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 |
|---|---|---|
| COSTUME FITTING | The trying on of a costume for fit and appearance, in the presence of a costumer. | |
| COSTUME PARADE | Cast members appear in costume, on stage and under state lighting, so that the costume designer and costume assistants can see how they look. At the same time, the director and lighting designer usually are present for their input as well. | |
| COSTUME PLOT | A list of characters, showing the costumes to be worn in a production, scene by scene. | |
| COSTUMER | Usually the costume designer, but sometimes the designer's chief assistant. | |
| COUNT THE HOUSE | 1) Determine the number of seats sold. 2) To stare at the audience while acting. | |
| COUNTER | In acting, to maintain the balance of the stage picture by moving across the stage in a direction opposite to that in which another actor has moved or is moving. For example, if two actors are standing stage left and a third joins them, one of the original two may cross in the other direction. This is, of course, if it also fits the sense of the scene. | Cross |
| COUNTER-BALANCE | ||
| Counter-Rake (or Counter Rake) |
Refers to the modification of furniture or props by shortening the upstage legs (or lengthening the downstage portion in the case of solid units). so that they can stand level on a raked stage. |
Raked Stage |
| COUNTERWEIGHT | A standard weight (60 or 30 lb.) used in a counterweight flying system. | |
| COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM | Method of flying scenery which uses a cradle containing weights to counterbalance the weight of flown scenery. | Fly |
| COUP DE THEATRE | 1) A Theatrical success. 2) A showy or sensational device in stagecraft. 3) A sudden and unforeseen--but not necessarily illogical--turn of events in the course of a play. A French expression, meaning "a theatrical stroke." | |
| COVE | Front of house catwalk lighting positions. | |
| CREATE A ROLE | To play in an acting role in the first production of a dramatic piece. | |
| CREPE HAIR or CREPE WOOL | An artificial, braided hair, commonly made of wool or vegetable fiber, in various colors, used in creating facial hair. It can be cut, combed and glued bit by bit to the face to form a beard, a mustache, sideburns, and eyebrows. | |
| CRESCENT WRENCH | An adjustable wrench, named for the curved shape of the tool. Sometimes called a C-wrench. | C-wrench |
| CREW | The stage crew, the team of workers who handle technical chores during a performance. | |
| CREW CHIEF or CREW HEAD | The chief of the stage staff, in charge of building and shifting scenery. | |
| CROSBYS | A term for saddle and "U" cable clamps (from the manufacturers name). | |
| CROSS | To move across the stage from one position to another, especially when passing in front of another actor. Sometimes, a stage direction, as in "When Ellen enters, cross left." | |
| CROSS FADE | 1) Bringing up a new lighting area onstage while at the same time bringing down another area somewhere else on stage. 2) Also applies to sound effects/music. |
