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.
47 terms in Stagecraft & Technical
Followspot Operator
The technician who operates a follow spot—a powerful, manually controlled spotlight that tracks performers as they move across the stage. Followspot operators work from a booth or platform at the back or sides of the auditorium, requiring steady hands, sharp focus, and the ability to anticipate actors' movements. In musical theatre, skilled followspot operation is essential for keeping soloists visible.
Stagecraft & TechnicalFresnel
A type of stage lighting instrument (pronounced "fruh-NEL") named after the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel. It uses a distinctive stepped lens to produce a soft-edged, even wash of light that blends smoothly with adjacent fixtures. Fresnels are workhorses of stage lighting, commonly used for general washes and area lighting. Their beam width is adjustable by moving the lamp within the housing.
Stagecraft & TechnicalGel
A thin sheet of tinted, heat-resistant material placed in front of a stage light to colour the beam. Originally made from gelatin (hence the name), modern gels are made from polycarbonate or polyester. Gel colours are specified by number from standardised catalogues (Lee, Rosco). Choosing the right gel palette is fundamental to creating the mood and world of a production.
Stagecraft & TechnicalGlow Tape
Phosphorescent adhesive tape that absorbs light and glows in the dark, applied to stairs, set pieces, and backstage pathways to prevent accidents during blackouts and backstage movement. Glow tape is a simple but essential safety measure in every theatre. It's carefully placed so it's visible to actors and crew but not to the audience.
Stagecraft & TechnicalGobo
A thin metal or glass disc with a pattern cut into it, inserted into a lighting instrument to project shapes onto the stage—trees, windows, abstract textures, architectural details, or anything else. The word may derive from "go between" or "goes before optics." Gobos are a powerful tool for creating atmosphere and setting without physical scenery.
Stagecraft & TechnicalGridiron
The structural framework of steel or wooden beams located near the ceiling above the stage, from which the fly system's pulleys and ropes are supported. The grid (as it's commonly called) allows scenery, lighting bars, and curtains to be suspended and moved vertically. Working on the grid requires comfort with heights—it can be 60 feet or more above the stage floor in large theatres.
Stagecraft & TechnicalHaze
A fine, even atmospheric effect created by dispersing a fluid (usually water or oil-based) into the air on stage, making light beams visible and adding depth, mood, and dimension to the stage picture. Unlike fog (which sits low and is thick), haze is subtle and even, hanging uniformly in the air. It's one of the most commonly used atmospheric effects in professional theatre—practically every show uses some amount of haze to enhance lighting.
Stagecraft & TechnicalHouse Lights
The lighting that illuminates the audience seating area (the "house") before the show, during intermission, and after the performance. Dimming the house lights is the universal signal that a performance is about to begin—it's one of theatre's most evocative moments, as the everyday world fades and the world of the play takes over. House lights are controlled separately from stage lighting.
Stagecraft & TechnicalLegs
Narrow vertical curtains hung at intervals along the sides of the stage to mask the wings from the audience's view. Legs work in pairs (one on each side) and are often used in combination with overhead borders to create a series of framed openings that define the visible playing area. The space between each pair of legs is called a "lane."
Stagecraft & TechnicalMasking
Curtains, flats, or other scenic elements used to hide backstage areas, technical equipment, and the wings from the audience's view. Masking ensures that the audience sees only what the creative team intends—the illusion of the set—without glimpsing stagehands, stored props, or the bare walls of the theatre. "Legs" (side curtains) and "borders" (overhead curtains) are common masking elements.
Stagecraft & TechnicalPractical
A prop or scenic element that actually functions on stage rather than being purely decorative. A practical lamp really lights up, a practical tap runs water, a practical door opens and closes. Practicals require coordination between the props, scenic, and electrical departments. They add realism but also add complexity—a flickering practical lamp might need its own dimmer circuit and cue in the lighting plot.
Stagecraft & TechnicalPrompt Corner
The position, usually in the wings at stage left (or occasionally stage right), from which the stage manager runs the show during performances—calling cues for lighting, sound, and fly changes, and following the script to ensure nothing is missed. The prompt corner contains monitors showing the stage, communication headsets to all departments, and the prompt book. It is the nerve centre of every performance.
Stagecraft & TechnicalProps
Short for "properties"—any objects handled or used by actors on stage, from weapons and letters to food and furniture. Props are managed by the props department, headed by the props master. "Hand props" are carried by actors, "set props" are larger items like furniture placed on stage, and "personal props" are items associated with a specific character.
Stagecraft & TechnicalRevolve
A circular section of the stage floor that rotates, allowing scenes to change by spinning different set pieces into view. Revolves (or turntables) can carry entire rooms, suggest journeys, or create fluid transitions between locations. Les Misérables famously uses a revolve as a central staging element. Smaller revolves can sit on top of the main stage; larger ones are built into the floor.
Stagecraft & TechnicalRunning Lights
Low-level backstage lighting that remains on during performances to help actors and crew navigate safely in the wings and backstage corridors without being visible to the audience. Running lights are typically small, shielded blue or red fixtures mounted at floor level. They provide just enough illumination for safe movement while preserving the darkness of the stage picture.
Stagecraft & TechnicalScrim
A loosely woven fabric curtain that appears opaque when lit from the front but becomes transparent when lit from behind, revealing whatever is behind it. Scrims are used for dreamlike transitions, ghostly reveals, gauzy atmospheres, and visual effects. When painted, a scrim can serve as a backdrop that magically dissolves to reveal the scene behind it—one of theatre's most beautiful technical tricks.
Stagecraft & TechnicalSet Dressing
Decorative items placed on the set to create atmosphere and detail—paintings on walls, books on shelves, flowers in vases, rugs on floors—that are not handled by actors during the performance. Set dressing transforms a bare set into a lived-in, believable environment. Unlike props, which actors interact with, set dressing is purely visual and remains in place throughout the scene.
Stagecraft & TechnicalSightlines
The lines of vision from every seat in the auditorium to the stage, determining what each audience member can and cannot see. Good sightlines mean every seat has an unobstructed view of the essential action. Directors and designers check sightlines during technical rehearsals to ensure that key moments are visible from all angles, particularly in non-proscenium configurations.
Stagecraft & TechnicalSpike Mark
A small piece of tape (or paint mark) placed on the stage floor to indicate exactly where a piece of furniture, prop, or scenic element should be positioned. Spike marks ensure that set pieces land in the same spot every performance, maintaining sightlines and blocking consistency. Different colours of tape are often used to distinguish between scenes or acts.
Stagecraft & TechnicalTabs
A common informal term for stage curtains, particularly the main front curtain (the "house tabs" or "main tabs") and the curtains hanging in the wings ("tab tracks"). The term derives from "tableau curtains," which were drawn to the sides to reveal a stage picture. "In tabs" means performing in front of a closed curtain, often while a set change happens behind—a technique common in pantomime and variety.
Stagecraft & TechnicalTrap
An opening in the stage floor through which actors, props, or scenic elements can appear or disappear. Traps have been used since Elizabethan theatre for supernatural entrances and dramatic reveals. A "trap room" or "cellar" sits beneath the stage to accommodate these effects. The most famous is the "grave trap," traditionally used in Hamlet's graveyard scene.
Stagecraft & TechnicalWagon
A rolling platform on wheels (castors) used to move large set pieces or entire scenes on and off stage quickly during transitions. Stage wagons allow pre-set scenes to be stored in the wings and rolled into position in seconds, enabling rapid set changes. Some theatres have tracks built into the stage floor to guide wagons along precise paths.
Stagecraft & TechnicalWet Tech
A technical rehearsal that includes actors performing alongside all technical departments (lighting, sound, set changes) for the first time. Called "wet" in contrast to "dry tech" (without actors), wet tech is where the human and technical elements of the show come together. It's often the most chaotic and time-consuming rehearsal, as adjustments are made in real time.
Stagecraft & Technical