Theatre Glossary

Provides the overarching creative vision for a theatre company. Selects the season of shows and sets the artistic standards for the organisation.

Responsible for the overall creative interpretation of the production. Leads rehearsals and makes all major creative decisions about story, character, and staging.

Supports the Director by taking blocking notes, running understudy rehearsals, and stepping in when the Director is unavailable.

Maintains a production after opening night. Integrates new cast members and conducts brush-up rehearsals to keep the show in shape.

The operational backbone of the production. Coordinates all departments, distributes documentation, runs rehearsals, and calls every lighting, sound, and fly cue from the prompt desk during performances.

Supports the Stage Manager by tracking props, managing rehearsal furniture, and overseeing backstage operations during the run of the show.

Oversees the entire stage management team on a large-scale production or across multiple productions within an organisation.

Leads all musical elements of the production. Prepares the cast vocally in rehearsals and conducts the orchestra or band during performances.

Leads the orchestra during performance, maintaining tempo, dynamics, and musical expression for the ensemble.

Provides piano support throughout the rehearsal process so the cast can rehearse music before the full band is involved.

Works individually with cast members on vocal technique, addressing breath support, diction, tone, vocal range, and stamina over the course of the rehearsal period.

Creates and teaches all movement and dance sequences in the production, working closely with the Director and cast.

A performing cast member responsible for maintaining the integrity of the choreography throughout the run. They call dance calls and correct drift as needed.

Designs and supervises all staged combat in the show. Holds a fight call before every performance to ensure the safety of all involved.

Stages and safeguards scenes involving physical intimacy. Establishes clear consent culture and communication practices in the rehearsal room.

Creates the visual scenic environment for the production, designing all scenic elements from the ground up.

Executes the painting and surface finishing of all set pieces and scenic elements, bringing the Set Designer's vision to life.

Sources, creates, and manages all hand props, set dressing, and objects that actors handle on stage during the production.

Creates the visual language of character through clothing, overseeing all costume design and construction for the production.

Manages the costume department day-to-day, overseeing fittings, maintenance, repairs, and quick changes during the run.

Creates the lighting concept for the production and oversees rigging, focusing, and programming during the technical period.

Creates the entire sonic landscape of the production, overseeing amplification, performer microphones, sound effects, and all audio.

Creates and integrates video and projection content into the production's visual design.

Designs all hair and wig work across the cast, and manages the application and maintenance of wigs throughout the run.

Creates makeup concepts for every character and trains cast and crew in application techniques.

Responsible for the safe realisation of all technical and scenic elements, overseeing construction, rigging, and installation of the set.

Oversees the entire production from a logistical and budgetary standpoint, keeping all departments on schedule and on budget.

Executes the lighting design technically, overseeing the rigging, cabling, and focusing of all lighting equipment.

The lead sound engineer, responsible for operating the primary mixing console and balancing all audio during performances.

Supports the A1 by managing wireless microphones on performers backstage, handling mic swaps and troubleshooting RF issues.

Controls a high-intensity spotlight that tracks performers as they move around the stage during performances.

Manages the flying system above the stage, executing fly cues precisely as called by the Stage Manager.

Responsible for all scenic changes on stage during the production — moving set pieces and furniture between scenes.

The collective term for all backstage crew who support the technical operation of the show during performances.

Assists performers with costume changes during the show, especially fast quick changes between scenes.

Responsible for moving props on and off stage during the show and ensuring every prop is in its correct preset position before each scene.

Oversees all front-of-house operations and manages the audience experience from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.

Oversees the production from a financial, logistical, and strategic perspective, taking ultimate responsibility for the entire project.

The director's planned movement and positioning of actors on stage. The ASM records all blocking in the prompt book so it can be referred to later.

An early, rough run of a scene or act before it is fully memorised or staged. The goal is progress, not polish.

A full or partial performance of the show in rehearsal, going from beginning to end without stopping to fix things.

A rehearsal held after opening night to correct drift in performance quality, refresh choreography, or integrate new cast members.

The first rehearsal with the full cast and orchestra together, focused purely on music rather than movement or staging. From the German for 'seated rehearsal.'

Rehearsals focused on integrating lighting, sound, and all technical elements with the live performance for the first time.

A technical rehearsal that pauses between each cue to set and refine every lighting or sound state. Typically held before dress rehearsals.

A full run of the production with all technical elements, costumes, and makeup exactly as they will be for a live audience.

A dress rehearsal to which a small audience is invited — the last run before public previews or opening night.

A safety check of all staged combat sequences held before every single performance, without exception.

A rehearsal dedicated to dance or choreography work, separate from the main rehearsal.

A rehearsal focused specifically on the musical elements of the production — singing, harmony, and musical phrasing.

A rehearsal in which understudies work through their roles, usually without the principal cast present.

The Stage Manager's master document containing all blocking notes, cue sheets, contact information, and production records. The single source of truth for the entire production.

A document listing every technical cue in the show in order, used by lighting, sound, and fly operators to execute changes precisely.

The arrangement of props, costumes, and set pieces in their correct starting positions before a performance or the start of a new scene.

An instruction from the Stage Manager to a technical operator to execute a lighting, sound, or fly change at a precise moment in the show.

A microphone connected to the theatre's PA system, used by the Stage Manager to address the entire cast and crew from the prompt desk.

The notice board in a theatre where calls, schedules, and notices for cast and crew are posted. This is where the app's name comes from.

A notice given 30 minutes before the audience is admitted. It marks the formal start of the pre-show preparation period for all cast and crew.

The Stage Manager's call for all performers and crew to take their starting positions just before the show begins.

A very fast costume change that happens between scenes, often executed with the help of wardrobe crew in the wings.

The period in which scenery, lighting, sound, and all production elements are brought into the theatre and installed or rigged.

The dismantling and removal of all production elements at the end of a show's run.

The system of ropes, counterweights, and bars above the stage used to raise and lower scenery, drapes, and soft goods out of the audience's view.

The digital control protocol used to operate stage lighting equipment from a lighting desk. Every lighting fixture in a venue is controlled via DMX signals.

Refers to wireless microphones worn or held by performers. Managing RF channels and frequencies is the A2's responsibility.

A scene-by-scene run sheet listing all crew assignments for every transition in the show, so every crew member knows exactly what to move and when.

The ordered list of scenes and musical numbers in the show, exactly as they will be performed.

A nightly document produced by the Stage Manager after each performance, recording run times, incidents, notes for the director, and anything that needs attention.

Directions from the performer's perspective while facing the audience. Stage Left is to the performer's left; Stage Right is to their right — the opposite of what the audience sees.

Upstage means away from the audience, toward the back wall. Downstage means toward the audience. The terms originate from when stages were physically raked (tilted).

The areas to the left and right of the stage, out of the audience's sightline, where performers and crew wait for their entrances and exits.

The Stage Manager's operating position during a performance, typically stage left, from which they call all cues and communicate with the crew.

All areas of the theatre accessible to the paying audience: the foyer, auditorium, box office, and bars. Often abbreviated FOH.

All areas restricted to cast and crew: backstage, dressing rooms, the green room, and production offices.

The sunken area directly in front of the stage, below audience level, where the orchestra performs during a musical.

The tall space above the stage that houses the fly system. It must be tall enough to allow scenery to be raised completely out of the audience's sightline.

The lines of vision from various seats in the auditorium to the stage. Set designers and directors must consider sightlines so every audience member can see the performance.

A stage configuration that extends out into the auditorium so the audience surrounds it on three sides, creating an intimate performance environment.

A stage configuration in which the performance space sits in the centre and the audience surrounds it on all sides.

A stage configuration with the audience seated on two opposing sides of the performance space, with the action running between them.

The guided setup flow in Callsheet for creating a new production. It walks you through entering scenes, cast members, key dates, and production details step by step.

The Callsheet view that breaks down every scene in the show by the characters involved, props required, costumes, and technical requirements — all in one place.

Callsheet's scene-transition run sheet builder. It lets you assign crew members to every technical transition between scenes so everyone knows their job.

The Scene by Scene view that automatically flags potential problems — double-cast actors, tight costume changes, and high-complexity scenes — before they become a problem in tech.

Callsheet's AI-powered line-learning feature. Actors can rehearse their lines with an AI scene partner using either voice or text, at any time and from anywhere.

The show's shared file library within Callsheet. The team can store and access scripts, audio, video, notes, and production documents all in one place.

An AI-generated daily briefing on the show's current status, tailored to each team member's role so everyone gets the information most relevant to them.

Contextual, role-specific prompts surfaced by Callsheet to guide team members through each phase of production — from first rehearsal through to closing night.