Vocabulary list for acting (stage and screen)

David Bar-Tzur

ACTORS AND CHARACTERS

Bragg, Bernard character cut (edit) Graybill, Patrick hero heroine Matlin, Marlee
movie camera Shakespeare

ANIMATION

animation dots per inch Disney, Walt edit Mouse, Mickey Pinocchio virtual
virtual reality

COSTUMING

ankle bracelet athletic shirt ball gown bell bottoms belt blouse boa
body piercing bolo tie boots bow tie bracelet button cap
clothes put on ~ close (general) coat decolletage (low neckline) dress-> fancy ~
dresser evening gown feather(s) formal fringe fur (coat) garter
garter-belt glasses gloves-> put on ~ take off ~ gown-> strapless ~
gym shoes hat headband high heels hood hose (nylons) jacket
jewelry leather mask necklace nylons pants pearls
pierced (body) polka-dots purse ring sandals scarf sequins
shirt shoes-> put-on ~ take-off ~ shorts sleeve-> long ~
short ~ stockings-> fishnet ~ striped suit sweater tails (suit)
tattoo tiara tie tights top hat t-shirt tuxedo
uniform vest wardrobe watch-> ~ (wrist) ~ (pocket) zipper

HAIR AND FACE

bald bangs beard contact lenses earrings-> ~ (not pierced) ~ (pierced)
long ~ fall (hairpiece) flip dangling earrings hair-> body ~ bun (~do)
curly ~ long ~ part (in the ~) thin ~ thick ~ permanent (~) short ~
straight ~ topknot (~do) hairdo hairdresser hair stylist hairy horn-rimmed glasses
mohawk (hairdo) moustache-> ~ (general) ~ (curly) handlebar ~ nose ring pageboy
permanent (hair) pierced ear pierced nose stylist (hairdresser) tongue stud toupee wig

LIGHTING

beam angle black out dim dimmer down fade in fade out
follow spot fresnel full up gel gobo hot spot house lights
instrument kill lamp light board light plot liko out
patch panel shutter spotlight strip light up wash work lights

LITERARY CRITICISM

absurdism analysis analyze antagonist audition avant garde character
climax conflict crisis critic critique denouement drama
dramatic action exaggerate expressionism farce inciting incident melodrama motive
musical mystery naturalism perform plot-> main ~ sub~
protagonist realism resolution review revue rising action romance
satire science fiction setting structure style surrealism theme

MAKE-UP

corrective eyebrow pencil eyeliner highlight liner lip liner lipstick
make-up mascara powder (makeup) rouge shadow

SCRIPT AND PERFORMANCE

act act break ad lib aside blocking bow build (in intensity)
call cheat (Theater) closing (of a play) conversation, converse counter cross cross (stage) curtain! (up!)
curtain call dialogue direct double cast (signers and speakers) drama dramatic time dramatize
dress parade emotion ensemble gesture ham (acting) improv, improvise intermission
irony lights! (on!) line lyrics mime monologue motivation
music narrative open (a play) opening (first show) pantomime performance photo call
pick-up cue pick up (the pace) places play playwright preview prompt
read through rehearsal rehearse repertory role run (the ~ of a play) scene
script season soliloquy sound stage business Stanislavsky method steal
take (the) stage talk tempo theater games timing title try out
walk through warm up

STAGECRAFT

construct construction crew crew cue design elevation floor plan
mask (a stage)) model rake(d auditorium) rendering running crew set the stage sight line
special effects stage stage craft strike (a stage or set) working drawing

STAGE DIRECTIONS AND POSITIONS

center stage closed (stage position) down stage-> ~ (command) ~ (location) front full back (stage position)
full front (stage position) half profile off stage-> ~ (command) ~ (location) on stage-> ~ (command)
~ (location) open (a play) open (stage position) place profile quarter profile stage directions
stage left-> ~ (command) ~ (location) stage right-> ~ (command) ~ (location) three-quarter profile
up stage-> ~ (command) ~ (location)

For the signs for these terms, see Signs for technical/specialized vocabulary.

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