Glossary of Terms

Feel free to suggest additional terms here.

amphitheatre: A building with raked seating and an arena used for entertainment purposes. See Roman amphitheatre.
apron: The part of the stage that extends past the proscenium and into the auditorium.
auditorium: The area where the audience sits to watch the play.
baluster: One of a set of small vertical pillars supporting a handrail.
balustrade: A handrail with a supporting series of vertical newel posts and balusters.
bar: A horizontal metal pipe hung as part of the fly system. See pipe.
baseboard: A moulding covering the joint between the wall surface and the floor. Also called skirting board.
batten: A horizontal metal pipe hung as part of the fly system. See pipe.
bead, beading: A row or column of moulding with a partial-circle or partial-sphere profile.
beadboard: A special panelling that has a semicircular vertical decoration within the recess of the joints.
black box: Any space transformed into a theatre space with versatile black masking and flexible stage and seating arrangements.
block, blocking: Planning the positioning and movement of the actors on the stage.
boom: A vertical pipe, which can optionally be equipped with horizontal boom pipes, used to hang lighting instruments.
border: A dark cloth hung above the stage to mask the fly system and especially the electrics (lighting) pipes. It is typically wide and flat.
bottom rail: Lower horizontal board of a door. See kick rail.
bounce curtain: A traveller that is hung on a pipe and flown in and out vertically. Also called guillotine curtain.
box set: A set created for a proscenium stage. It is made of three walls that form a room. The fourth wall at the proscenium is imaginary so that the audience is able to see the show.
bullnose (bull nose): A rounded architectural protrusion.
bullnose step or stair: A step or stair that has semicircular ends that protrude past the stringers.
bullnose tread: A tread with a rounded part that protrudes past the riser.
calipers: A tool with a sliding set of jaws used to measure objects. See Vernier calipers.
carpenter's elevations: Drawings that give the construction specifications of the designer's elevations by revealing substructure, composition, cutting information, and a breakdown of the flats.
casing: A moulding or covering that frames a door or window.
catwalk: A narrow elevated walkway above the stage or house, which provides access to technical equipment.
cavetto: A concave moulding with a curvature of up to 90°.
centre line (CL): Centre line of the theatre stage.
centre line section: A cross-sectional side view drawing at the centre line of the theatre.
chair railing: A horizontal strip of moulding placed at the height of the backs of chairs in order to prevent them from damaging the walls.
chimney breast: Part of a chimney that juts out into a room in order to accommodate a fireplace.
colour frame: A frame that holds a coloured gel used as a filter on a lighting instrument. Also called gel frame.
colour frame holder: An attachment that secures a colour or gel frame to a lighting instrument. Also called gel frame holder.
control console: A lighting board used to control lighting intensity. Also called lighting control console.
company: All employees of a theatre. See theatre company.
compositional elevations: Front view drawings that include all relevant dimensions. Also called designer's elevations.
connected extended elevations: A technical front view drawing that depicts several elevations of the individual walls of the set connected in sequence to form rows. See extended elevations.
construction drawings: Drawings that give the construction specifications of the designer's elevations. See carpenter's elevations.
cornice: A horizontal crowning element at the top of an architectural structure or wall often used as a crown moulding between the top of a wall and the ceiling soffit.
cross-hatching: Intersecting parallel lines used as shading in a drawing. See hatching.
cross rail: The middle horizontal structure of a door. See lock rail.
crown moulding: A decorative strip of moulding placed at the angle on a wall where it meets the ceiling. Also called cornice.
cyclorama (cyc): A large white or off-white drop, often with concave sides, placed upstage, which can be lit to create various effects e.g., sky, time of day or night, feeling of depth etc.
cyma: An s-shaped curve.
cyma recta: A moulding with an upright s-shaped or reverse upright s-shaped outline where the concave part extends past the convex. Furthermore, the ends of the curve are horizontal.
cyma reversa (ogee): A moulding with a 135° s-shaped or 45° reverse s-shaped outline where the convex part extends past the concave. Furthermore, the ends of the curve are vertical.
dado rail: A horizontal strip of moulding placed at the height of the backs of chairs. See chair railing.
dedicated pipes: pipes that are in standardized positions because of their particular function, e.g., most plays use the same positions for lighting and masking.
designer's elevations: Front view drawings that include all relevant dimensions (e.g., doors, archways, windows, etc.) but may also indicate detail, style, texture, lighting sconces, paintings, and mirrors. Consequently, they are often graphically enhanced. These drawings are often cut out to make small cardboard models.
director: The person responsible for interpreting the script, creating a viable production concept, and directing the actors.
disconnected extended elevations: A front view technical drawing that depicts several elevations of the individual walls of the set separately in sequence to form rows. See extended elevations.
door casing, door moulding: A moulding that frames a door. See casing.
doorway: Architectural term signifying the opening for a door in a wall. Not to be confused with door frame, which is a carpentry term for the structure that supports the opening.
double prime symbol (″): The symbol used to represent inches. AutoCAD uses quotation marks instead.
downstage (DS): The part of the stage closest to the auditorium.
downstage centre (DSC): The central part of the stage closest to the auditorium.
downstage left (DSL): The part of the stage closest to the auditorium and to the audience's right.
downstage right (DSR): The part of the stage closest to the auditorium and to the audience's left.
drafter: Person responsible for creating technical drawings.
drape: See drapery.
drapery: Suspended fabric, usually black, used to reveal or conceal, e.g., legs, borders, travellers, curtains etc. See masking.
drawing scale: A ratio that indicates the relationship of a unit in a drawing to a unit in real space, e.g., ½″ = 1′.
dressing (set dressing): Decorative set props and furnishings.
drop: A piece of canvas that hangs from a pipe and is often painted with scenery.
electrics (LX): A generic term that could be applied to the electrics crew (LX Crew), the electrics department (LX), the rigging of the electrics (LX Rig), or simply the dedicated pipes (LX Pipes, LX Booms, LX Sockets, etc.).
electrics pipe (LX pipe): An electrics pipe is used to fly lights. It typically includes load circuits directly within plugging strips to supply power.
elevation: A technical drawing depicting a single flattened front view of an architectural structure.
ellipsoidal, ellipsoidal reflector spotlight (ERS): Spotlight named for the ellipsoidal reflector used to direct the light through two plano-convex lenses.
ERS: See ellipsoidal.
extended elevations: A technical front view drawing that depicts several elevations of the individual walls of the set arranged in sequence to form rows. They can be immediately against each other (connected), or separated by a short gap (disconnected). They depict components, attached items, and finishing materials, among other things.
firebox: A box built to contain a fire.
fire curtain: A fireproof curtain that can be dropped to separate the audience from a fire. Also called safety curtain.
fireplace legs: The vertical structures that support the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Also called mantel legs.
flat: A framework normally made with wood, and usually covered with a lightweight board (hard covered) or cloth (soft covered), although a variety of other materials may be used, such as scrim. Standard flats are rectangular units and are often used to create scenic walls. TV (studio) flats are usually hard covered and stage (theatre) flats soft covered.
flies: See fly system.
flood light: A simple lighting instrument consisting of a lamp in the centre of a curved metal dome.
fly gallery: The elevated walkway where the pin rail is located and the counterweight system is operated from.
fly loft: The open space above the stage that houses the fly system. Also known as the fly tower, this is where the scenery and equipment, masking, and lighting are rigged.
fly system: A system of ropes, pulleys, and counterweights used to fly (in or out) lighting instruments, draperies, or set elements that are suspended above a stage.
fly tower: See fly loft.
FOH: See front of house.
Foley artist: A production member responsible for producing realistic ambient everyday sounds to enhance the action on stage.
footlights: A series of lights mounted on the front edge of the apron and aimed upstage at the actors.
footprint: A colloquial or alternate vernacular for ground plan, e.g., "the footprint for the set or stage."
fourth wall: The imaginary invisible wall of a box set formed at the proscenium arch. See box set.
frame and panel construction: Method of panelling used in the making of wainscoting, doors, and cabinetry. A panel, often decorated, is held within a frame made up of vertical stiles and horizontal rails. See stiles and rails.
Fresnel light: A lighting instrument that uses a composite Fresnel lens that is lighter and less bulky than an equivalent standard lens.
front elevation: A drawing that depicts the front view of the set to help the production team visualize what it will look like on stage. Not to be confused with front elevations.
front elevations: A technical front view drawing that depicts several elevations of the individual walls of the set in sequence to form rows. See extended elevations.
front of house (FOH): The auditorium and public access areas of the theatre, e.g., lobby, box office and concession area, washrooms.
gel: A sheet of coloured acetate placed over the end of a lighting instrument to create different colours.
gel frame: A frame that holds a coloured gel used as a filter on a lighting instrument.
gel frame holder: An attachment that secures a colour or gel frame to a lighting instrument. Also called colour frame holder.
German masking: Sets of drapes or flats set at 90° to the proscenium to mask the offstage areas.
Globe theatre: A 15th-century London theatre associated with Shakespeare and his plays.
gobo: Acronym for "GOes Befor Optics." A flat piece of metal placed at the focal point of a light to create crisp patterns or shapes on the stage.
grand curtain: An often luxurious and ornate velvet curtain that divides the stage from the audience. Also called main curtain.
grand drape: See grand curtain.
Greek theatre: Open-air semicircular theatre built at the foot of a hill.
ground line: The line depicting ground level on a technical drawing.
ground plan: A technical drawing that is the fundamental plan of a set and theatre stage as seen from above.
guillotine curtain: A traveller that is hung on a pipe and flown in and out vertically. So named because it drops like a guillotine. Also called bounce curtain.
hanging section view: A cross-sectional side view drawing at the centre line of the theatre. Also called centre line section.
hanging stile: The vertical side structure of a door where hinges are installed to allow the door to pivot or swing. Also called hinge stile.
hard masking: A black flat used to hide aspects and elements from the audience. See masking.
hatching: Parallel lines used as shading in a drawing. See cross-hatching.
header: Part of light-frame construction. A horizontal beam that distributes weight to vertical and other support structures. Also called a lintel; see post and lintel.
head jamb: The top jamb of a door. See jamb.
hearth: The stone base of a fireplace that usually extends into the room.
hinge stile: The vertical side structure of a door where hinges are installed to allow the door to pivot or swing. Also called hanging stile.
house: See front of house.
house curtain: An often luxurious and ornate velvet curtain that divides the stage from the audience. Also called main curtain.
house left: The left side of the auditorium from the audience's view.
house right: The right side of the auditorium from the audience's view.
housing (lighting instrument housing): The main body, which serves to contain and direct the light of a lighting instrument.
isometric drawing: A method of representing three dimensions in two-dimensional technical drawings such that the lines remain parallel. Because they do not obey the rules of perspective, isometric drawings suffer from visual contradictions as objects may not properly align in space; these limitations have been used for illusions, such as the endless staircase drawn by M.C. Escher.
isometric projection: A two-dimensional drawing that references three axes used to depict three-dimensional objects. Two of the axes are at 30° angles to the bottom of the page on each side of the vertical 90° axis.
Italian masking: Sets of drapes or flats set parallel to the proscenium to mask offstage areas at entrance and exit points.
jamb: Generally, the sidepieces or top pieces of an archway, doorway, or window onto which doors and windows are fixed.
joists: Horizontal structural members that create a supporting framework for a ceiling or floor.
kick rail (door): Lower horizontal board of a door. See bottom rail.
landing: A platform linking sets of stairs, or the area of the floor at the top or bottom of a staircase.
lauan: A thin ⅛″ or ¼″ plywood that is strong, flat, lightweight, and flexible. Ideal for hard flat and door coverage. Also spelled luan.
leader line: An arrow line in a technical drawing that links a label to an object.
legs: Narrow vertical stage drapes (often black velour) rigged and flown in a series of pairs parallel to the proscenium at the sides of the stage to mask the wings. See Italian masking.
lighting control console: A lighting board used to control lighting intensity.
lighting designer: The person who interprets and is responsible for the lighting of a play. Works in conjunction with the director and other members of the production team.
lighting pipes: A pipe or batten used for lighting. See pipe.
lighting plot: A top view drawing that specifies how each lighting instrument should be hung, focused, coloured, and connected. See stock plot.
lighting section: A section view drawing for lighting and masking specifications.
light ladder: A frame, which resembles a ladder made of metal piping, where the horizontal pipes are used to secure lighting instruments for side lighting.
line set: A line set comprises all the rigging elements associated with the rigging of a particular pipe, e.g., the operating line, the pulleys, blocks, and operating levers.
lintel: A horizontal support beam that distributes weight to vertical structures. See post and lintel.
load circuit: A wiring instrument that transfers electricity to a load, or energy-consuming apparatus.
lock rail (door): The middle horizontal structure of a door that is closest to the lock. See cross rail.
lock set: A complete system of locking components for a door.
lock stile: The vertical side structure of a door that the lock set is built into.
luan: A thin ⅛″ or ¼″ plywood that is strong, flat, lightweight, and flexible. Ideal for hard flat and door coverage. Also spelled lauan.
LX pipe: An electrics pipe is used to fly lights. It typically includes load circuits directly within plugging strips to supply power. Also called electrics pipe.
main curtain: An often luxurious and ornate velvet curtain that divides the stage from the audience. Also called grand drape, grand curtain, or house curtain.
mantel legs: Vertical supports of a mantelpiece or mantel shelf.
mantelpiece: A stone or wooden ornamental shelf above a fireplace.
maquette: A scale three-dimensional model of a stage set that includes texture, architectural, and dressing details, as well as scene painting finish and often major furnishing items. See scale model.
masking: Drapery or flats used to hide aspects and elements from the audience, e.g., the wings, the fly loft, electrics, backstage personnel, and actors awaiting entrance cues. Masking includes borders, legs, and black drapes.
masking flats: See masking.
mitre: An angled surface crafted to match a similarly angled surface to create a joint.
mitre line: A diagonal line representing a mitre joint.
mopboard: A board or moulding covering the joint between the wall surface and the floor. Also called skirting board.
moulding: Strips of architectural material, often shaped with profiles meant to cast decorative shadows for ornamental purposes.
mullion: A vertical support structure between windows.
muntin: A small vertical or horizontal mounting bar that hold the small panes that make up a single window. Also called sash bar.
newel post: Larger and frequently decorative posts placed at the bottom, top, and intermediate positions in a flight of stairs to act as principal supports for the banister of a balustrade.
offstage: Area of the stage that is not visible to the audience.
ogee: A moulding with an upright s-shaped or reverse upright s-shaped outline where the concave part extends past the convex. Furthermore, the ends of the curve are horizontal. Also called cyma reversa.
onstage: Area of the stage that is visible to the audience.
ovolo: A moulding or moulding element consisting of a convex quarter-circle profile.
painter's elevations: elevations of the set that depict the painting finishes that will be required.
panel, panelling: See frame and panel construction.
patch: To connect a stage circuit to a dimmer circuit.
patch bay: See patch panel.
patch panel: An interconnecting device that allows one to connect any stage circuit to a dimmer.
pipe: A horizontal metal pipe hung as part of the fly system used to manage suspended elements of the scenery, masking, and lights. Also called batten.
pipe legend: A label chart that identifies the pipes of a fly system in a theatre.
plano-convex lens: A lens that is flat on one side and convex on the other.
plaster line (PL): Invisible fourth wall in the front of the stage, at the opening of the proscenium. Called plaster because of the ornate frame moulded around the proscenium arch.
plug strip: A strip that houses electrical outlets where plugs can be connect for power.
post: A vertical upright architectural support.
post and lintel: A construction method consisting of vertical (posts) and horizontal (lintel) supports.
practical: Any functional item that can be used by the actors during the play, e.g., faucet, lamp, etc.
prime symbol (′): The symbol used to indicate measures in feet. AutoCAD uses the apostrophe instead.
production team: A team made up of the technicians, production manager, stage manager, designers, and director.
proscenium: In a proscenium theatre, the arched opening that, together with the apron, separates the stage from the auditorium. Formerly the apron itself, as it was placed before (pro) the stage (scenium).
proscenium stage: A theatre stage designed with a proscenium.
rails: Horizontal components of framing structures. See stiles and rails.
raised panel: A protruding panel.
rake, raking: The incline of the stage that makes it more visible to the audience. The auditorium is inclined in the opposite way to improve the audience's view.
recessed panel: A panel that is sunken or set back. See frame and panel construction.
return, return flat: Returns are the flats at the downstage edge of the set walls that "return" into the wings. These are the edges of the imaginary fourth wall turned inside out.
reverse carpenter's elevations: Carpenter's elevations that show only the framing and flat breakdown as seen from the back of the flat.
riser: 1. The vertical face of a stair that supports the tread in conjunction with the stringer.; 2. Also a vertically elevated platform in theatre construction.
Roman amphitheatre: An open-air circular Roman building with raked seating and an arena used for entertainment purposes, such as gladiatorial combats. The concept of modern-day stadiums is based on the amphitheatre.
safety curtain: A fireproof curtain that can be dropped to separate the audience from a fire. Also called fire curtain.
sash: A sash is a window's fixed or movable outer frame.
sash bar: A small vertical or horizontal mounting bar that holds the small panes that make up a single window. Also called muntin.
sash window: A window made up of one or more moveable sashes, or panels which can be opened for ventilation.
scale: A ratio describing the proportion of a unit of a representation in relation to real units.
scale model: A three-dimensional representation of an object that is made at a scale that is either larger or smaller than the original object. See maquette.
scenery: Anything on stage used to represent the setting of the play.
scenic rigger: Person responsible for safely installing elements to be flown.
scoop: A flood light.
scratch building: The process of building from raw materials rather than from preassembled parts.
scrim: A loosely woven gauze textile hung to be opaque when lit from the front and transparent when lit from behind. It can be white, black, or painted.
sectional elevation: A cross-sectional side view drawing at the centre line of the theatre. Also called centre line section.
section line: A line depicting the cutting path of a cross-section drawing through a plan drawing.
set: The complete assembly of scenic elements, structures, properties (props), etc. required to stage a theatrical production.
set designer: Person who works with the director to create the visual staging concept, and once this is done, works with members of a production team to supervise the realization of the concept on stage.
set dressing: Decorative set props and furnishings. Also called dressing.
Shakespearean playhouse: An Elizabethan theatre constructed of a wood.
shop drawings: See carpenter's elevations
side jamb: See jamb.
sight lines: Audience members' viewpoints from the most extreme seats at house left and right as well as the highest and lowest seats. Often represented by lines on a technical drawing.
sight points: Points representing audience members at the most extreme limits of the seating. They are used to determine appropriate placement of the set elements.
sill: A horizontal member at the bottom of a window or door.
skirting: See skirting board.
skirting board: A board or moulding covering the joint between the wall surface and the floor.
smoke pocket: Steel housing that encloses the fire curtain and blocks the passage of smoke during a fire.
soft masking: Black curtains used to hide aspects of the stage. See masking, drapery.
spill light: Unwanted light emanating from a lighting instrument.
stage: The platform or area where actors perform a play.
stage flat: See flat.
stage hand: A person who works backstage in a theatre to facilitate the performance.
stage left (SL): The right side of the stage from the audience's view.
stage right (SR): The left side of the stage from the audience's view.
stiles: An upright framing structure. See stiles and rails.
stiles and rails: Vertical and horizontal components of a framing structure. See frame and panel.
stock: Term indicating a reusable item of a standard size, e.g., stock stairs and steps, stock risers, stock flats, stock doors, etc.
stock door: A reusable door of a common 6′8″, 3′6″ size.
stock flat: A flat in a common size (4′ × 8′, 2′ × 8′, 4′ × 12′, 2′ × 12′) that is often reused from show to show.
stock plot: A drawing that defines dedicated pipe positions for lighting instruments and/or basic masking. See lighting plot.
stock riser: A reusable piece of plywood in a common size (4′ × 8′ or 4′ × 4′) screwed to a vertical frame to support a level or a floor.
strike: To disassemble and remove set elements from the stage between acts or at the end of a play.
stringer: 1. The side of a set of stairs that provides structural support for the treads and risers.; 2. A stair unit made with a stringer.
stringer board: See stringer.
stud: Vertical structural member that creates part of a supporting framework for a wall.
studio flat: See flat.
studio theatre: A small theatre space with flexible stage and auditorium arrangements.
swinging door: A single door that opens in both directions.
teaser: The first border, which can be soft or hard masking. Used in conjunction with the tormentor to adjust the size of the proscenium opening.
technical director: The person responsible for coordinating all technical aspects of a production, including set production, sound, lighting, and rigging installation.
technician: A member of the technical crew. This includes lighting persons, sound persons, props persons, carpenters, and stage hands.
theatre company: All employees of a theatre, including the actors, production team, administration, and front of house staff.
theatre flat: See flat.
three step stair unit: A stock stair unit made up of three stairs.
throw distance: The distance between a light and its target.
thrust stage: A stage that extends into the audience to create greater intimacy with the audience.
title block: A drafting label that contains key information about the drawing, such as the name of the play, the scale used, the name of the theatre, and the number of drawings.
tongue and groove board: Boarding where the boards' edges are fitted together tightly by inserting a protrusion of the edge of one board into a corresponding slot in the neighbouring board to create a sequence.
top rail: The uppermost horizontal board of a door. See stiles and rails.
tormentor: The first leg, which can be soft or hard masking. Used in conjunction with the teaser to adjust the size of the proscenium opening.
tormentor pipe: See boom.
traveller: A moving curtain that can open or close from the sides (in "scissors" style) or can fly in or out from above (known as bounce or guillotine style).
tread: The horizontal top plank of stair.
trim: The height which a pipe or piece of scenery is set to hang above the stage floor. Also used as a verb.
trimming: The process of adjusting the hanging height of a pipe, instrument, or piece of scenery.
TV flat: See flat.
upstage (US): The part of the stage furthest from the auditorium.
upstage centre (USC): The middle of the back of the stage from the audience's view.
upstage left (USL): The right of the back of the stage from the audience's view.
upstage right (USR): The left of the back of the stage from the audience's view.
venue: A location or place for an organized event.
Vernier calipers: Tool with a sliding set of jaws used to measure objects whose shape is difficult to measure with other types of instruments.
wainscoting: Panelling consisting of tongue and groove boards or decorative panelling that is applied to a wall between the skirting board and the chair rail. Its original purpose was to cover portions of walls that were poorly protected from and subsequently suffered from rising dampness.
wings: Offstage left and offstage right areas where actors wait and scenery is kept out of view.