The Theatre Classroom — A Fun Handout for Your Students

April 13th, 2010

A drama class handout of silly theatre terms

I found this many years ago and handed it out to my students.  It was particularly fun for my tech kids. Several of the expressions I had to look up, as I was unfamiliar with them.  You might be too. A “block and fall” is like a “block and tackle” used in rigging as is “tripping” and “purchase line.”  I do not know the author.

Theatre Logic

In is down, down is front,
Out is up, up is back,
off is out, on is in,
and of course -
right is left, and left is right.
A drop shouldn't and a
block and fall does neither.
And a prop doesn't, and
a cove has no water.
Tripping is O.K.
A running crew rarely gets anywhere.
A purchase line will buy you nothing.
A trap will not catch anything.
A gridiron has nothing to do with football.
Strike is work
(in fact a lot of work)
And a green room, thank God, usually isn't.
Now that you are fully versed in
theatrical terms - break a leg...
but not really!

The Succinct Version

Off is out, out is up, up is back, on is in, in is down, down is forward, left is right, right is left, and everyone works at a strike. Shuddup still means shuddup.