Theatre Stage Directions and Acting Techniques: Key Terms and Concepts

Stage right

The actor's right side of the stage

Stage left

The actor's left side of the stage

Downstage

Area closer to the audience

Upstage

Area farther from the audience

Center stage

Middle of the stage

Apron

Area in front of the curtain on a proscenium stage

Wings

Offstage areas on either side

Blocking

Planned movement of actors on stage

Cue

Line or action that signals an actor to speak or move

Projection

Volume of the actor's voice

Diction

Clear pronunciation of words

Inflection

Variation in vocal pitch

Body language

Communication through movement, posture, and facial expression

Ad-lib

Making up lines on the spot

Improvisation

Creating a scene without a script

Objective

What a character wants

Obstacle

What prevents the character from achieving their objective

Tactics

Actions a character uses to achieve their objective

Substitution

Using personal experiences to connect to a role

Business

Small actions that reveal character (e.g., eating, smoking)

Acting is ephemeral

It exists only in the moment and cannot be exactly repeated

Stanislavski

"Father of acting" who created a system for developing characters

Given circumstances

Facts about the character's situation (who, what, where, when, why)

Magic if

Asking "What would I do if I were in this situation?"

Subtext

Underlying meaning beneath spoken dialogue

Unit

A section of a script divided by shifts in action or objective

Objective vs super objective

Objective is short-term goal; super objective is overall goal

Through-line of action

The main thread connecting all actions toward a goal

Sense memory

Using physical senses from past experiences in acting

Emotion memory

Using past emotional experiences to create performance

Empathy

Understanding and sharing another person's feelings

Analysis (acting)

Breaking down a script to understand character and actions

Meisner technique

Focuses on reacting truthfully to scene partners

Repetition exercise

Meisner technique where actors repeat phrases to build authentic reactions

Lee Strasberg

Founder of Method Acting emphasizing emotional recall

Method acting

Using personal emotions and memories to create a role

Stella Adler

Focused on imagination and given circumstances rather than emotional recall

Uta Hagen

Emphasized substitution and realism in acting

Substitution (Hagen)

Connecting personal experiences to the character's situation

Improvisation rule 1

Say "yes, and" to build scenes

Improvisation rule 2

Stay present and support your partner

Character internal aspects

Thoughts, emotions, motivations

Character external aspects

Physical traits, voice, movement

Social status

A character's rank or position in society

Relationship

How characters connect to each other

Open scene

A scene with minimal dialogue open to interpretation

The Proposal

A farce by Anton Chekhov

Farce

Comedy with exaggerated situations and physical humor

Anton Chekhov

Playwright known for tragicomedy and realistic characters

Almost Maine

A comedy by John Cariani

John Cariani

Playwright known for Almost Maine

A Raisin in the Sun

Drama by Lorraine Hansberry about a Black family's struggles

Lorraine Hansberry

Playwright and civil rights figure

Tragicomedy

Blend of tragedy and comedy

Stanislavski system

Method of acting focusing on realism and character psychology

Group Theatre

Influential acting group where Strasberg, Adler, and Meisner worked

Actor's Studio

Training center for Method Acting

Empathy in acting

Helps actors connect emotionally with characters

Given situation sheet

Tool to analyze character circumstances and motivations

Three columns (given situation)

Facts, interpretation, and acting choices

Rehearsal process

Steps actors take to develop character and performance

Focus on partner

Key idea in Meisner acting

Truthful acting

Acting that feels real and believable

Ephemeral art

Art that only exists in the moment (like theatre)

Audition

Trying out for a role

At rise

When the curtain opens

Places

Command for actors to get ready

Overlap

Characters speaking at the same time