Theater Jargon

How does it feel to know your contribution helps further arts education and share transformative experiences with students, educators and the community?

There are no words to adequately describe how it makes me feel. The arts changed my life. The arts kept me inspired and motivated throughout my school days and helped build up my confidence and self-esteem. I want the arts to do for others what the arts have done for me.

There are a lot of different technical terms when it comes to operating a theater and staging productions. From the performers, the crew and the staff, learn some of the words we use every day at Walton Arts Center.

Apron

The part of the stage closest to the audience. The area of the theater located between the curtain and the orchestra pit.

Blocking

Direction given to actors as to where they should stand or move to during the course of the play. Actors are given these bits of direction during blocking rehearsals.

Book

The script of the musical that includes characters, dialogue, etc.

Call Time

The time that all actors and crew are expected to be at the theater.

Pit

Where the orchestra sits.

Callbacks

Any round of auditions after the initial audition. Depending on the production, the director uses callbacks to select principal roles (having already selected chorus/ensemble during the first round), or the director uses callbacks to review his/her short list of potential cast members.

Curtain Call

When the actors come out at the end of the show to take their bows.

The Fourth Wall

An invisible dividing “wall” between the stage and audience. Characters will sometimes “break the fourth wall” and interact with or speak directly to the audience.

Ghost Light

Before the entire theater is closed for the evening, all lights except for a single, exposed, incandescent bulb is left on stage. For practical purposes, this is a safety precaution. For superstition, this gives the ghosts who inhabit the theater some light so that they can perform.

Strike

When you tear down the set or remove something (“strike the ladder” means to take it off the stage).

Swing

The swing is a multi-talented performer who’s responsible for learning many ensemble tracks so that they can “swing on” when someone is ill, injured or missing the performance for any reason.