1320 Theater - Beginning Scene Construction Terms and Definitions

Lobby

A room in a theatre used for public entry from the outside. The box office, coat check, concessions, and restroom are usually located in the lobby.

House

Where the audience sits

Orchestra Pit

An area at the front of the house, usually sunken, where the musicians and conductor work during a show.

Apron

Stage area that extends beyond the proscenium; shaped like an arch.

Proscenium Arch

An arch framing the opening between the stage and the auditorium in some theaters.

Plaster Line

A line parallel to the proscenium and usually upstage of the house curtain that is clear of any permanent obstructions and from which equipment and scenery are dimensioned.

Center Line

A line that indicates the exact center of the stage, traveling from up to downstage.

Sight Lines

Imaginary lines defining the areas of the stage where the actors can clearly be seen by the audience.

Fire Curtain

Metal or fireproof fabric across the front of the stage that prevents fire from spreading.

Trapdoor

An opening in the stage floor where actors can enter and exit.

Fly System

The elaborate network of pulleys, riggings, and counterweights that allows scenic pieces or stage components to be "flown" up and out of the audience's sight in a traditional proscenium arch theatre.

Upstage

The stage area away from the audience.

Downstage

The stage area toward the audience.

Stage Left

The left side of the stage from the perspective of an actor facing the audience.

Stage Right

The right side of the stage from the perspective of an actor facing the audience.

Linear Stick Lumber

A long and slender piece of wood used for crafting.

Nominal vs. Actual

Nominal - A stick of lumber's sides before it has been planed smooth on the sides. We usually use nominal measurements to refer to pieces of lumber.

Actual - The real dimensions of a stick of lumber.

Plywood

Thin sheets of wood glued together so that the grains are at right angles to one another; an odd number of sheets will be used so that the grain on the front and back will always run in the same direction.

Luan

Thin plywood that is used to mask flats and build set pieces; NOT load-bearing.

Masonite

Hardboard that is formed using wooden chips and blasting them into long fibers with steam and then forming them into boards. Used extensively in theaters, especially as the stage floor.

OSB

Oriented Strand Board- Man-made wood material consisting of "scraps" of wood held together by adhesives but not in continuous layers like plywood. Typically used for building structures such as walls.

Tube Steel

Regular steel used in theater

Conduit

Low gage steel tube

Black Steel Pipe

Ordinary steel pipe, not galvanized or coated.

expanded polystyrene (EPS)

Closed-cell foam is used for a growing number of purposes including building insulation.

Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)

A rigid, closed-cell, extruded foam is used as insulation. Possesses good durability and dimensional stability due to the extrusion process. Comes in sheets of color.

Muslin

Lightweight cotton cloth in a plain weave. Used for scenery or painting.

White Glue

(polyvinyl acetate)

For wood, engineered wood, paper, crafts and simple projects.

Most commonly available in plastic squeeze bottles.

Begins to set within one hour, dries clear.

Has easy clean up, doesn't stain, nontoxic, nonflammable.

Is not waterproof.

Requires work to be clamped for best results.

Wood Glue

Usually a PVA (polyvinyl acetate) based glue that is specially formulated for bonding wood. It is light yellow in color when wet and dries hard, with a translucent yellow color.

Uses:

Bonding wood to wood

Construction Adhesive

A high-performance adhesive for multi-purpose in most interior and exterior construction projects

Offers several benefits for a deck construction project: it will bond the wood together; it can be used on dry, wet, or treated wood; and it is not affected by moisture. When applied in a consistent bead it will help create a moisture barrier.

Waterproof and weatherproof

Reduces Nail Pops

Permanent bond

Epoxy Glue

A two-part glue that practically glues anything to anything, including metal to metal. It forms when one mixes epoxy resin with hardener. After you mix both components, the working time begins. That is the period during which the parts to be bonded can still be moved and changed. After the working time, the glue needs several hours to reach maximum strength.

It is highly versatile and extremely strong.

Spackle

A plaster-like paste used to fill holes and cracks in walls.

Caulk

Substance used to seal cracks and make a structure watertight or airtight.

Wood Putty

Substance used to fill imperfections in wood, such as nail holes, prior to finishing.

Gaff Tape

A matte finish coated cloth tape with good adhesion, high tensile strength, conformability, adhesive transfer resistance, and easy tear. Great for the entertainment industry as it comes off surfaces easily without damage or leaving residue.

Painters Tape

Used to mark out areas to paint in and protects sections from paint. Easily removable and blue in color.

Masking Tape

Beige Tape that has a variety of uses. Aside from general tape uses, it can be used for labels or as an alternative to Painters tape.

Electrical Tape

Used for electrical only, used to protect wires

Drywall Screw

Relatively slender and brittle, usually black

Tech Screws

A self-tapping screw with a drill-bit end that allows them to attach materials such as wood and metal together without pre-drilling.

Wood Screw

A threaded metal fastener with a pointed end which forms its own matching thread in the wood member into which it is inserted.

Hex Bolt

A bolt with a six-sided head.

Hex Nut

A nut with a hexagon shape

Locking Nut

A type of nut that contains a locking element that uses friction to create a tight grip on threads. Used on micrometers to lock the spindle in place after measuring a part to help prevent errors in reading measurements. Features a nylon insert to differentiate it from a certain other type of nut.

Wing Nut

A nut having two flat projecting pieces that provide a grip for tightening with the thumb and forefinger. Also called THUMBNUT.

Carriage Bolt

Used for bolting wood to wood or wood to metal

Stove Bolt

Round or flat head with course thread along the whole body. General purpose fastener used when precision fit is not necessary.

Lag Screw

Screw used where great pressure to turn is required

Eye Screw

A screw with a loop for passing a cord through, instead of a slotted head

Back Flap Hinge

A multi-purpose hinge that allows for the connection of two surfaces; allowing for the creation of a flap.

Tight Pin Hinge

A hinge in which the center pin cannot be removed

Loose Pin Hinge

A hinge having a removable pin which permits its two parts to be separated.

Strap Hinge

Hinge used where major strength or support is required. Used on doors, gates, and cabinets

Caster

Non-powered wheel designed to be fitted under an object to move it.

Rigid Caster

Unlike the swivel caster, this caster is permanently locked in position so it cannot pivot. Sometimes used for lightweight scenery and furniture.

Swivel Caster

A caster that allows movement in any direction

Universal-Throw

Channel

Stage Brake

Mounted to the side of a platform or scenery, this brake lifts the scenery off its casters, preventing the wagon from shifting under active actor movements.

S-Hook

An "S" shaped piece of bent steel, which can be used to connect two chains, or any other items with loops.

Coffin Lock

A hidden mechanism used to temporarily join large units of scenery together

Rota Lock

Essentially a pipe clamp that will hold two pipes 90 degrees to one another.

- Fits one size of pipe only.

Stage Screw

A screw used to fasten the bottom portion of a stage brace to the floor. Also called a Stage Peg.

Cheese borough

join pipe, can work with the middle of the pipe rather than needing the end

Speed Rail Fittings

Structural Pipe fittings that hold or connect pipes together.

Fresnel

A spotlight featuring stepped lens, which projects a clear, strong light with a soft edge

Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight

A spotlight with an ellipsoidal reflector, usually hung from the auditorium ceiling to light downstage acting areas

Parabolic Aluminized Reflector (PAR)

A spotlight that focuses light in a tighter spread, with the light rays more parallel because its reflector is a parabola with the filament at the focus of the parabola. Picture may not accurate.

Intelligent Moving Instrument

Lighting with automated or mechanical abilities that exceed those of traditional or standard lights.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

A diode that will produce light when current flows through it.

Follow Spot

Large, powerful spotlight with a sharp focus and narrow beam that is used to follow principal performers as they move about the stage

Channel

Channel

Light Cue

A direction was given to the person in charge of illuminating a stage in a production or play.

Lighting Console

A board used to control all of the lighting effects used on stage.

C-Clamp

A clamp in the shape of a "C" used to attach lighting instruments to the grid.

Yoke Bolt

Holds C-clamp onto yoke [may be used to pan instrument]

Yoke

A bracket that holds onto each side of a light; is connected to the C-clamp via the yoke bolt.

Pan Bolt

Also known by less family-friendly names

Once loosened, it allows for the 360 degrees rotation of the light fixture. Can easily break if overtightened.

Shutters

Manipulates the shape of lights on ellipsoidal light fixtures

Gobo Holder

Holder for gobo

Accessories Holder

Holds accessories for light fixtures

Gel Holder

Holds the gel. Slides into place in front of the lens of a lighting instrument.

Lamp Base

The part of a lamp that connects to a lamp holder.

Safety Cable

Strong cable used to secure lights

Electric Batten

A batten affixed with electrical outlets used for hanging and powering lighting instruments.

Stage Pin Connector

A stage pin connector (generally known as GSP for Grounded Stage Pin) is a standard cable type for theatrical lighting in North America.

Twist Lock Connector

A stage connector that provides a sure connection by means of prongs that lock within the receptacle

3-pin Edison Connector

The standard household male, parallel blade connector that may or may not have a ground pin.

Hang and Focus

The process of installing lights for a show.

Color Gel

Polycarbonate material used in front of white light to filter different colors.

Gobo

A metal cutout that is placed in front of the lens of a lighting instrument to create different shadowed images on stage

Spiral Drill Bit

Drill bit used for pre-drilling

Masonry Bit

A drill bit with a carbide tip designed to penetrate materials such as stone, brick, or concrete.

Spade Bit

Inexpensive bit, suitable for general use, they get their name from their shape. Used to make larger holes.

Hole Saw Bit

Used for drilling very large holes with a cleaner cut compared to the spade bit.

Bit Holder

Holds the bits in a power tool.

Impact Driver

A hand tool used to loosen nuts or tighten nuts and bolts by converting the force of a hammer blow to rotary motion

Variable Speed Drill

A drill with dials that control speed and strength.

Table Saw

A circular saw mounted under a table or bench so that the blade projects up through a slot.

Ripping

The process of cutting across the grain of wood, with the grain.

Crosscut

The process of cutting across the grain of wood, against the grain.