Common theater terms unfamiliar to mainstream audiences?- Page 2

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 4:26pm

I was telling one of my friends who is not a theatre person about Spider Man on facebook a few weeks ago. This is how it went:

Me: The book is horrible.
Friend: By book, do you mean comics?
Me: No, the book is the spoken dialogue in a musical.
Friend: That's what I was wondering, because today we were talking about musicals that have been made from books.

It's so funny, but also frustrating.

[tommyboy]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 4:31pm

Mister Matt -- thanks for mentioning the ghost light. The ghost light shines when no one is in the theater to keep the ghosts away. It is placed on the stage, down center, and was the only light in the old days. Apparently many of New York's theaters are home to the ghosts of the likes of John Barrymore, Belasco, among others.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 4:35pm

Technically, the bookwriter is responsible for outlining the entire musical, so it's more than just the spoken dialogue. However, many people (I wonder if voters do, too) just consider the spoken dialogue as book.

Exactly. Ballets and operas have books as well. As do sung-through musicals. Spoken dialogue is only an element of a book, though there are those who argue that it is the only element of relevance. That's why they get their panties in a twist over Cats winning the Tony for book.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 4:41pm

Point taken RE: a musical's book.

I'm writing a small glossary for an exhibition manual/pamphlet so this has been rolling through my head. Scrims are not mentioned in the exhibit, but previews and out of town tryouts are and I just don't think undergrad students (who, granted, are studying an area of the arts) would necessarily know these terms and concepts.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 11:48pm

theatre

[Weez]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 5:15am

The ghost light shines when no one is in the theater to keep the ghosts away.

Also, it is a light to say "hello! Here is the edge of the stage, any people who may be remaining in the building after most of the lights are off. Try not to fall off it and turn yourself into ghosts!".

"Cast recording" and "book" are the main ones I've had issues with.

[juliethejarhead]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 8:55am

Oooooooh -- you folks are sooooooooo smart.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 10:57am

Tabs

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 10:57am

Tabs

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 11:06am

A lot of people will ask for a "program" when what they really want is the Playbill.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 11:12am

I'm sorry, I'm not seeing what the difference between a program and a Playbill is. Isn't a Playbill just a branded program, like a Kleenex is a branded tissue, or Jello is a branded gelatin dessert?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 1:15pm

My favorite:

"vomitorium"

These are entrances through the audience that are specifically constructed into the theatre. The Beaumont and the Newhouse at Lincoln Center have these. Most theatres do not.

They are not entrances and/or exits made in the aisles of the theatre like Mama Rose's first entrance and Billy Elliot's last exit.

I believe the term comes from the ancient Greeks or Romans.

[amoni]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 10:47pm

Underslings are the quote boards that hang under the marquee.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 11:21pm

Isn't a Playbill just a branded program, like a Kleenex is a branded tissue, or Jello is a branded gelatin dessert?

Sort of. They were called playbills long before the company made it a proper noun. I think adamgreer is distinguishing between the free playbill and the souvenir program.