Vocabulary WORDS

Set: Furniture, platforms, etc. arranged to suggest a specific location.

Wings: Spaces used for entrances and exits on the sides of the stage.

Script: A printed copy of the play.

Strike: To take down a scene from the stage.

Clear: To clear the stage of actors, scenery and props in order to set the stage for the next scene.

Run-through: A rehearsal of the entire play.

Curtain Call: Bow taken by the actors at the end of a performance in response to the cheering of the audience.

Music Center Profiles

What is your job?

“I write plays. My most recent plays are The Sun Serpent and Super Cowgirl and Mighty Miracle. Thousands of children will get to see my plays”

How did you get started?

José Cruz

González

As young student

“I grew up very poor in a migrant worker family in Central California. My three brothers and I worked in the fields with our parents all through school. I found a way to escape in the arts. I first painted, but eventually became a writer.”

When did you first know you wanted to do this for a living?

“In college there were no young Hispanic writers. I decided that I should not only become a writer but also help other Hispanics get into the arts. In 1985, I started the Hispanic Playwright Project. The project helps develop new plays for Hispanics across the country.”

Watch a Theatre Performance

What is your job?

“I am in charge of the technical aspects of scenery, costumes, lighting, and sound effects. I figure out how to do all of it within the budget we have.”

How did you get started?

Jonathan Lee

As young student

“It’s in my blood. Both my parents were in show business. My father wrote plays and my mother did voices for cartoons.” (She was the voice of Judy in The Jetsons and Josie in Josie and the Pussycats.)

When did you first know you wanted to do this for a living?

“I took an acting class in 9th grade. I was hooked after that.”

What do you like most about your job?

“Being part of a creative solution. We can only sell 750 seats a night. We don’t have as much money as the other venues — it’s a real challenge.”