing Taking the audience's attention when not supposed to have it. Scene stealers are frowned upon.
Subtext The text beneath the text.
Telescoping Overlapping speeches. Used to build
Top To build a line higher than the preceeding one.
LINES and DIALOGUE, MISCELLANEOUS TERMS,
STAGE AREAS
Rules: 1. It is the responsibility of the downstage actor not to cover the upstage actor.
2. If you are the upstage actor and are covered, make a slight adjustment.
3. Make crosses below actors.
Cross Abbreviated X, it is a move from one place to another on stage.
Give, take When two actors are not equally open, one gives and the other takes the scene
Open An open position is one which faces the audience. An open turn is one which turns towards the audience.
3/4 or 1/4 Half turn towards audience, so they can see your facial expressions.
Rules: 1. Play shared scenes equally open in quarter position.
2. Whenever possible, turn downstage, but make the most logical turn.
3. Kneel on the downstage knee.
4. Use your upstage arm for gestures so as to avoid covering yourself.
Share Two actors share when they are equally open.
Wings Offstage spaces at the sides of the acting areas.
Above Away from the audience (same as upstage of).
Below Toward the audience (same as downstage of).
Blocking The process of working the arrangement of actors on stage with relationship to the furniture. Purposes are to tell the story, develop characterization, set mood, and also to create suspense.
Downstage (D.S) Towards the audience.
In Toward the center of the stage.
Out Away from the center of the stage.
Stage left The actor's left as he faces the audience.
Stage right The actor's right as he faces the audience.
Upstage (U.S.) Away from the audience.
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