First Act New Family Glossary

new family glossary

Welcome!

We are so glad you are adventuring into your first show with First Act Theatre Arts!

Whether you are a seasoned theater professional or this is your first ever venture into the world of theater, we are happy you’re with us. As you’ll quickly discover, there is a lot of First Act lingo that can quickly get confusing for new folks!

We have provided this First Act Glossary as your cheat sheet for those moments where you think to yourself, “what in the world are these people talking about?”

The First Act community is always here to answer any questions you might have, but we hope this will be a great place to start learning about all the exciting things we do here!

You’ve got this!

a

new family glossary

artistic team

This consists of the Director, Assistant Director/Stage Manager, Music Director, and Choreographer. They design the artistic vision for each show, conduct rehearsals, and interact directly with the cast of student performers.

assistant director/ stage manager (AD/SM)

This role is unique to First Act in many ways. Throughout rehearsals, the AD/SM serves as a second pair of eyes to watch blocking and give acting direction. They also record all blocking in their script, so if actors need a refresh, there is a record to reference. AD/SMs also often serve as a liaison with Parent Committees, especially the technical ones like Sets, Costumes, Props, Backstage, etc. During Tech Week, Stage Managers “call the show, ” meaning they dictate each technical element of the show including Light, Sound, and Backstage cues.

Audition

This is how students "try out" for a production. They will sing a one minute excerpt of a song, perform a short dance, and sometimes perform a provided monologue in front of the Artistic Team. From there, the Artistic Team will either ask them to come to callbacks to perform more excerpts from the show they are auditioning for or cast them in the role they see as best for them.

B Base Layer

We ask all students to wear a layer of clothing underneath their costumes to allow them to change in the green room because we do not have individual dressing rooms available. This can be a tank top, leotard, t-shirt, and shorts. It just cannot show through the costume, so colors are usually white, nude, or black.

Backstage Committee

Assists crew of both students and adults with moving sets on and off stage during dress rehearsals and productions. Maintain crowd control; able to keep kids quiet and orderly backstage during the show. Wear basic black, be a team builder, organized, flexible & cool under pressure.

Timeframe: Dress rehearsal week and all shows including move-in and strike; can divide up time among team members.

Blocking

Given by the Director, this is instruction for the actors on how they are to move around the stage. This is motivated by the emotions in the scene and the characters in the show!

new family glossary Brag Button

C

This is a button to pin on your shirt that has a picture of your cast member as their character in the show. Parents, grandparents, and other family members often purchase them to wear during the week of the show to show their pride in their student!

Callbacks

After auditions, the Artistic Team works together to create a list of people they would like to see read, sing, or dance again. At callbacks, songs and scenes from the show students are auditioning for will be performed. It is important to remember that just because a student is not "called back" does not mean they won't be placed in the production, it just means that the Artistic Team has seen all they need to for the time being.

Cast

All of the performers in a production.

Choreographer The Choreographer is responsible for all movement to music in the

production. The Choreographer will assign a Dance Captain, record videos of the choreography for reference, and review dances during rehearsals.

Choreography

This is movement to music, also known as dance! It is given by the choreographer to students.

Congrat Ad

This is a short (20-40 word) ad that you can purchase to place in the program of the show to congratulate your student.

Committee Chair

An individual, or two people as co-chairs, who are the head of each parent committee. This is usually an experienced parent who has worked in this area before. The Chair’s responsibility is to lead their committee in completing the tasks for their team.

Costume Parade

Costume Parade happens about ⅔ of the way through the rehearsal process, and is an opportunity for the Artistic Team to see all of the students in their assigned costumes and make notes and alterations to ensure that they will be ready for the show. The “parade” term comes from the kids walking by the Artistic Team so they can see their costumes.

Costumes Committee

Assists the head of the team in designing and fitting costumes for each character in the production. Enjoy thrift shopping, sewing and/or making alterations. Timeframe: Before the show gathering and making costumes, during the show any upkeep or replacements.

new family glossary Cyc

Pronounced like “psych”, short for cyclorama, this is the white curtain at the back of the stage.

D Director

The Director is the head of the Production. They design a vision for the production, including Sets, Costumes, Props, Makeup, etc. They communicate that vision with their team and Parent Committee Chairs.

They block the entire show, meaning they tell the actors where to enter, exit, and move throughout the scene. Directors help students understand the characters they are playing through Character Development exercises and other expertise

Dress rehearsal

This is a rehearsal at the theater where the show is performed. At dress rehearsals, students perform in full costume, hair, and makeup.

G Grand

This is a curtain that is usually at the front of the stage, but lines up with the main stage opening.

Green Room

This is where the student performers are when not on stage at the theater. Historically, these rooms were painted green, but the origin of why it is called the “green room” is a little fuzzy.

Green Room Committee

The Green Room is where the cast hangs out during the show when they are not on stage. Green Room Parents help supervise this space and make sure cast members know where and when they need to be on stage. Great for parents who want to be involved backstage and get to know the kids. Timeframe: Dress rehearsal week and all shows; divide up time among team members.

H House

This is another word for where the audience sits during the performance.

You will often hear people say "House Left" and "House Right". Those directions are determined from the point of view of the audience facing the stage.

House Committee

Enjoy serving people and providing quality customer service. Sell tickets at the door, set up ushers for all performances, responsible for picking up supplies at the First Act office. Oversee care and upkeep of the seating and lobby areas of the theater. Timeframe: A few hours spent pre-show recruiting ushers & equipment preparation and during the show; can split up time among team members.

new family glossary HEART Program

L

Legs

M

Helping Encourage Awareness and Recognition in Theatre. HEART is a full inclusion program that provides individuals with developmental disabilities the opportunity to participate in classes, shows, and camps.

These are black curtains that live mainly backstage to mask things that are hiding backstage.

Makeup committee

Assist the head of the team in designing characters’ makeup and applying specialty makeup at shows. Apply makeup and style hair at Costume Parade. Assist team head in ordering and distributing makeup kits. Help instruct cast and parents in applying makeup and styling hair.

Timeframe: Costume Parade, a few rehearsals, all dress rehearsals and shows.

Marketing & Public Relations committee

Help distribute fliers and posters and publicize show to the community (as well as program ad information). Supervise the publicity table and student tours during the shows. Will need to work with the First Act Theatre Arts Communications Director. Timeframe: Before the show, during shows at the PR table, can divide up time and responsibilities among the team.

Mic Belt

This is an elastic belt with a pouch that holds the wireless mic pack on the students. This is provided by First Act when a student is assigned a microphone.

Mic Element

This is the part of our wireless microphones that includes the cord and head piece. They are very delicate, and have to be treated with a lot of care.

Mic Pack

This is the part of our wireless microphones that transmits the signal to the sound booth. It goes into their mic belts and are all labeled with numbers.

Move In

This is the first day that the Production gets into the theater space.

Often on a Sunday, this is when Sets, Props, Costumes, Makeup, and Tech all bring their materials to the theater. It is all hands on deck!

Committees work incredibly quickly to prepare the theater space for the students to arrive later that night or the next day.

Musical

This is a show with singing and dancing, and the majority of shows that First Act produces.

new family glossary Music Director The Music Director is responsible for teaching all of the music in the

O

Opportunity baskets committee

P

Parent Committee

production. They assign vocal parts, create practice materials, and review the music in rehearsals. They run the tracks during the show or conduct a live orchestra.

Collect fundraising items for raffle baskets. Plan, collect items, and create Donation Baskets. Work the Donation Basket tables during all the public shows. Timeframe: Before the show and during the week of dress rehearsals and shows.

A Parent Committee is a small group of parents assigned to one specific part of the production process. Our parent committees are Backstage, Costumes, Green Room, House, Makeup, Opportunity Baskets, Production Support, Props, Marketing/Public Relations, Refreshments, Sets, Souvenirs, and Tech. Learn more about specific committee definitions under their term.

Each committee is led by a Chairperson, or Co-Chairs. This is usually an experienced parent who has worked in this area before. The Chair’s responsibility is to lead their committee in completing the tasks for their team. The Chair doesn’t do all the work! The committees work under the guidance of the Director and Production Coordinator.

Play

This is a performance without singing. First Act does two plays a year, one in our Black Box series, and one as Drama Master Camp.

Production

This is another term for "show".

Production coordinator

The Production Coordinator is the hub of the production. They send out all emails related to the production to all parents. They are parent’s first point of contact for questions regarding the production. They hold the two parent production meetings, and work with all “front of house” committees during show week including House, Refreshments, Souvenirs, PR, etc.

Production support committee

Works directly with the Production Coordinator to help support the students, Artistic Team, and parent committees. May help sub for the PC at rehearsals, assist at costume parade, assist at parent meetings, and provide production assistance and support during tech/show week.

Timeframe: Must be available on an as-needed basis during the rehearsal period and available for the entirety of move-in/tech/show week.

new family glossary Props

This is anything that an actor carries on stage or anything that is used as “set dressing.” Examples of props are cups, backpacks, curtains, books, and more.

Props Committee

Works with the First Act Props Manager to collect all props on the Production’s prop list. Enjoy searching thrift stores or being creative at making props. Supervise the prop table during dress rehearsals/shows.

Timeframe: Rehearsals the week before move-in with props. Before the show and during dress week and show, checking to make sure all props are accounted for and in order. After show returning props to First Act storage and borrowed items to owners. Can divide up time among team.

Proscenium

Where the stage opens to the audience.

R Refreshments committee

Responsible for purchasing refreshments and supplies at wholesale and selling food items at public performances. Timeframe: Before show to purchase items, before show and at intermission setting up and cleaning up refreshment area as well as selling refreshments.

Rehearsal

This is the time students spend practicing with the rest of the cast to prepare the show for an audience.

S Sets

These are the backdrop of our production, they can include platforms, stairs, doors, anything that helps "set the scene" in our shows. They create the environment of the show, from the jungle of Tarzan to Bikini Bottom!

Sets Committee

Build, borrow, buy or rent any sets needed for the production. Works with the Director on obtaining a list of scenes to be built. Unload sets at the theater and set up. Make any necessary repairs to the set during the run of the show. Take down the sets following the last performance and take to the First Act storage. Timeframe: Before show opens, during, and after the show closes.

School Day Show

This is a daytime performance put on by our students for area school groups. This show takes place at 10 AM on the Thursday or Friday of show week. Not every production will have a school day show.

new family glossary Show Bin

A show bin is a small tote that students will bring with them to the theater during the week of the show. This is used to hold all of their personal items they’ll need during the show including hair products and supplies, makeup, makeup wipes, personal costume items, and more.

Because we cannot leave anything at the theater overnight, these bins allow students to have everything in one spot easily that they will need.

Students often decorate their bins with stickers from shows they’ve been in or signatures from their friends!

Show Week

Also referred to as “Tech Week,” this is simply the week of the show!

Rehearsals are now every single night, and extra elements are added in like microphones, costumes, sets, and props. These tech rehearsals are how we iron out all of the technical details before the show opens to an audience.

Souvenirs Committee

Purchase and make unique show-themed items, flowers, and congratulatory items to sell during public shows. Help make Brag Buttons for families. Timeframe: Before and during shows.

Strike

Strike happens on Sunday after the final performance. It includes the tear down of the set, organizing of the costumes and props, packing up all technical equipment, and cleaning the theater space. After the labor is done, we gather for a meal and quick celebration of the show. Awards are given out to exemplary cast members, skits are performed about the show process, Parent Committee Heads are recognized, seniors give farewell speeches, and we gather as a cast community for one final time.

Families are encouraged to join their students for this experience!

Strike Awards

These awards are chosen by the Artistic Team to showcase students who have shown exemplary behavior throughout the show process.

There is one award called the Braveheart that is chosen by the cast.

T Tech Committee

Assist and monitor cast with microphone use. Works well under pressure and is able to be flexible and take direction. Timeframe: Must be available for show week from move-in through strike, including school day shows. Theater technical experience is desired but not necessary.

new family glossary Tech Week

Also referred to as “Show Week,” this is simply the week of the show!

Rehearsals are now every single night, and extra elements are added in like microphones, costumes, sets, and props. These tech rehearsals are how we iron out all of the technical details before the show opens to an audience.

Unified Auditions

A unified audition is a standard practice in the professional and community theatre industry where an actor can audition once and be considered for multiple productions at the same time.

Vom

These are tunnel type entrance/exit points off the front of the stage at Avila.