Theatre Terms
As a service to the theatre community, AACT provides over 1000 definitions of theatrical terms. Fully searchable, our glossary is helpful for technical staff, directors, actors, producers, or anyone wanting to better understand the inner workings of theatre.
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Click on a letter (A-Z) below to find terms beginning with the specified letter, OR enter a word in "Search for Term" OR search by entering a word in "Words in Definition." For example, entering the word "curtain" would display all words whose definition includes that word. (Note: If the A-Z or word search has been activated, it must be reset before using "Search for Term" or "Words in Definition." To reset the A-Z search: Click Here)
| Term | Definition | Link |
|---|---|---|
| FOUL | Said of ropes, cables, scenic pieces, etc, hanging from above, when they become tangled. | |
| FOURTH WALL | From the observation that the traditional box set has three walls (left, right, back) and an invisible fourth wall--the proscenium through which the audience views the action. Thus "Breaking the Fourth Wall," when a fictional character shows awareness of the play in which they "exist" and the audience watching that play. | |
| FREEZE | In acting, to keep motionless, especially while the audience laughs, or to create a stage picture at the start or end of a scene. | |
| FRENCH BRACE | Brace | |
| FRENCH SCENE | A "scene" division within a play marked (as in French drama) by the entrance or exit of an actor. In American and English drama, directors often break up a long scene for the purposes of blocking, rehearsal or character work. Using the entrance/exit concept, they dub these "French scenes." | |
| FREQUENCY | (Measured in Hertz - Hz - cycles per second) The number of times a sound source vibrates each second. A high frequency (HF) sound has a higher pitch and is uni-directional. A low frequency (LF) sound has a lower pitch and is omnidirectional. | |
| FRESNEL | Pronounced "Fruh-nell") A type of lamp which produces an even, soft-edged beam of light through a Fresnel lens. The lens is a series of stepped concentric circles on the front and pebbled on the back and is named after its French inventor, Augustin Jean Fresnel (1788-1827). | |
| FRONT LIGHT | 1) A lighting unit placed somewhere in the auditorium for the illumination of the front of the stage. Thus, "front lighting." | |
| FRONT OF HOUSE | 1) Every part of the theatre in front of the pros arch. Includes foyer areas open to the general public. 2) All lamps which are on the audience side of the proscenium and are focused towards the stage. | |
| FRONT OF HOUSE CALLS | Announcements made by stage management or FRONT-OF-HOUSE staff calling the audience into the auditorium, or informing them when the performance begins. Calls are normally made at the Half (35 min. before curtain up), the Quarter (20 min before), the Five (10 min), and calls normally accompanied by bar bells at 3, 2 and 1 minutes before the performance begins. | Call |
| FROST | A diffusing filter used to soften the edges of a light beam. Different strengths of diffuser are available from many color filter manufacturers. | |
| FULL DROP | Any drop curtain other than a cut drop. | Drop |
| FULL STAGE | A stage used in its entirety for setting and acting. | |
| FULLERS EARTH | Hydrous aluminum silicate, used in chemistry as a filter and as a binder when mixing powder paint for use on textiles. | |
| FULLNESS | Draperies made up with deep "gatherings" have fullness - usually requiring not less than 50% additional fabric, measured at head and foot. | |
| FUSE | Protective device for electrical equipment (e.g. dimmers). The fuse link will melt when excess current flows, preventing damage to people or equipment. Every piece of electrical equipment has at least one fuse in its associated circuit. | |
| FUTURE RELEASE | A play or dramatic property that is not yet available for license; in fact, it may not even been assigned to an author's representative. | Release |
| FUZZ LIGHT | A lamp with a revolving mirror and a colored plastic dome. Gives a "police light" effect. Usually 12 Volt or 240 Volt operation. | |
| FX | Special Effect(s) | |
| GAFFER'S TAPE | Sticky cloth tape, not to be confused with duct tape. Most common widths are .5" for marking out areas and 2" (usually black) for everything else. Used for temporarily securing almost anything. Should not be used on coiled cables or equipment. Originally named for the Gaffer (Master Electrician) on a film set. |
