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.
299 terms
Hot Seating
A rehearsal and drama education technique where an actor sits in a designated chair "in character" and answers questions from the director, cast, or group. Hot seating deepens an actor's understanding of their character by forcing them to think and respond spontaneously as that person—answering questions about their backstory, motivations, relationships, and feelings that may never be addressed in the script itself.
Acting & PerformanceHouse
The seating area of a theatre where the audience sits, also called the auditorium. "The house" also refers to the audience themselves ("How's the house tonight?" means "How many people are in the audience?"). "House seats" are held back by management for VIPs or emergencies. "House lights" are the lights illuminating the audience area that dim when the show starts.
Venues & SpacesHouse Left and House Right
Directional terms describing areas of the theatre from the audience's perspective when facing the stage. House left is the audience's left, and house right is the audience's right. These are the opposite of stage left and stage right (which are from the actor's perspective). Front-of-house staff, ushers, and house managers use house left/right when directing patrons.
Venues & SpacesHouse 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 & TechnicalHubris
Excessive pride or arrogance that leads a character to defy moral boundaries, the natural order, or the gods—ultimately bringing about their downfall. Hubris is a central concept in Greek tragedy: heroes like Oedipus, Creon, and Ajax are destroyed not by external enemies but by their own refusal to accept human limitations. The concept remains fundamental to tragic storytelling across all dramatic traditions.
Dramatic StructureIambic Pentameter
The most common metrical pattern in English dramatic verse: five pairs of syllables per line, each pair consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM). Shakespeare wrote most of his plays in iambic pentameter, using it for noble characters while giving prose to commoners. The rhythm mirrors natural English speech patterns, making it feel both elevated and organic.
Dramatic StructureImmersive Theatre
A form of theatre where the boundary between performer and audience is dissolved—spectators move through the performance space, interact with performers, and experience the story from within rather than watching from seats. Punchdrunk's Sleep No More is perhaps the most famous example. Immersive theatre draws on installation art, site-specific performance, and gaming.
Genres & StylesImprovisation
Performing without a script, creating dialogue, characters, and scenes spontaneously. Improvisation (or "improv") is both a theatrical art form in its own right—with dedicated companies like Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade—and a fundamental actor training tool. Key improv principles include "yes, and..." (accepting and building on offers), active listening, and commitment.
Acting & PerformanceIntermission
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 & BusinessIntimacy Coordinator
A trained professional who choreographs scenes involving physical intimacy, nudity, or simulated sexual content, ensuring that all performers feel safe and that boundaries are clearly established and respected. The role emerged in the late 2010s and has rapidly become standard in professional theatre. Intimacy coordinators use consent-based practices and specific choreographic techniques.
Directing & ProductionKabuki
A classical Japanese theatre form dating from the early 17th century, known for its elaborate makeup (kumadori), stylised movement, spectacular costumes, and dramatic stage effects including revolving stages and trapdoors. All roles, including female characters, are traditionally performed by male actors. Kabuki was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2005.
History & TraditionsKitchen Sink Drama
A British theatrical movement of the late 1950s and 60s that brought working-class life, domestic settings, and social realism to the stage, challenging the drawing-room dramas that had dominated the West End. John Osborne's Look Back in Anger (1956) is considered the landmark work. The term refers to the unglamorous domestic settings—plays set in bedsits, council flats, and kitchens—that reflected the everyday lives of ordinary people.
Genres & StylesLegit
Short for "legitimate singing"—a classical, head-voice-dominant vocal technique used in musical theatre that prioritises tone, blend, and control over the raw power of belting. Legit singing is associated with the Golden Age of musicals (Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe) and remains essential for roles requiring a refined, operatic quality. Many modern roles require performers to mix both legit and belt styles.
Musical TheatreLegs
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 & TechnicalLibretto
The text of an opera or musical theatre work, encompassing all spoken dialogue, stage directions, and the words that are sung (lyrics). From the Italian for "little book," the libretto is the literary foundation of a musical or operatic work, as distinguished from the musical score. The librettist is the writer of this text, and in musical theatre, the terms "book" and "libretto" are often used interchangeably.
Musical TheatreLicensing
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 & BusinessLighting Design
The art of using light to support storytelling on stage, encompassing the selection, placement, colour, intensity, and movement of all lighting elements in a production. A lighting designer creates the visual atmosphere of every moment—time of day, season, mood, focus—working from the script and in close collaboration with the director and set designer. Lighting is often called the most magical of the design disciplines because it can transform a space instantly.
DesignLimelight
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 & BusinessMagic If
A foundational concept from Stanislavski's acting system: the actor asks "What would I do IF I were in this character's situation?" rather than trying to "become" someone else. The magic if bridges the gap between the actor's own experience and the character's fictional world, allowing genuine emotional responses to imaginary circumstances. It's a starting point for truthful, personally connected performance.
Acting & PerformanceMarionette
A puppet controlled from above by strings or wires attached to a control bar (called a "perch" or "control"). Marionettes can create remarkably lifelike movement and have been used in theatrical performance for centuries across many cultures. Contemporary companies like the Salzburg Marionette Theatre perform full operas with marionettes. The craft requires exceptional dexterity and years of training.
History & TraditionsMarking
Performing at reduced vocal or physical intensity during a rehearsal to conserve energy or protect the voice while still going through the motions. Singers commonly "mark" during tech rehearsals, singing an octave lower or at half volume rather than giving a full performance. Directors and musical directors generally accept marking during technical runs but expect full commitment during dress rehearsals and performances.
Acting & PerformanceMasking
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 & TechnicalMasque
An elaborate form of courtly entertainment popular in 16th and 17th-century England, combining poetry, music, dance, and spectacular scenic effects. Masques were performed by and for the aristocracy, often featuring allegorical plots praising the monarch. Ben Jonson wrote many notable masques, with stage designs by Inigo Jones. The form's emphasis on spectacle and design influenced the development of scenic theatre.
History & TraditionsMatinee
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 & Business