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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Term | Definition | Link |
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COMPLEMENTARY COLORS | Pairs of colors which, when additively mixed, combine to produce white light. Examples are red + cyan, green + magenta, and yellow + blue. | |
COMPLIMENTARY | A seat or ticket that is provided free, as to a reviewer, parents of a cast member, a contributor or other supporter. | |
COMPRESSOR | 1) A device that pumps out liquids or air under pressure, usually for spraying paint or chemicals. 2) A piece of sound processing equipment that ensures all wanted signals are suitably placed between the noise and distortion levels of the recording medium. It evens out the unwanted changes in volume you get with close-miking, and in doing so, adds punch to the sound mix. A limiter is used to stop a signal from exceeding a preset limit. Beyond this limit, the signal level will not increase, no matter how loud the input becomes. A limiter is often used to protect speaker systems (and human ears) by preventing a system from becoming too loud. | |
CONCESSIONAIRE | A person who buys the right to operate a refreshment stand or similar business supported by the purchases of theatre patrons. | |
CONDENSER LENS | Loosely applied to any spotlight lens which condenses diverging rays into a beam, but more correctly to the short focus combination of two or more lenses in a jacket used for illuminating a slide or effect disc. Also used in some profile lamps and followspots to produce a smoother light (especially for gobo work). | |
CONDENSER MIC | A microphone that uses the varying capacitance between two plates with a voltage applied across them to convert sound to electrical pulses. Condenser microphones need a power supply to provide the voltage across the plates, which may be provided by a battery within the case of the microphone, or it may be provided from an external phantom power supply. A condenser mic is more sensitive and has a faster reaction to percussive sounds than a Dynamic mic and produces a more even response. | Microphone |
CONDUIT | Metal or plastic pipe used to carry electrical conductors as part of a permanent electrical installation. Also used to add weight to the bottom of a flown cloth. | |
CONFIDANT or CONFIDANTE | The role of a close friend of a principal character, used dramatically for purposes of exposition, characterization, or development of dramatic action. The lead character can thus express ideas, explain feelings, or outline plans of action in a very natural way. | |
CONTACT MIC | A microphone that directly picks up the sound transmitted by a solid material. | Microphone |
CONTRACT | To secure the rights to perform a work, a theatre company must sign a binding legal document in which your company agrees to all stipulations therein. When you sign the contract and it is approved, you will be granted a license to perform the play. Read the contract carefully before signing, since it sets forth the number of performances, the performance venue, cost of tickets, and production dates that you provided the playwright's representative. When you are granted a performance license, by law the show you license must be performed "as is." Otherwise, any changes violate the authors' rights under federal copyright law. (See below) If you offer more than the contracted number of performances, or charge more than the contract says, or if your theater holds more people than you stated in your application, you are liable to legal action. | |
CONTRAST | Diversity, variation, used to heighten interest, as in dramatic construction, acting, lighting, set design. | |
CONTRIVED | Said of a character, and ending, etc., which is arranged by a dramatist, perhaps artfully, without concerns for plausibility. | |
CONVENTION | 1) A method or style of production that acknowledges the artificiality of the stage, rather than reproduce the conditions of actual life outside the theatre. 2) Short for Stage Convention (which see). | Stage Convention |
CONVERSATION PIECE | A play that emphasizes dialogue rather than action or movement. | |
COOKIE | Gobo | |
COOL COLOR | Generally, a color that is in the blue/green/purple range, as opposed to a warm (yellow/orange/red). | |
COPYRIGHT | A legal privilege enabling the owner of a dramatic piece to control its performance and publication during a fixed period of time. Also to register work for copyright. Playwrights protect their ownership of their work by copyrighting it. This allows them or their representatives to decide who may perform the show, where it may be performed, how it may be performed, and how much will be charged for licensing the work. Copyright also allows the author to demand that you present the play as written, with no changes, unless granted by the playwright or representative. Without prior permission your actions will subject you to legal action for breaching the terms of your license. If you feel you must experiment with re-conceiving a show, there are many already in the public domain (Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan, Oscar Wilde) that are no longer protected by copyright. Note the spelling with "right," not "write." The word "copyright" literally means owning the rights to making a copy. | |
Copywrite | Incorrect spelling for copyright (which see). | Copyright |
CORNER PLATE | A triangle of plywood used to strengthen the corners of a flat. | |
COSTUME DRAMA | A dramatic piece that requires clothing not now current, and especially of a much earlier period. |