Everything About a Family Show Companion (2015)
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Transcript of Everything About a Family Show Companion (2015)
1
Everything About a Family (Almost)
(Show Companion)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TADA! Youth Theater
p.1
Using the Show Companion
p. 1
Theater Etiquette Tips
p. 2
About Everything About a
Family (Almost)
p. 3
Interview with a lead writer
of Everything About a Family
(Almost)
p. 4
What is a Family?
p. 5
Say What?
(Glossary of terms) p. 6-7
Word Search
p. 8
Guide Activities
p. 9-15
Theater Terms
p. 16
_______________________
P: 212-252-1619
F: 212-252-8763
www.tadatheater.com
Award-winning Musical
Theater Shows, Classes &
Camps.
Singing, Dancing & Acting
Since 1984!
For nearly three decades,
the Drama Desk Award-winning
TADA! Youth Theater has
afforded young people of all
backgrounds the opportunity to
explore and perform musical
theater together in an
educational, supportive and
professional environment.
TADA!’s mission is two-fold: to
present high-quality musical
theater productions performed
by talented kids for family
audiences; and to provide a
safe, creative, and nurturing
place where kids can harness
their inherent energy, build their
self-esteem, and realize their true
This Show Companion is a practical, hands-
on resource for teachers, parents and kids
that contains background information
related to TADA!’s production and
curriculum-based exercises.
potential through the unique
collaborative art form that is musical
theater. Through TADA!’s high-quality
work, young people gain confidence
and learn commitment, responsibility,
communication and teamwork—skills
that are critical to their success in
both school and life.
TADA! focuses on four key program
areas: 1. The Resident Youth Ensemble: a
completely free pre-professional
training & youth development
program;
2. Original musicals professionally
produced for family audiences at
affordable prices;
3. Renowned in- & after-school arts
education residencies to enhance
curriculum & culture at schools and
community centers;
4. On-site theater classes & camps for
children ages 2 to 14, taught by
seasoned theater & teaching artists,
for which need-based scholarships
are provided.
The contents of this guide may be
explored before and after attending
Everything About a Family (Almost).
2
1. Laugh, cry, and sigh – but don’t talk. You hear the actors; they hear
you. Any reaction that comes from your experience of the play
supports the performance, but shouldn’t distract from it.
2. Please enjoy food and beverages in the lobby – not the theater – and
please put any garbage in the garbage cans before the show.
Note: Actors will hear if you’re unwrapping throat lozenges or hard
candy. Please do that before or after the show – not during the
performance. No gum is allowed in the theater.
3. Please silence all phones, tablets and anything else that might make
noise or light up during the show. Then, after the show, be sure to like
it, tweet it, post it and talk to your friends to tell them how much you
enjoyed it!
4. Please stay in your assigned seat.
5. Photographs (with or without flash – and even on your phones) as well
as the recording of the show in any way are not allowed. Recording
the show is distracting and potentially dangerous to the actors as well
as your fellow audience members. Additionally, recording is prohibited
to protect the artistic work that went into making the show.
Tips for Teachers and Group Leaders: Please arrive approximately 30 minutes early.
Assign one chaperone for every fifteen students and ask your
chaperones to disperse themselves amongst the student group to
help support best behavior.
We want to extend a sincere thank you to all teachers, parents, and
group leaders who bring their students to TADA! Youth Theater. We
greatly appreciate your supporting theater and arts education.
Show Companion / Page 3 of 18
3
Below: Production photo (2015)
Everything About a Family (Almost)
Janine Nina Trevens, Artistic & Executive Director and
The Resident Youth Ensemble present an original
musical about a family reunion like no other where
kids discover how quirky, fun, endearing and
irreplaceable family can be!
Originally conceived and written by members of
TADA!’s Resident Youth Ensemble: Christina Franklin,
Merce Jessor, John Moriarty, Maya Park, Jennifer Wais
and Casey Wenger-Schulman
Music and lyrics by: Gary Bagley, Deirdre Broderick,
Douglas Cohen, Jim Colleran, Miriam Daly, Scott Evan
Davis, Drew Fornarola, Simon Gray, Kirsten A.
Guenther, Lindsay Joelle, Phoebe Kreutz, Naomi Lee,
Callie LeFevre, Arianna Rose, Kiernan Schmitt, Joy
Son, Robby Stamper, Steve Sweeting, Tom Toce
Direction and Choreography by Joanna Greer
Musical Direction by Adam Jones
Set & Lighting Designer: Steve O’Shea
Costume Designer: Megan Turek
Production Stage Manager: Samantha Jacob
Recommended for audiences 3 and up
Dates: January 17 – February 16, 2015
Running Time: approx. 60 min.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Leah Miller’s family Leah
Michael
Angela Miller’s family Angela
Mackenzie
Dylan
Steffi
Cameron
Zoey
Jake
Tammy
Lindsay
Tom
Edward Jr.
Tyler
Alyssa
Carla
DJ
Nancy
Hannah
Samantha
Tim
Jason
Will
Nick
Chloe
Jessie
Musical Numbers
“Everything About A Family”
“Relatively Speaking”
“Why Are My Parents So Embarrassing?”
“My Teeth”
“Hand Me Downs”
“The Big Lagoon”
“Ship Shape”
“A Name For Myself”
“The Change is Strange”
“Amy”
“Mom Likes Me Better”
“Emma’s Gone”
“Miller Madness”
“Going Home”
____________________________________
TADA! Here We Are
Music & Lyrics by Joel Gelpe
The Band Musical Director/Piano – Adam Jones
Keyboard – Ben Schendler-Terry*/Chloe Pae*
Drums/Percussion – Ray Grappone
Bass Guitar – Reynaldo Nunez*
* Principal Ensemble Member
Production Photos
2014 Heroes (left)
Unsung (right)
TIME: The present, summertime
PLACE: A cruise ship
4
Q: What was the inspiration to create this musical and what did you/TADA! want to achieve? A: The goal was to add another show to the “Everything About” series. After the success of “Everything
About School”, “…Camp”, and “…A Day”, we wanted to expand with another widely relatable topic. Q: When this musical was created, you were a member of the TADA! Ensemble and one of the
writers. How did these two roles differ and how did they complement each other? A: As a writer, I had to think of the entire arc of the show and the overall momentum. Was it working?
Does it make sense? Do we need this song? Should we change the order of some scenes? As a
performer, I had to focus on my character only and her personal journey. By having the wider
knowledge of the world of the play, I had a stronger grasp on the circumstances and I was able to
develop my character further. Q: You’re also working on another TADA! musical entitled, EVERYTHING ABOUT TADA! (ALMOST). How is
this musical different and/or similar to EVERYTHING ABOUT A FAMILY (ALMOST)? A: It’s similar in that we are starting with a giant pool of ideas. Like with “Family” we are throwing
around everything that comes to mind about the given topic: TADA! and theater in general. From
there, we bring in the “Almost” factor and scale down on ideas to tackle in efforts to make the show
approximately 55 minutes. The processes are also similar in that they are hugely relatable for the
creators involved so we are able to speak and develop from a personal standpoint. “Everything About TADA!” is different because it is much more of an informatory presentation since the
audience won’t be familiar with the ‘ins and outs’ of TADA! in the way we (the writers/performers)are.
We aim to make this show as inclusive as possible and stay away from inside jokes. Q: For EVERYTHING ABOUT A FAMILY (ALMOST), what do you think is most interesting and what are you
most proud of? A: I am most proud of the fact that the writing team was dedicated and saw the show through to
opening night. Thinking back to the mile-long list of initial ideas we had, it’s amazing to think that we
created an hour-long show out of all of it! I am also proud that, for the most part, we were able to
separate ourselves as writers/performers and consider the greater good for the show. That is a hard task
to ask of any theater-maker, so as 13, 14, and 15 year olds, I think we handled it pretty well.
Q: As one of the lead writers for EVERYTHING ABOUT A
FAMILY (ALMOST), can you tell us your primary role and
responsibilities? A: My responsibilities included being present at all writing
meetings where we brainstormed together and juggled
ideas. Eventually we made a list of scenes that needed to
be written to go along with the songs we had chosen.
From there, Maya Park (another alum) and I wrote scenes
that dealt with the agreed upon subjects and themes. We
brought them back to each session and discussed them
with the group.
5
“Children’s growing awareness of diverse family structures provides rich opportunities to help
them celebrate family diversity and engage them in conversation about who is in THEIR family,
who lives in THEIR house and more importantly - who takes care of them.” Read more at: www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/e-family-news/2014-how-to-help-children-understand-
diverse-families/#sthash.MRgtgACw.dpuf
“Today's nuclear families occupy considerably more diverse ground than the ‘mom, dad, a
couple of kids’ model of times past. Nowadays, ‘typical’ families include multi-ethnic adoptive
families, single parents, guardian grandparents as well as biracial, same sex parents and
blended families.” Read more at: www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/e-family-news/2012-family-matters-how-to-help-children-
celebrate-family-diversity/#sthash.0HI6UsHR.dpuf
”THEY’RE PEOPLE WHO LET YOU LIVE AND LEARN AND PEOPLE YOU LOVE IN RETURN
EVEN WHEN YOU DISAGREE.
SO WHAT IF YOU JUST DON’T MATCH ONE BIT?
‘CAUSE PART OF YOU KNOWS THAT YOU FIT
AS IF YOU WERE MEANT TO BE…
AND THAT’S A FAMILY!”
(Excerpt from the song, “That’s A Family”)
Did You Know?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the
definition of family is simply: a group of people who are
related to each other (by blood or marriage).
However, this definition begs for a broader treatment
due to the fact that there are many different types of
families within one’s local community and throughout
today’s world,
6
Amok - wild; out of control.
Anchors Aweigh - phrase said in preparation of getting underway, especially of a ship;
derived from the U.S. Naval Academy fight song.
Batten - a thin, flexible length of wood or other material used to maintain flatness in a sail.
Bequeath - to leave or pass on (e.g., property) by a will, usually to one of a younger
generation.
Briny - of or like brine or salt water; very salty.
Chic - elegant or fashionable; stylish.
Clearasil - a brand of skin care and acne medication.
Coat of Arms - the symbol of a family, country, or organization. It shows designs and figures
on and around a shield.
Commotion - a noisy confusion; disorder.
Compromise - a settlement of a disagreement in which each side gives up something.
Concur -to share the same opinion; agree.
DNA- an abbreviation for "deoxyribonucleic acid substance”; it’s found in cells that
contains information about the characteristics of a living thing.
Gene - a tiny section of a chromosome that causes a particular characteristic, such as eye
color or hair color, to be passed on from parent to offspring.
Haiku - a Japanese verse form made of three lines, or any poem written in this form. Line
one has five syllables; line two: seven syllables; line three: five syllables.
Hand-me-down - an article of clothing passed on to another person after being used
and/or out grown.
Heirloom - an object passed down through generations of a family.
Imply- to hint or suggest without saying directly.
Ingenious - clever or creative in setting up or working through problems.
Keel - a long piece of wood or metal that runs down the length of the bottom of a boat or
ship. The keel makes a boat or ship stable in the water.
Kin - the members of an extended family; relatives.
Lagoon - a shallow body of salt water by the sea. A lagoon is separated from the sea by
sandbars, coral reefs, or islands.
Mimic - to copy or imitate.
Mon Ami – French for “my friend” or “my love.” (continued)
7
Morph - to be transformed.
Mull - to think something over; ponder.
Noggin - (informal) the head.
Promotion - a raise to a higher grade or position.
Puberty - the stage or age at which a person experiences the maturation of the
reproductive system.
Relatively Speaking - true in situations similar to the one at hand.
Reunion - a meeting of friends, family, or other people who have been apart from each
other for a long time.
Schmooze - to chat idly; gossip.
Scoff - to speak with mild scorn or derision (often followed by at).
Seersucker - a thin cotton or rayon fabric, usually striped and with a crinkled appearance.
Taboo – forbidden.
Titanic –the White Star Line passenger steamship, acclaimed for its size, speed, and
durability, which sank on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg on its maiden
voyage, killing over 1,500 people. In Everything About a Family (Almost), this word is
referencing the popular 1997 movie, Titanic.
QuOTES from the musical that include
words from the glossary:
HERE’S A LITTLE QUESTION: WHAT IS A FAMILY?
TRY TO MULL IT OVER…WORK IT OUT. …
…FROM THE UNCLE WHO’S A JOKESTER IN THE
BLUE SEERSUCKER PANTS. …
SOME FAMILIES HAVE A COAT OF ARMS
OR HEIRLOOMS THEY BEQUEATHED…
…WE LAUGH AND SCHMOOZE
AND GENTLY CRUISE
UPON THE BRINY TIDE. …
…THEN THE MEAN GIRLS WON’T DARE SCOFF
‘CAUSE I’D BE MODEL RUNWAY CHIC…
8
Everything About a Family (Almost)
Word Search Search and circle the words from the word bank below.
These words are from the glossary of terms found on pgs. 6-7.
N B S T D N A C Y I L L G Q K Q H
G O L C N K W X L H L T N S B I A
M V I I O Q V U P U C S I U Q H N
C O A T O F A R M S E N K O G N D
H Z N T O B F P I E O R A I N O M
S E B A R M U N R I U M E N E G E
C J I I M B M S T C O W P E T G D
H O N R E I U O N K A Y S G T I O
M Y M R L C M O C S E V Y N A N W
O N T P K O C W R C L N L I B J N
O Y D E R I O O B E Q U E A T H L
Z Y R P M O H M H C J H V G A T E
E P C I H C M N U L I X I J B Y E
V I M S N U K I A H I N T W O E K
Q K M A X V U P S F J H A E O K F
L I S A R A E L C E P U L T D P Z
G N O I N U E R E F F R E R I S A
L A G O O N M O R P H N R L R T M
Word Bank Go to pgs. 6-7 to see the definitions of the words in the bank below.
AMOK
ANCHORS A WEIGH
BATTEN
BEQUEATH
BRINY
CHIC
CLEARASIL
COAT OF ARMS
COMMOTION
COMPROMISE
CONCUR
DNA
GENE
HAIKU
HAND ME DOWN
HEIRLOOM
IMPLY
INGENIOUS
KEEL
KIN
LAGOON
MIMIC
MON AMI
MORPH
MULL
NOGGIN
PROMOTION
PUBERTY
RELATIVELY SPEAKING
REUNION
SCHMOOZE
SCOFF
SEERSUCKER
TABOO
TITANIC
9
THEME 1: INDIVIDUALITY
The characters in Everything About a Family (Almost) often feel like they’re too “different” to be
part of their family – as if they don’t belong. They discover that their unique assets are what make
them an individual. They also realize that part of being a family means accepting the unique and
sometimes quirky qualities that each family member possesses.
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES Focus:
Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and
Collaboration, Creative Writing, Theater, Self-Expression, Multiple Perspectives, Visual Arts
Related Subjects:
English Language Arts, Arts Education, Sociology, Mathematics
Level:
Elementary School (and higher)
Self-Portrait Drawing or Writing Activity
On your own
In Everything About a Family (Almost), the characters sometimes make choices based
on how they see themselves. Choose one of the following activities to explore how you
see yourself.
1. Draw a picture of yourself
Think about the things that make you unique. There are many ways you
can be unique. For example, maybe you’re great at making a silly face
or maybe you picture yourself doing something you’re talented in. If so,
what activity are you doing?
Start with a general shape and work your way to the specifics. Use your
reflection in a mirror. What does your silly face look like? Don’t be afraid
to start over!
2. Write a sketch describing you
A sketch is a piece of writing that describes a character or a location. It is
usually 1-2 paragraphs long. You can describe your physical qualities
and/or the qualities that make up your character (who you are).
Describe yourself as you do your favorite activity – maybe you’re baking
a cake, reading a book, playing your favorite sport, or having a snowball
fight.
Tip: Imagine that you’re describing yourself to someone who has
never seen you in person. How would you describe yourself to him
or her?
Also great
at-home
activity ideas!
10
Acrostic Poem Writing Activity
On your own or with a partner
An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a
particular word or phrase. Here is an example using the name Jane:
Joyous, full of bliss
Amiable, instantly likeable
Nurturing, bringing out the good in people
Easygoing, a breeze to get along with
1. On your own, write an acrostic poem where the first letter of each line spells out your
name.
Write the letters of your name along the side of a piece of paper.
Use those letters to write a poem about yourself.
Think about what makes you unique or what your name says about you.
2. With a partner, challenge yourselves to create a new acrostic poem using both of your
names OR find a creative way to combine your and your partner’s name poems!
Diagram: Similarities/Differences Discussion & Writing Activity
In groups of 3
In Everything About a Family (Almost), some of the characters know that they only have a few
things in common with their other family members while others lament that they have nothing
in common with their family members. In this activity, try to find things that you have in
common with the people around you!
Get into groups of 3 and draw a Venn Diagram like the one below
(there should be one circle per person):
1. Find at least three things that everyone has in common (i.e., a place you’ve all been to,
food you’ve tried, favorite colors/music, etc). Once you find these things, put them in
your circle at the very center (area A).
2. Find at least two things that you have in common with each separate person in your
group. Once you’ve identified the commonalities, put them in the area where your
circle overlaps with the other person’s circle (area B).
3. Find things that you all do not share in common and assign them to the outer edges of
your own circle.
11
B Diagram: Similarities /Differences
Continued from p. 10
Inside & Out Writing Activity
On your own
In this activity we will explore what you think and feel about yourself and your family.
Do you feel different than the rest of your family like the characters in Everything About a
Family (Almost)?
1. Using the shape on the next page, answer the following question inside the body of the
figure.
How do you feel about yourself within your family?
2. Using the shape below, write your answers outside the body of the figure.
How do you feel about your family members?
How do you think your family members feel about you?
B
B
A
12
Inside & Out
Continued from p. 11
13
THEME 2: FAMILY
While the dictionary definition of family may only include those related to you by blood or
marriage, our modern definition of family includes much more! Family has now come to include
all the people that care about you and are invested in who you will become. Good friends can
be part of your family. Groups that you are involved in can be part of your family. People that
live with you and help to raise you are part of your family. Who do you consider to be your
family? Is your pet a member of the family?
Family Alphabet Relay Brainstorm Activity
In groups of 4-5
In a relay you have to work together as a team to win the race! Split up into groups to do this
relay and brainstorm some ideas about family. You will need a large sheet of chart paper and
a marker for each group.
1. Each group should take their relay sheet and marker to their own area in the space
and work together to write each letter of the alphabet:
A _____________________ L _____________________ W _____________________
B _____________________ M _____________________ X _____________________
C _____________________ N _____________________ Y _____________________
D _____________________ O _____________________ Z _____________________
E _____________________ P _____________________
F _____________________ Q _____________________
G _____________________ R _____________________
H _____________________ S _____________________
I _____________________ T _____________________
J _____________________ U _____________________
K _____________________ V _____________________
2. Each group should line up in front of their relay chart. When it’s time to start, the first
person in line should write a word or phrase about family that begins with the letter A.
For example:
A unt________________ or A lways there for you
The first person then passes the marker (or baton) to the person behind him/her and
joins the end of the line. The next person should fill in the letter B and so on.
Here are a few guidelines you must follow:
Your team can help a group member who gets stuck or needs an idea.
You must write in order. Don’t mix-up or skip letters!
Every member of your group must participate in writing.
3. When a group is finished they should sit with their arms folded to indicate that they are
done.
4. Once all the groups are done, review everyone’s ideas together! If you want to keep
score and determine a winner give each team a point for every idea that was highly
unique / original. For example, if all teams wrote Aunt for the letter A, but only one team
wrote Always there for you, then the latter would get one point.
14
My Family Tree Research Activity
On your own with an adult member of your family
Many people think of their families like a tree… always growing and changing as new family
members are born and old ones pass away. Our family history is unique to each of us and is
often filled with fascinating stories about ancestors. With an adult relative, find out more about
your family history! (See next page…)
1. Write your name and birthdate in the box by the tree’s roots.
2. In each of the connected boxes above write the names of your parents and their
birthdates. Move up the tree until you have filled out each of your grandparents’
parents… those would be your great grandparents!*
*Remember that families are made in all kinds of ways! Add boxes to include birth parents or
other essential members of your family tree.
A Family Portrait Acting Activity
In groups of 8-10
Families often take pictures or portraits of themselves to record how they were during different
stages of their lives together. As a group create some fun and unique portraits of all kinds of
families!
1. In an open space have the participants walk around at a pedestrian speed (no
running… just casually walking). Encourage them to walk independently and not with
their friends.*
2. Call out a number and have them get into groups of that number. For example, if you
call out “4” then they should quickly get into groups of 4. Depending on the number of
participants, groups may consist of 2, 4, or 5 people.
3. Once they are in their groups call out a kind of family for them to create a quick
tableau (frozen image). You might choose to call out types of characters (e.g.,
ballerinas, alligators, etc.) or character traits (e.g., surprised, angry, confused, etc.).
These frozen pictures or tableaux should be created in the style of a family portrait.
Extension: The Selfie Challenge! Call out “Selfie” when you want participants to
adjust their portrait as if they were taking a self-portrait.
4. After they have held the position of their tableau, have them unfreeze and walk around
the space again. Continue until you have created many family portraits of all shapes
and sizes!
5. You may want to share some of these portraits as a large group. Have all the
participants sit in the audience then ask several volunteers from the audience to come
up onstage and create a family portrait (of their or their previous group’s favorites).
Record these family portraits by taking a picture!
*If space is an issue or you don’t want participants to walk around the room, skip to step
number five and have everyone participate in at least one family portrait in front of the group.
15
My Family Tree
Continued from p. 13
Extension: Getting to Know You Research & Writing Activity
On your own or with an adult
Now that you have researched your family tree, select a family member and write a biography
on him or her. Interview this family member if they are still living. Interview other members of
your family about them if they or no longer living. Ask them questions about where they lived,
what they did for a job, what they were like, etc. You might also use www.ancestry.com as a
resource in your search for information! This website offers a free trial period before charging a
fee.
16
A GLOSSARY OF SELECT TERMS & CAREERS IN THE THEATER
1. BLOCKING: The actor’s movement on stage is known
as “blocking.” The Stage Manager writes the blocking
notation into the Prompt Script.
2. BLACK BOX THEATER: The interiors of most black box
theaters are painted black. The absence of color gives
the audience a sense of "anyplace" and allows
flexibility from play to play or from scene to scene.
Since almost any open space in any building can be
transformed into a black box, the popularity and
appeal for theater companies to use this type of
performance space is high.
3. COSTUME: Anything that an actor wears on stage is
referred to as a costume. The Wardrobe department
(the department responsible for creating costumes)
provides clothes, shoes, hats, and any personal
accessories such as umbrellas, purses and eyeglasses.
4. CYCLORAMA (a.k.a. CYC): A curved wall or drop at
the back of a stage, used for creating an illusion of
unlimited space or distance in the background of
exterior scenes or for obtaining lighting effects.
5. DROP: A drop is a large piece of painted canvas
that is “flown in” by the flyman (see FLYMAN).
6. DIRECTOR: The person who guides the actors during
the rehearsal period as they stage the play. The
director is responsible for presenting a unified vision of
the play to the audience.
7. DESIGNER: The people who work with the director to
decide what the production will look like. Designers
must choose the color, shape and texture of everything
you see on the stage. There are several areas that
need to have designers: costumes, set, lighting and
sometimes sound. The designers work very closely with
the director to create the environment in which the
play will take place.
8. FLYMAN: The person responsible for the manipulation
of the scenery which is in the fly gallery (the space
above the stage). The scenery is manipulated by ropes
attached to a counterweight system.
9. GREEN ROOM: The green room, usually near the
entrance to the stage, is where the actors & crew sit
while waiting for their turn to go on stage.
10. HEAD OF WARDROBE: Responsible for the day-to-
day running of the wardrobe department and for
unifying all aspects of production. For example, the
head of wardrobe oversees the budget, tailoring
(including the cutters, first-hands, stitchers, dyers, etc.),
accessories, and millinery.
11. ORCHESTRA PIT: The orchestra pit is the place where
the musicians perform during a musical. Usually the
orchestra pit is between the front row of the audience &
the stage. TADA!’s orchestra pit is located on stage left.
12. PROPS: Anything that the audience sees that is not
worn by an actor & is not a structural part of the set such
as: food eaten during a play, dishes, books, phones, etc.
13. PROPS MASTER: The person who buys items that will
be used or adapted to become props. Props masters
also purchase the raw material used to build props.
14. PROSCENIUM: A term describing the physical
characteristics of a theater. A proscenium theater is one
in which the audience & the actors are separated by a
picture-frame opening that the audience looks through
to see the actors. Surrounding this opening is the
PROSCENIUM ARCH. If there is an acting area on the
audience side of the proscenium arch, it is referred to as
the APRON.
15. SCENIC ARTIST: The people who are responsible for
painting & decorating the surfaces of the set. Some of
the techniques they use include: wood graining,
stenciling, marbling & brickwork. They also paint the
drops & scrims that are flown in.
16. SCRIM: A scrim is a piece of gauze that is painted
and used as part of the scenery. When a scrim is lit from
in front it is opaque, you cannot see through it. When a
scrim is lit from behind it is transparent, you can see
through it. This allows for many different visual effects to
be created by the lighting & set designers.
17. STAGE CREW: The people who ensure that
everything runs smoothly on stage during a
performance. The stage crew is responsible for changing
the sets between scenes & acts.
18. STAGE MANAGER: The person who makes sure that
all rehearsals & performances run smoothly. During a
performance the stage manager also makes sure that
all of the technical elements (e.g., lights, sound, curtains
flying in and out) happen at exactly the right time.
19. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: The person who is responsible
for coordinating all of the technical elements of a
production. Technical directors work with the people
who build the sets, props, costumes, wigs & special
effects to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
20. THRUST STAGE: A thrust stage is a stage that is
surrounded on three sides by the audience.