| DAT |
Sound recording term: digital audio tape. A very high
quality audio recording method in which sound is digitally recorded
on tape (often video S-VHS tapes are used). Now generally superceded
by CD or mini-disk. |
| DBO |
Lighting term. Dead blackout: a sudden, instantaneous switching
off of all lights. |
| DI Box |
Direct Injection Box. A means of taking a sound signal straight
from an electronic instrument, such as an electric guitar, to the
mixer of a sound system. The instrument is plugged into a jack socket
in a small box which is connected to the mixer. |
| DMX |
A protocol for sending instructions to dimmers (qv) or
intelligent lights (qv) from a lighting control desk. There
are a number of different DMX protocols but the most used in modern
theatre is DMX-512. The path taken by a DMX instruction is called
a channel. |
| DSL |
Down stage left: towards the front of the stage on the left-hand
side as you look at the audience. |
| DSR |
Down stage right. |
| Decibel |
A measurement of sound intensity. It is not an absolute measure,
but measures differing levels relative to each other. Can also be
used to measure electrical power. It is a logarithmic measure, with
an increase of three decibels indicating a doubling of intensity.
A difference of 10dB means the sound is ten times the original,
whereas a difference of a million times would be just 60dB! |
| Deputy Stage Manager |
(DSM) The deputy to the Stage Manager (qv). He usually
sits on the book (qv) and is therefore responsible for the
minute by minute running of the show. |
| Designer |
Designs all aspects of the production: set, costumes, wigs, make-up
etc., unless there are separate designers for costumes, wigs etc..
Not, however, usually responsible for lighting design, although
he will work closely with the Lighting Designer (qv). |
| Desk |
See "Board" |
| Die |
A production is said to die if it fails to please the public and
so is taken off. In the much less polite circles of the variety
world, a show or act which fails to draw applause is said to "die
on its arse". |
| Dimmer |
A piece of equipment for varying the amount of electricity sent
to a lantern, thus varying its brightness. Sometimes (inaccurately)
used for the fader which controls the dimmer. Originally dimmers
were variable resistors but now are either thyristors or triacs,
i.e. they work electronically rather than by physically moving a
resistor along a coil of wire. The verb "to dim" can be
used to mean increase ("dim up") or reduce ("dim
down") the amount of light, or even switch it off entirely
("dim out").
Modern dimmers are digital, not analogue, which means that there
is greater control over lamp brightness. Digital dimmers have 256
levels, from 0 (out) to 256 (full brightness). |
| Dips |
Electrical sockets set into the floor of either the stage or the
wings (qv), and, usually, covered by little trapdoors. Usually
used for lanterns (qv) on stands, but can also power other
equipment such as smoke machines. |
| Director |
In control of all aspects of the production.(S)he develops the
concept of the production, briefs the designer and lighting designer,
plots the actor's moves, rehearses the actors, etc. etc. etc.. Each
of these, of course, has his/her own creative input and wise directors
(and the best are very wise!) listens carefully to what they have
to say. At the end of the day, however, the final word goes to the
director. |
| Doubling |
One actor taking more than one part in a play. |
| Downstage |
Towards the audience. |
| Dramaturg |
(Pronounced drama-turj) A person who works alongside writers to
develop their plays for performance. Although not necessarily a
writer him/herself, a dramaturg is skilled in knowing what will
or will not work on stage. Performs much the same function as a
publisher's editor. |
| Dress |
Abbreviation for Dress Rehearsal: the rehearsal immediately
before the first night when all costumes, technical effects, props
etc. are used, often for the first time. As close to an actual performance
as it is possible to be without an audience present. |
| Dresser |
One whose job it is to help an actor (or actors) in quick changes
of costume. They also (I am told by one who has been one) often
do laundry and ironing and starching and pressing and steaming for
hours, and hours, and hours. They sew on buttons, mend torn clothing,
remove stage-blood stains, polish boots, hang up costumes at the
end of the evening when the actor has run off to the pub. They also
fetch sandwiches in the interval, offer comfort and reassurance,
run to the shops for their actors between shows so the actors can
have a lie down. Dressers make a lot of tea and coffee, too. |
| Dry |
Verb: an actor who forgets his words is said to "dry".
Can also be used as a noun. |
| Dry Ice |
Frozen carbon dioxide which remains frozen for a long time at
normal room temperature. When hot water is added it produces a heavy,
cool "steam" which clings to the floor of the stage. Used
to suggest fog: frequently used in horror stories! |
| Dry Sound |
Term used to describe the sound which is input into a signal processor
(qv), before processing. The processed sound is known as
wet sound. |
| Dynamic Mic |
The usual vocalist's microphone: rugged and able to take heavy
use (and even heavy knocks!). Mainly used very close to the mouth.
The movement of a rubber diaphragm produces a small electric current
which is carried back to the mixer/amplifier (qv). |
| Effects Spot |
A spotlight (qv) which projects a slide, or a still or
moving picture, i.e. of rain or clouds, onto the stage or, more
usually, the cyclorama. |
| EQ |
Abbreviation of Graphic Equaliser (qv). Can also
be used as a verb |
| Fade |
Sound and lighting term: to increase (fade up), decrease (fade
down) or eliminate (fade out) gradually the brightness of a lantern
or the volume of a sound. |
| Fader |
Part of a lighting or sound desk: by moving a fader up, the volume
of the sound or intensity of the light is increased. Comversely,
moving it down decreases voluem or intensity. |
| Feedback |
An unwanted sound which is produced by the sound from a loudspeaker
feeding into a mic and then back through the loudspeaker, creating
a loop. It is a very unpleasant sound, sometimes - very appropriately
- known howlround.
One who knows adds this: also what you get from your friends
and family after the performance, when all you really want to do
is have a drink and then go home to bed. |
| Fit up |
Not something done by the police (allegedly!), but actually building
up the set (qv) on-stage. |
| Flash Button |
Many lighting desks have a series of buttons to which indidiual
channels (or groups of channels) can be allocated. When the button
is pressed, the lanterns on those channels flash on. |
| Flat |
An oblong frame of timber, covered with either canvas or hardboard
and painted, which forms part of the set. There are also door flats,
window flats, even fireplace flats. Canvas flats, being lighter
and easier to move around, are the preferred option, but schools
and touring companies often go for hardboard-covered flats which
are more hardwearing. |
| Flight Case |
A protective case for transporting delecate electronic gear. The
larger flight cases are on castors for ease of movement. |
| Floats |
A rather old-fashioned term for Footlights (qv). |
| Flood |
A floodlight: a lantern which gives a wide-spreading, unfocused
beam of light. These can be symmetric (i.e. casting the light equally
in all directions) or asymmetric (casting it more in one direction
than the others). The symmetric flood is probably the cheapest stage
lantern - and the least useful! |
| Fly |
Verb: scenery which is raised into the roof (flown out) or lowered
on the stage (flown in). The apparatus for doing this consists of
a series of ropes and pulleys in the "fly tower" (a very
high roof space) and they raise or lower the scenery by means of
a counterweight system or by directly pulling on "hemp lines".
The men who operate the "flies" are called "flymen"
and the area in which they work is called the "fly floor"
of, quite simply, the "flies". People can also be flown
(as in every production of Peter Pan) in a harness. |
| Focus |
Verb used in lighting: to point the lanterns (qv) in the
right direction and set the correct beam-spread and edge. |
| FoH |
Front of House: anything which happens on the audience
side of the curtain is said to happen "front of house".
The term "the house" is used to mean either the auditorium,
or the audience ("We had a good house tonight"), or even
the theatre itself. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, is also
known as "The House" (with capital letters, of course!). |
| Foldback |
The process of returning the amplified sound to the stage so that
the performers can hear themselves. Rarely used in straight plays:
essential for musical work of all kinds. Special foldback monitors
are needed which much less likely to feed into the mics to produce
feedback (qv). |
| Follow-spot |
A type of profile (qv) spotlight (qv) with an irs
diaphragm and a handle so that it can be used to follow a performer
around the stage in a beam of light of exactly the right size. Traditionally
called a "lime": hence the term "being in the limelight".
These produce a very bright beam of light which is more powerful
than that produced by any other lanterns. Modern limes almost always
use CSI lamps (qv). |
| Footlights |
A series of floodlights (qv) placed on the stage floor
along the front of the stage. Traditional in variety theatres, foots
are nowadays rarely used. Also known as "floats". |
| French Brace |
A means of suppporting a flat (qv) |
| French Flat |
A flat (qv) which is flown in on a bar. Also known as a
French or a Frenchman. |
| Frequency |
The rate per second of a vibrating wave, such as a sound wave.
The higher the frequency, the higher the sound. Frequency is measured
in hertz or kilohertz (1,000 hertz) (as are radio frequencies). |
| Fresnel |
A kind of spotlight (qv) in which the light is concentrated
by a fresnel lens (a lens with concentric ridged rings). Projects
a variable angle soft-edged beam. Sometimes called a frênel
and given the French pronunciation. |
| FX |
Effects: usually sound effects in the theatre but can also refer
to pyrotchnics (qv). In film, usually refers to visual (i.e.
computer generated) effects. |
