Theatre Glossary
Whether you're stepping on stage for the first time or picking up a script to read, here's a guide to the terms you'll encounter in the world of theatre.
31 terms in Industry & Business
Billing
The order and prominence in which performers' and creative team members' names appear in promotional materials, programmes, and marquees. Billing reflects status, contractual agreements, and industry conventions. "Top billing" means appearing first and most prominently. In commercial theatre, billing negotiations can be as detailed and contentious as salary discussions.
Industry & BusinessBreak a Leg
A traditional theatrical expression meaning "good luck," used because saying "good luck" directly is considered bad luck in theatre superstition. The exact origin is debated—theories include references to bowing (breaking the line of the leg), the hope of performing so well that one breaks through the "leg" curtains for a curtain call, or simply the theatrical tradition of inverting wishes.
Industry & BusinessCast Party
A social gathering held after the final performance of a production (closing night) to celebrate the shared experience of the show. Cast parties bring together actors, crew, designers, and sometimes friends and family. They're a cherished theatre tradition that acknowledges the temporary, communal nature of every production—a chance to mark the end of something that can never be repeated.
Industry & BusinessClosing Night
The final performance of a production's run. Closing night carries a bittersweet emotional charge—the last time this particular company will perform this show together. In long-running shows, closing night may feature curtain call speeches. For the crew, closing night means strike begins. The ephemeral nature of live theatre makes every closing a small goodbye.
Industry & BusinessCurtain Speech
A brief address to the audience delivered before the performance begins, typically by the artistic director, a board member, or a company representative. Curtain speeches may welcome the audience, acknowledge sponsors, make announcements (silence phones, no photography), or dedicate the performance. Some productions incorporate a curtain speech into the show itself as a dramatic device.
Industry & BusinessCurtain Up
The moment when the main curtain rises (or parts) to reveal the stage at the beginning of a performance, and by extension, a general term for the start of a show. "What time is curtain up?" means "What time does the show start?" The phrase captures the anticipation of that moment—house lights dimming, audience hushing, and the world of the play being revealed.
Industry & BusinessDramatist
Another term for a playwright—a person who writes plays. The word emphasises the dramatic craft and literary artistry involved in creating works for the stage. The Dramatists Guild of America is the professional association representing playwrights, composers, and lyricists in the United States.
Industry & BusinessDramatists Guild
The professional association for playwrights, composers, and lyricists in the United States. Founded in 1919, the Guild advocates for the rights of dramatic writers, provides standard contracts, and offers resources and community. Unlike actors' unions, the Dramatists Guild is a voluntary trade association rather than a labour union, but it wields significant influence over industry standards.
Industry & BusinessEquity
The common name for the professional actors' unions: Actors' Equity Association (AEA) in the United States and Equity (formerly British Actors' Equity Association) in the UK. These unions negotiate minimum pay rates, working conditions, and benefits for professional stage actors and stage managers. "Equity productions" must adhere to union contracts.
Industry & BusinessEquity Waiver
A provision that allows professional union actors to perform in small, non-union theatres under relaxed contractual terms, typically in venues with fewer than 99 seats. Equity waiver productions give union actors access to a wider range of roles and support small theatre companies that couldn't otherwise afford union contracts. The specific terms vary by region and are periodically renegotiated.
Industry & BusinessIntermission
A break between acts of a play or musical, typically lasting 15 to 20 minutes, allowing the audience to stretch, use facilities, and purchase refreshments. Also called an "interval" in British theatre. Some modern plays are performed without intermission; others may have two. Intermissions also give the crew time for major set changes.
Industry & BusinessLicensing
The legal process of obtaining permission to perform a published play or musical. Licensing agents (such as Samuel French, Dramatists Play Service, or Nick Hern Books) represent playwrights and grant performance rights in exchange for royalty payments. Performing a copyrighted play without a licence is illegal. Licensing agreements specify the number of performances, venue type, and sometimes ticket pricing.
Industry & BusinessLimelight
Originally a type of stage lighting used in the 19th century, created by heating a cylinder of calcium oxide (lime) in a flame, producing a brilliant white light. Limelight was used as a spotlight to illuminate performers. The expression "in the limelight" now means being the centre of public attention—a direct legacy of this theatrical technology.
Industry & BusinessMatinee
An afternoon performance, typically starting in the early or mid-afternoon as opposed to the standard evening show. Matinees are traditionally held on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. "Matinee idol" historically referred to handsome leading actors particularly popular with the afternoon crowds, which often included more women.
Industry & BusinessMatinee Idol
A handsome, charismatic male actor who is particularly popular with audiences, especially at afternoon (matinee) performances. The term originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when matinee audiences skewed heavily female. While the term is somewhat archaic, the concept persists—certain performers generate intense personal followings that drive ticket sales regardless of the production.
Industry & BusinessOff-Broadway
Professional theatres in New York City with 100 to 499 seats, a tier below Broadway in scale but often equal or superior in artistic ambition. Off-Broadway has historically been a launching pad for innovative work that later transfers to Broadway. Off-Off-Broadway (under 100 seats) represents an even more experimental tier.
Industry & BusinessOlivier Awards
The annual awards recognising excellence in London's professional theatre, named after the legendary actor Laurence Olivier. Established in 1976 (originally as the Society of West End Theatre Awards), the Oliviers cover West End and other major London productions. Winning an Olivier is the highest honour in British theatre and significantly raises a production's profile and commercial prospects.
Industry & BusinessOpening Night
The first official public performance of a production, following the preview period. Opening night is traditionally a significant event—critics attend, the cast and crew celebrate at an opening night party afterward, and reviews are typically published the following day. In Broadway tradition, opening night performances receive special attention from the industry and press.
Industry & BusinessPlaywright
A person who writes plays. The word uses "wright" (meaning maker or craftsman, as in wheelwright) rather than "write," emphasising that playwriting is a craft of construction. Playwrights create the dramatic text that forms the foundation of theatrical production. The role carries specific legal rights including copyright and approval over productions of their work.
Industry & BusinessPreview
Public performances that take place before a show's official opening night. Previews allow the creative team to make adjustments based on audience response—lines may be rewritten, songs cut or added, and staging refined. Preview tickets are often sold at reduced prices. Critics traditionally refrain from reviewing preview performances, though this convention has eroded.
Industry & BusinessProducer
The person or organisation responsible for the business and financial aspects of a theatrical production. Producers raise funding, hire the creative team (including the director), secure the theatre, manage the budget, and oversee marketing. In commercial theatre, producers take financial risk; in subsidised theatre, the producing organisation fulfils this role.
Industry & BusinessRepertory
A system in which a theatre company performs several different plays in alternation over a season, rather than running a single show continuously. In a repertory (or "rep") company, actors perform different roles in different plays, often rehearsing one show during the day while performing another at night. The National Theatre and many European state theatres operate in repertory.
Industry & BusinessRevival
A new production of a play or musical that has been previously produced, as distinguished from a world premiere or original production. Broadway recognises revivals as a distinct category in the Tony Awards. Revivals offer fresh interpretations of classic works and can introduce them to new generations of audiences.
Industry & BusinessRoyalties
Payments made to the playwright (and in musicals, the composer and lyricist) each time their work is performed. Royalties are typically calculated as a percentage of box office gross or as a flat fee per performance, collected and distributed by licensing agencies. These payments are a playwright's primary ongoing income from a produced work and are a fundamental right of dramatic authorship.
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