| Pan |
One of the controls on a sound mixing desk. It determines
where in the stereo image the sound will appear. For example, if
the pan control is turned fully left, all the sound will go to the
left channel; fully right, all goes to the righ channel. If the
pan control is centred, the sound will be equally distributed between
both left and right channels. |
| Paper |
Complimentary (i.e. free!) tickets. If someone says,
"The house is all paper tonight", it means that most,
if not all, of the audience have free tickets. |
| Parcan |
A type of lantern (qv) which projects a near parallel beam
of light, much used by rock bands. The lamp is a sealed-beam unit
(like car headlights) fitted inside the "can". Available,
usually, in 300W or 1kw power, they are sometimes known as parblazers,
while lighting manufacturer Strand calls them "beamlights".
|
| Pass Door |
In many theatres, a door which leads from the auditorium to the
backstage area. |
| Pebble Convex |
A type of spotlight (qv), with a harder-edged beam than
a fresnel (qv) but softer than a profile (qv). They
have a convex lens with a pebbled rear surface. Strand call their
PC lanterns "prism convex". |
| Perch |
A place for hanging lanterns, on the side wall of the auditorium.
They put people (with followspots) up there sometimes too! |
| Per Diems |
Very important to actors: the daily expenses paid on tour. |
| Phantom Power |
A means of powering condenser microphones. A current of (usually)
48 volts is sent along the mic cable from the mixing desk or, where
the mixer does not have phantom power facilities, from a phantom
power box, into which the mic is plugged and which, in turn, plugs
into the mixer. Phantom power can only be used when the connectors
are XLR (qv) |
| Phase Coherent Cardioid |
A type of mic which works in a similar way to a Boundary Zone
Mic (qv) but more efficiently. |
| Phono Plug |
A type of connector used on some sound equipment, usually domestic
HiFi or video gear. |
| Pin Spot |
Either a small (usually 100W) spotlight used for special effects
(i.e. with a mirror ball) or, more usually in the theatre, a follow-spot
with its iris diaphragm closed to its smallest diameter to illuminate,
for instance, just a face. |
| Pit |
The sunken area in front of the stage in which the orchestra sits. |
| Plot |
Lighting term: the actual brightness settings of each lantern
and the LX cues. Also used to describe the process of setting the
cues. Can also be used as an alternative for "blocking",
i.e. setting the actors in their positions on-stage at an early
stage in rehearsal. |
| Powered Mixer |
A mixer (qv) and an amplifier (qv) in one unit |
| Pressure Zone Mic |
Another term for a Boundary Zone Mic (qv), usually abbreviated
to PZM |
| Practical |
Adjective used to describe properties or scenery which have to
work as in real life when used; e.g. a practical ceiling light must
actually light up when switched on by an actor. Abbreviates to prac. |
| Preset |
The ability, on a manual lighting control desk (as opposed to
one which is computer-controlled) to set up a lighting cue before
it is actually operated. Also the lighting state on a stage before
the show actually starts. Most manual desks have two presets: each
has a fader for each channel and another to fade the whole preset
up or down. Using a two preset desk, it is possible to set the next
cue on the unused fader and, when the time comes, the two can be
crossfaded by moving the masterfaders. Some preset desks have a
timer which can be set to control the speed of the crossfade. |
| Preview |
Many shows (especially in the West End) have previews before they
open officially. These are performances which are essentially try-outs
in front of an audience. Changes to script, performances and all
other aspects of the show can be (and often are) made during previews.
The actual first night is designated the press night, when
press critics are allowed in to review the show. |
| Prism Convex |
Another name for a Pebble Convex spotlight. |
| Producer |
In amateur companies usually synonymous with the Director, but
in the professional theatre the person who makes all the necessary
arrangements for the production to be put on: finding the finance,
smoothing the way for the Director. Almost the equivalent of the
Business Manager. The best producers (the best known is probably
Cameron Mackintosh, who produced Les Miserables, Miss
Saigon and many other great hits) has the genius to recognise
a potentially great piece of theatre as well as find the finance
for it to be put on. |
| Profile |
A type of spotlight (qv), with an optical system rather
like a projector which produces a narrow, hard-edged beam of light.
|
| Prompt Side |
The left side of the stage, as you face the audience. Traditionally
the side of the stage on which the prompt corner (or simply corner
(qv)) is situated. |
| Prompt Copy |
See Book. The copy of the script in which all notes, moves,
cues etc. are noted. |
| Prompter |
Amateur companies almost always have a prompter, someone who sits
in the wings (qv) and prompts the actors if they forget their
lines. There is no such position in the professional theatre - pros
should not forget lines! Neither should amateurs, for that matter,
but it happens - so, if a prompt is needed, it is given by whoever
is "on the book". |
| Properties |
Small items (a sword in an historical play, for instance, or a
briefcase) which actors carry onto or around the stage. Also used
loosely for "set dressing" (qv). Usually abbreviated
to props. |
| Property Master |
(or Mistress) Responsible for the obtaining and/or construction
of the properties (qv). |
| Proscenium |
The traditional picture frame type of stage, usually with a curtain.
Often abbreviated to "pros". That should really be written
as it's pronounced - "pross" - but it just looks wrong
to me! |
| Proscenium Arch |
(Or "pros arch"). The actual opening of a proscenium
stage. |
| Pyropot |
A safe container into which a pyro (see Pyrotechnics) charge
is plugged for firing electronically. |
| Pyrotechnics |
Usually abbreviated to "pyro". The use of explosions,
flashes, smoke, etc. on-stage. Note: pyrotechnics need extemely
careful handling and pyropots etc. should always be disconnected
from the power supply when they are being loaded. There are strict
legal and Health and Safety rules about the handling and storage
of pyro. |
| Rack |
A rack into which permanent equipment is bolted, eg. dimmers,
amplifier and other sound equipment, etc. The unit of measurement
of the height of a rack is 1.75 inches (44.45mm). Oddly a 1RU rack
is 19 inches high, a 2RU 38 inches, and so on. |
| Radio Mic |
Also known as a wireless mic. A mic which incorporates a small
radio transmitter which sends its signal to a receiver which is
attached to a mixer. This does away with the need for trailing cables.
Note that only certain radio frequencies can be used without a licence. |
| Rake |
Many stage floors, usually in theatres built for dance or variety,
are higher at the back than at the front, to give the audience a
better view. These stages are said to be "raked", and
the "rake" is the angle of slope from back to front. In
most modern theatres it is the audience seating that is raked, not
the stage. |
| Reprise |
Musical term: to repeat, in whole or in part, a song which has
already been sung in the show. |
| Reverb |
An effect which a signal processor (qv) can add to a sound:
the reverberation of a sound which varies according to the size
of the room. |
| Revolve |
A stage or, more usually, part of a stage (usually circular),
which can revolve through 360 degrees. The most famous, to older
UK TV watchers, is the revolve which was used at the end of the
TV show Sunday Night at the London Palladium. |
| Rig |
A lighting term. To set the lanterns in position. As a noun, its
refers to the entirety of the lanterns on the show.. |
| Rigger |
A small console (which nowadays can be hand-held) for operating
lights during focusing |
| Right |
The right hand side of the stage as you look at the audience.
Also known as the "opposite prompt" or "OP"
side. |
| Rostrum |
(Plural: rostra) A platform, whether moveable or fixed. |
| RU |
See rack |
| Safety Chain/Bond |
A metal chain or wire used as a backup to prevent a luminaire
from falling from the lighting rig if the clamp fails. |
| Safety Curtain |
A curtain of fireproofed material (once upon a time it was asbestos),
usually with a metal frame, which is covers the entire proscenium
(qv) opening and acts as a firebreak between the stage and
the auditorium. Known as the "iron", when it is raised
or lowered, the theatrical term is "Iron going in (or out)".
In many theatres it also serves as a screen on which advertising
can be projected during the interval! |
| Scene Dock |
Backstage area for storing scenery (and loads of other things
too!). |
| Scroller |
A device placed in front of a lantern which allows the colour
of the light to be changed remotely. Scrollers usually consist of
a roll of gels which scroll in front of the lens on receiving a
DMX (qv) command. |
| Segue |
(Pronounced seg-way) Musical term for when one tune moves seamlessly
into another. |
| Set |
The scenery for a particular show or individual scene. |
| Set Dressing |
Items on a set which are not actually used by anyone but which
make it look more realistic (e.g. curtains over a window, a bowl
of flowers on a table, and so on). |
| Shotgun Mic |
A type of condenser mic (qv) which is designed to pick
up sounds from a distance. Also known as a rifle mic (because of
its long barrel) or hypercardioid (because of the narrowness of
its pick-up range). |
| Sightlines |
The area of the stage which can be seen by everyone seated in
the auditorium. In some (badly designed!) theatres, a member of
the audience sitting at the ends of certain rows, can only see two
thirds of the stage! |
| Signal Processor |
A unit which adds effect such as reverb (qv) to sounds
which are passed through it. |
| Skycloth |
A cloth, usually upstage, painted to look like the sky. |
| Smoke Machine |
A machine which produces the effect of a haze of smoke in the
air by heating up a harmless scented oil. These should not set off
smoke alarms! |
| Sound Reinforcement |
Reinforcing the sound produced by the actors on a stage. This
is very different from amplifying the sound (as happens when a vocalist
uses a mic to be heard above a band), for the audience should not
be aware of the amplification. It is much more complex to achieve
and requires greater sensitivity on the part of the operator. |
| Source 4 |
A recently introduced design of lantern (qv) (available
in the usual formats), which uses the light produced more efficiently
than previous lanterns. Source 4 is a trademark of the ETC company:
Strand use the term SL to designate their lanterns of this design. |
| Special |
Lighting term: a lantern (qv) - usually a spotlight (qv)
- not used for general illumination but for a special effect, such
a lighting a single actor in one place. |
| Spotlight |
(Or, simply, spot) A type of lantern (qv) whose
beam is focused through a lens or series of lenses to make it more
controllable. |
| Stage Door |
The entrance into the theatre for all personnel involved in the
show. It is usaully small and unobstrusive and well away from the
door(s) through which the audience enter. It is presided over by
the stage doorman or doorkeeper. |
| Stage Manager |
(SM) In charge of everything that happens backstage: all other
backstage peronnel, including heads of departments, report to him.
In the professional theatre, once the show starts its run, he takes
complete control (including taking any rehearsals for understudies
etc.), as the Director's job is finished once he has given his notes
after the final dress rehearsal. |
| State |
A lighting term, referring to the lanterns (qv) and their
dimmer (qv) and colour settings, used in a particular cue.
We talk of a "full-up state" when all lanterns are used
at full brightenss, or a "red state", when only lanterns
with red filters are on. During the plotting of the lighting, the
operator may be told to "go back to a state of 2", which
means to set the dimmers as they were in cue 2. |
| Strike |
(See also "Take Down") To dismantle the set and remove
it from the stage. Also used to refer to removing anything from
the stage. |
| Strobe |
A lantern which emits a regular, controllable series of high power
flashes rather than continuous light. NOTE: strobes can induce
fits in epileptics and so warning about their use should always
be given in the programme and verbally before the show starts. |
| Sub-Master |
Lghting term. In modern lighting desks, a whole lighting state
(qv) can be allocated to a single fader, called a sub-master,
so that when this fader is operated, the whole state responds. |
| Sub-Mixer |
A small mixing desk which is then plugged into a channel on the
main mixing desk, thus providing more channels. For example, the
Musical Director (qv) use a sub-mixer to mix together the
band's sound (thus ensuring that (s)he has full control over the
balance of instruments in the band), and this is then fed to the
main desk, where the sound operator adds it to the mix of all sound
sources, thus making sure the balance of the band against other
sounds is set correctly. |
| Swing |
A member of a musical theatre company who can take over a number
of different chorus parts at a moment's notice. An American term.
Also swing showboy, swing showgirl, swing show. |
