Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those "In the Know"

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Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those "In the Know"

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:23pm

I started a thread a while ago about people who say they "saw Hamilton" versus "watched Hamilton" and how I think the latter is simply wrong.

More and more, I get frustrated/see others being frustrated about those who incorrectly call a cast recording/cast album a "soundtrack."

Are there any other idioms/sayings that people are prickly about along these lines? What about theater versus theatre? Just curious

Updated On: 12/2/15 at 01:23 PM

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:32pm

I myself get a little peeved when people refer to a musical as a play. Sure, it technically is a play, but you should refer to musicals as a musical, and a play as a play.

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:32pm

Double post- Ignore.

Updated On: 12/2/15 at 01:32 PM

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:37pm

When someone is picked to play a part in a play or musical the proper term to use is "cast" NOT "casted".

Also, the part the actor is playing in a play or musical is also referred to as a "role" NOT "roll".

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:41pm

"Play practice" always made me red with rage. Also, "do you have tryouts soon?" makes me so mad. Also, for the saw vs. watched thing, I definitely use saw when I see a live show, and watched when I....well, I think you get it.

They/them. "Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:50pm

I'm not sure why this is, but I also use "Saw" for a movie in the cinema and "Watched" for a movie on TV. "Saw" just feels more like something you went out and experienced. "Watched" feels more passive.

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:05pm

The theatre is full of expressions and vocab that are mostly known only by theatre people. Many of them relate to the technical/practical aspect of theatre, or parts of the theatre itself. Just a few examples:

Upstage/Downstage

Parts of the theatre like the house, the wings, fly-space, proscenium, etc.

"Break a Leg" (I guess that's more commonly known)

Responding to calls from the SM with "Thank you 5" or "10" or "Half hour" etc.

"Blocking" a show, or to remember one's "blocking"

As I said, just a tiny sampling of some theatre lingo.

Updated On: 12/2/15 at 02:05 PM

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:11pm

"Saw" just feels more like something you went out and experienced. "Watched" feels more passive.

While I use see and watch just as you describe, I don't think this explanation is really true. If anything, I'd say that watching suggests more active involvement than seeing. If you were entrusted with the care of a child, would you watch her or see her?

Anyhow, my friend from Texas talks about watching operas and shows all the time. I suspect this is just another harmless dialectal difference, and most certainly not a case of someone being "simply wrong."

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:21pm

Guys, as the OP already said, there was already a thread about this:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1086943#4719377

The OP started this thread to pose a new question.

#10

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:28pm

The OP started this thread to pose a new question.

True, but (s)he also baited us a little bit by re-introducing the watch/see debate in the original post. :)

#11

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:36pm

Ha, apologies! Discourse never hurts

#12

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:04pm

To redeem myself a bit, here's another one: I doubt most casual theatergoers can distinguish the meanings of standby, understudy, and swing. (Some discussion is here.)

#13

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:09pm

One time I heard someone refer the scrim as a skim and I got so enraged I killed them.

....but the world goes 'round

#14

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:09pm

CindersGolightly said: ""Play practice" always made me red with rage. Also, "do you have tryouts soon?" makes me so mad. "

May I ask why? Are the actors not PRACTICING? Are people not trying out for parts? Maybe I'm missing your point.

I often call halftime: intermission.....and I almost fell off my couch when I heard an announcer use intermission during Monday night football.

I will agree, TOTALLY, with the use of the word "casted". I'm fairly certain that's never correct. Even when fishing.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#15

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:17pm

dramamama611 said: "May I ask why? Are the actors not PRACTICING? Are people not trying out for parts? Maybe I'm missing your point."

For me, there's a couple of things:

(1) the proper term would be "rehearsal," which is more formal, official, and to me sounds less awkward. Same thing for "auditions" instead of "try-outs." I'm not in the business, but I don't think theatre professionals say "play practice" or "try-outs"

(2) For me personally, and maybe this is true for others, "play practice" has very amateurish associations. I remember doing plays in middle school and hearing kids asking "when's play practice today?" "what are we doing in play practice?" I continued to hear it occasionally in high school, predominately from people who were just doing theatre for the first time.

Updated On: 12/2/15 at 03:17 PM

#16

Theatre Idioms/Sayings for Those

Posted: 12/5/15 at 3:42am

TerrenceIsTheMann said: "I myself get a little peeved when people refer to a musical as a play. Sure, it technically is a play, but you should refer to musicals as a musical, and a play as a play."

This one bugs me too.

Another one that bugs me is when someone refers to an alternate or a temprary replacement (especially one that's on a longer run) as an understudy/stand by, it's not the same thing.

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