Stagecraft Fundamentals-Entire Glossary

alternating current

AC is electric current whose direction reverses cyclically

AWG

American wire gauge

direct current

DC is an electric charge that flows in one direction

arbor

a carriage or rack that contains weights, usually of cast iron, called a pig iron

BNCa

a coaxial connector, BNC has a miniature bayonet-looking connector

CAD

a computer-aided drawing and drafting software

ball peen hammer

a hammer used to bend, flatten, or shape metal

chroma

a hue in its purest form

crosscut blade

a saw blade for cutting wood, the teeth are designed to cut across the grain

box set

a set usually containing three walls and perhaps a ceiling. It was, and still is, used to represent interiors

band saw

a stationary motorized saw used for cutting wood or metal into nonlinear shapes. The blade is one continuous loop, or band, stretched over two pulleys

chisel

a tool with a cutting edge on its end, it is used primarily for carving and cutting hand materials like wood, stone, or metal and is specifically designed for each type of use. the sharp edge of it is forced into the material, usually with a hammer or mallet

chip

a very inexpensive alternative to the standard paintbrush, it is less durable and considered to be disposable

distressing

a way to make something new look like something old

counterweight

a weight used to offset the weight of what you are trying to lift

audition form

actors fill out this form on arriving for an audition; it contains all pertinent information about the actor

accessory slot

also known as the drop-in slot, this is a slot in a leko near the shutters made to hold specialized accessories

banana plug

although it can come in various sizes the 4 mm is the most common. These plugs are single wire. They are often color coded red and black.

ampere

amo (A) is a unit of electric current, or amount of electric charge per second

chalk line

an almost diamond-shaped containter containing a very long string and powdered chalk. it is used to mark a straight line between two points

area micing

an array of floor microphones is used, and the sound operator rises and lowers the gain as needed

beam projector

an open-face fixture that produces a narrow beam of light. The result is an intense shaft of light.

composite

an order of architecture devised by the Romans, it t appeared on the arch of Titus in Rome in 82 CE.

Corinthian

an order of architecture, it was little used until the Romans adapted it. this order included leaves on the capitals in a more natural replica and dates from the end of the 5th century BCE.

AMX

analog multiplex is a control signal used to control SCR dimmers

classicism

based on idealistic models or established conservative standards, this style embraces a high level of taste, sobriety, and proportion. Conventional formality is another way to to think of this term.

amplifier

boosts the output to a level that drives the loudspeaker

combination square

can handle 90-degree angles, and it can also help you draw 45-degreee angles. You can loosen a knob and slide square's head along the ruler, then tighten it down at a different location on the ruler. This allows you to transfer measurements from one place to another. The sliding head of the square contains a level. This can be very useful for certain types of measuring.

detail brush

come in a variety of shapes to help add or remove just the right amount of makeup

conventional lighting

comprises nonmoving fixtures.

costume breakdown

contains all info about each other costumes used in the production. It should include a description of the costume, complete with any accessories, what scenes it is worn in, how it gets on and off stage, the character name, and any special notations if a fast change is needed or if it is used with a special effect like blood

direction

creates visual movement

deck plan

drawing of the floor

designer drawings

drawn by the designer, they are meant to convey the artistic vision of the designer. They are critical to informing the shop what the designer's ideas and goals are

chop saw

has a circular saw blade similar to a circular saw but also usually larger in diameter. They work by having a pivoting arm containing the blade, which is brought down to cut the material

bar clamp

has a fixed jaw and a sliding jaw, which makes it easily adjustable to different lengths. The determining factor of its usage is the bar to which it is attached. The longer the bar, the bigger an object it can clamp.

coping saw

has a handle with a U-shaped steel frame. this very thin blade is held between the arms of the U. turning the handle tightens or loosens the tension on the blade. holders at either end of the blade can also be pivoted so that you can adjust the angle of the cut

borders

hung overhead, originally painted to simulate the heavens, borders are added to complete the visual effect complementing the backdrop. They also became known as masking, which has the added benefit that thye blocked the audience's view of rigging and lights hung over the stage

arc weld

involves two large metal alligator clips that carry a strong electrical current. One clip is attached to any conductive part of the project being welded. The second clip is connected to a thin welding rod. When the rod touches the project, a powerful electrical circuit is created. The massive heat created by the electrical current causes both the project and the steel core of the rod to melt together, cooling quickly to form a solid bond

arch

large hole in a wall. many different styles such as Roman, Tudor, and Gothic. Make sure to follow the designer's drawings to create the correct shape for it.

contact pickup

like microphones, they are attached to musical instruments and pick up sound through vibrations instead of from the air

deux ex machina

literally, "God from machine" this usually involves moving scenery

acetate

low in cost and has good draping qualities

condenser

more versatile, more costly, and less durable than dynamic microphones, these are the choice for the theatre, given its range in quality for many purposes.

adjustable wrench

often called a crescent wrench, is an open-ended wrench with one fixed jaw and one adjustable jaw. This adjustment works by a screw positioned within a handle

bowline

one of the most important knots to know. If properly tied, it does not slip and can be used to secure things or lift people.

circular saw

one of the most popular portable tools in the shop, it gets its name from the circular saw blade it uses. It is designed to make long, straight cuts. This saw can crosscut or rip wood. The bottom foot can be angled to allow for a consistent angled cut

cutter

originally, this was a person who used patterns, or created patterns, and cut the pattern from the fabric

center line

our only reference for left and right measurements in the theatre is the center line

cartoon

refers to the drawing of the basic design at full scale using vine charcoal

acoustics

refers to the inherent sound qualities of a room in regard to the overall audio quality when no reinforcement is in use

cyc

shorthand for cyclorama, now used almost interchangeably with backdrop

deluge

similar to a sprinkler system, except the sprinkler heads are open and the pipe is not pressurized with air

dimmer

simply put, its job is to make lights go up and down. a variety of technocologies have been utilized over the history of dimming, from mechanical, manual devices to electronic, digitally controlled dimmers

cheat sheet

sometimes called a magic sheet, it is a quick reference for the design team to be able to find the channel number quickly and easily. It is usually a compressed number list .

blocking

the actor's movement around the stage

call script

the authority for info about the show. contains all the info needed to call the show once you are in the theatre.

carpenter clamps

the basic clamps found in a scene shop. shaped like a C with a screw that tightens and loosens. They can leave marks on wood, so they are usually used when that is not a factor.

base paint

the color that is put on first. Other colors are applied over this to create textures.

balance

the contrast between all the different visual characteristics of a scene

black box

the most flexible of all theatre types. It's a big black room with nothing in it. The production brings in chairs, risers, stage, etc.

backdrop

the painted back wall used to help create the environment for the play

beam spread

the part of the light beam measured to where you get down to 10 percent of the maximum intensity of the beam

call time

the time when people are to arrive and be ready to work. On any given call, there may be several calltimes for different groups of people.

adhesives

these are products that will make things stick to the actor. They are used for things such as glitter, sparkles, and hair pieces

construction drawings

these are the technically detailed drawings created by the shop to build from

cue lights

these can be placed in locations around the set and the theatre where direct visual or headset cues are not an option. establish with your cast and crew what the cue lights mean.

complementary

these colors are opposite each other on the full color wheel

barn door

this accessory fits on the front of a lighting fixture with movable blades used to cut light off of curtains or scenery projected from a soft-edge fixture

coaxial cable

this cable is made up of a single copper core, surrounded by a layer of insulation, covered by a copper shield, then a flexible plastic jacket

box wrench

this closed-end wrench fits only one size of hardware. Typically, it has between 6 and 12 points of contact to the hardware.

accident report

this form is to be filled out every time there is some sort of accident, so that everything is documented

deck

this is a complete replacement for the existing stage floor

bamboo

this is a hollow stick used on the end of a paintbrush or stick of charcoal to extend an artist's reach

autotransformer

this is a mechanical device used to dim lights. It works by moving a handle that physically moves a brush against a coil to change the voltage going a lamp.

allen keys

this is a tool with a hexagonal head for adjusting screws of bolts with a recessed six-sided opening.

cluster

this is similar to an array, however, it is almost always hung on center right above the edge of the stage

apron

this is the area of the stage that extends downstage of the proscenium arch

claw hammer

this is the hammer you see the most in the scene shop. It has a metal head for striking a nail, or whatever else you need to hit, and a curved claw for ripping nails back out of the wood

coiling

this is the one of the few ways you can safely store rope without putting any bends, kinks, or knots in it

beam angle

this is the part of the light beam where you get the best light. It is measured to be at a level at 50 percent of the maximum intensity of the beam.

ambient noise

this is the sound in a room when there is no planned audio source

center punch

this is used primarily on metal to mark a starting point for drilling into the material. once you have used it, it is much easier to begin drilling into metal without the drill slipping

bevel gauge

this is used to check or copy the angle of an existing unit or drawing. It consists of a handle or stock and a blade or tongue, connected by a wing nut. This tool does not measure an angle. It simply copies the angle form something that already exists

dead lift

this is used to lift the full weight of something with no help from counterweights

clove hitch

this knot is important to almost every rigging job in the theatre. Used as a traditional hitch, securing only one end, the clove hitch is liable to slip. It requires a load attached in each direction to be effective. The clove high is almost always a load-bearing knot.

belaying

this means to secure a rope by winding it in a figure-eight pattern around the cleat. To secure the belay, the final figure eight wrap gets a 180-degree twist, turning the end of the rope to the inside, before being put on a cleat

auto yoke

this motorized device allows the sued to pan and tilt a number of lighting fixtures from the control console. Newer models can also control color scrollers and irises.

carpenter pencil

this pencil is made in a flattened octagon shape that prevents it from rolling. The "lead" is thicker and stronger than in a regular pencil, which comes in handy when writing on wood instead of paper. You cannot sharpen this in a standard pencil sharpener, most people use a pocket knife or a utility knife.

additive

this type of color mixing means when all three primary colors of light are mixed together in equal parts, they make white light.

brazing

this used molten metal to join two pieces of metal. The metal added during the process has a melting point lower than that of the material, so only the added metal is melted, not the material. It uses metals with a higher melting point. It produces a stronger joint that does soldering and is often used to join metals other than steel, such as brass.

cyclorama

traditionally, this was a backdrop placed upstage, wide enough that the sides wrapped around and came downstage toward the audience

corner block

triangular pieces of quarter-inch plywood used to hold together corners of a soft flat frame

arena

truly theatre in the round, the stage is the center of the space and the audience is seated on all sides

concealer

used to blend away temportary and permanent imperfections, which can include birthmarks, blemishes, and tattoos, they are a highly pigmented makeup. This is what helps them to cover up and is the inherent difference between them and foundation

ballast

used to start and properly control the flow of power going to a lamp

arc dimensions

used when measuring some kind of angle or radius

detail drawing

used when parts of the set require a much closer look, these are drawn in full or close to full scale. They make dimensioning easier. Detail drawings also include practicals, scenic elements, or props that plug into some form of electricity or require finer work that cannot be drawn in a smaller scale. These items must be planned out in great detail to make sure that they work properly and are sage

contrast

variations in line weight, direction, shape, texture, balance, proportion, pattern, and scale add interest to a composition. This can help focus the viewer's eye. The better and more varied it is, the less you need other factors to define your shape.

concept

your unique way of looking in the show