Technical Theater Study Guide PDF

**Study Guide for Technical Theater Final Exam** **Semester 1** *Everything below could be asked on the test. I have consolidated all our notes from the year and simplified it down to key vocabulary and concepts. All of the information is organized under the unit that it was introduced to better h...

**Study Guide for Technical Theater Final Exam** **Semester 1** *Everything below could be asked on the test. I have consolidated all our notes from the year and simplified it down to key vocabulary and concepts. All of the information is organized under the unit that it was introduced to better help you locate information. The test will be a combination of multiple choice, matching (to definitions and pictures), and some long answer questions.* ***This will be the only notes that you can bring into the exam, so please ensure that you do not lose it.** **I will not provide another copy of these notes if you lose them.*** **THEATER SAFETY** - **The Five Common Causes of Injuries in the Theater** - Carelessness - Being in a rush - Not knowing what should be done. - Not using a tool properly - Taking unnecessary risk - **The Six General Safety Regulations of Theater** - No running or horseplay of any kind. - Lift heavy objects carefully and with a partner if you need to. - A clean area is a safe area. Always have a clean workspace. - Think of safety ahead of time. - Lave storage areas clean. - Report any concerns, incidents, or accidents immediately to the teacher. - **The Four Call Signs of Theater** - "Heads" -- When someone calls this, they are saying that something is either falling or being dropped from below. - "Coming In" -- When someone calls this, they are saying that something is about to fly in. - "Hold" -- When someone calls this, they are asking people to freeze what they are doing and to wait for further directions. - "Noise" -- When someone calls this, they are warning you that a loud noise is about to happen. - **The Five Ways to Respond to Accidents** - If an accident occurs, you should immediately tell the teacher. - Don't ever touch someone else's blood. - If a power tool is running, you should turn it off. - If you are stuck in something, do not try to get yourself unstuck. - If a piece of equipment shocks you or hurts you, tell the teacher immediately. **HISTORY OF THEATER LIGHTING AND FIRES** - **500 BC to 1600s -** Theatrical performances were held outdoors during the day, using sunlight for lighting. - **Renaissance and English Restoration --** As theater moved indoors, candlelight and oil lamps became the primary sources of light. - **19^th^ Century --** Gas lamps were introduced, starting with the first gas stage-lighting system in 1816. Lime lights were used during this time. They were a bright light produced by heating a block of limestone with a torch. - **Late 19^th^ Century --** Electric lights eventually replaced gas lamps as the main source of theatrical lighting. - **20^th^ Century and Beyond --** New safety measures like fire curtains, wider doors, multiple exits, and panic bars were introduced, making theatres safer. **STAGES AND SETS** - **The Suspension of Disbelief --** An unspoken agreement between creators, performers, and audiences. The creator crafts a world that is engaging, the actors perform realistically, and the audience accepts the story taking place within that world on stage. - **The Four Types of Theater Stages** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Proscenium Arch | The audience sits on one side to | | | watch the action on stage. | | A diagram of a stage Description | | | automatically generated | | +===================================+===================================+ | Thrust Stage | The audience sits on two or three | | | sides of the stage, which thrusts | |  | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Traverse Stage | The audience sits on two sides of | | | a long, narrow stage, facing each | | A diagram of stage and audience | other. The stage is in the middle | | Description automatically | of the audience. | | generated | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | In-the-Round Stage | The audience sits all around the | | | stage, and the actors usually | |  | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ - **The Seven Types of Theater Sets** - **Permanent Sets --** A set that remains in place throughout a production. - **Standard Box Sets --** A set that consists of two or three walls. - **Unit Sets --** A set that is made up of several pieces which can be rearranged to create new settings. - **Skeleton Sets --** A set that consists simple of frames and openings that can be left empty. - **Minimal Sets --** A set made of two-fold or three-fold flats that can be used to represent walls. - **Curtain Sets --** A set that uses the stage curtain as a part of their background. - **Periaktoi/Prism Sets --** A set that uses three-sided flats that can be moved or pivoted. - **Stage Map** A diagram of stage performance **COSTUME DESIGN** - **Verisimilitude -** Refers to the appearance of reality. In costume design, the level of detail required depends on the distance between the audience and the performers. - **Mise en Scene -** The overall arrangement of the set, props, lighting, and costumes on stage. This combination of elements helps convey the production's setting, time period, and mood. - **Realism -** Some costume designers utilize exact details from history or storytelling to ensure that the look of a character on stage is exactly how the audience would imagine them to be. - **Impressionism -** When costume designers are faced with turning something that is UNREALISTIC into something that can be more palatable to the audience. - **Swatch -** A small sample of fabric used to demonstrate the material chosen for a costume. - **Swatch Book -** Costume designers often create a swatch book that contains various samples to compare and select the appropriate fabric. - **Fabric Weight -** Affects how a costume drapes on stage and whether the actor can move comfortably while wearing it. - **Draping ­-** A method where fabric is arranged on a dress form or actor to create a garment without a pattern. - **Pattern -** A template used to cut fabric pieces for costumes. - **Seam** - Refers to the line where two pieces of fabric are stitched together. - **Hem** - The edge of a piece of fabric that is folded and sewn to create a neat finish. - **Distressing** -- The process of making costumes look worn or aged. - **Quick Change** - Refers to a costume change that needs to happen very quickly and usually takes place backstage. - **Underdressing** - Involves layering one costume underneath another so the top layer can be quickly removed to reveal the next costume. - **Overdressing** - Allows an actor to wear one costume on top of another, typically by adding simpler or lightweight layers on top of the base costume. - **History of Costumes** - Actors in **Greek theater** often wore masks and robes to represent different characters. - **Roman theater** saw the introduction of more structured garments like the toga, often used to signify class and rank. - Costuming in **Medieval theater** was simple, often relying on religious or allegorical symbols. Characters representing virtues or vices in morality plays wore distinctive colors or items to signify their role. - **Renaissance theater** brought more elaborate costuming with the use of doublets, hose, and farthingales for plays performed in royal courts. The clothing reflected the real-world fashion of the aristocracy. - In **18^th^ and 19^th^ Century theater**, costumes became more ornate with the popularity of corsets, bustles, and crinolines. These periods are famous for their dramatic silhouettes and luxurious fabrics, often representing wealth and status. - From the **20th century** onward, theater saw the rise of more practical and modern costumes, reflecting contemporary styles. Designers began incorporating more flexible and durable fabrics, making costumes more functional for active and demanding performances. **THEATER JOBS** - **Theatrical Hierarchy -** The structured system of roles and responsibilities in a theatrical production that determines how authority is distributed and decisions are made. - **Producer -** The person responsible for overseeing all aspects of a production. - **Director -** The person in charge of the artistic vision of the production. - **Choreographer -** The person who designs and teaches any movement or dance sequences in the production. - **Actor --** The person who brings the script to life through their performance. - **Dramaturg -** The person who researches and advises on the historical, cultural, and thematic elements of the play. - **Costume Designer -** The person responsible for designing and selecting all costumes worn by the actors. - **Set Designer -** The person responsible for creating the physical environment of the play. - **Lighting Designer -** The person responsible for creating the lighting plan for a production. - **Sound Designer -** The person who selects and designs all sound effects and music for the production. - **Stage Manager --** The person responsible for coordinating all aspects of the production. - **Costumer -** The person who oversees all aspects of costumes throughout the production. - **Props Master --** The person who oversees all props throughout the production. - **Stage Crew -** The team of people working backstage during a performance. - **Artistic Director -** The person responsible for the overarching artistic direction of a theater company or institution. - **Managing Director -** The person who handles the business, financial, and administrative aspects of a theater. - **Marketing Director -** The person responsible for promoting the show to attract an audience. - **Technical Director -** The person responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of the production. - **Dialect Coach -** A person who helps actors develop accurate accents or speech patterns. - **Fly Operator -** A crew member responsible for raising and lowering scenery or backdrops on the \"fly system". - **Makeup Artist -** A person who applies makeup and sometimes wigs to the actors. - **Theatrical Hierarchy Diagram** **SOUND DESIGN** - **History of Sound and Theater** - **Pre-20^th^ Century -** Amphitheaters and indoor spaces were crafted to enhance the natural sound flow, making performers audible in large spaces. - **1920s-1930s -** Phonographs allowed theaters to play music and prerecorded effects on cue, introducing consistency in sound delivery. - **1940s-1950s -** Foley artistry became popular, with live sounds produced on-stage for immediacy. - **1960s-1970s -** Experimentation with surround sound began, creating immersive environments that placed the audience in the center of the action. - **1980s-1990s -** Wireless microphones made it easier to mic individual actors, allowing for movement without loss of sound quality. - **2000s-Present -** Technologies like 3D audio and spatial panning put audiences "inside" the soundscape. - **Key Vocabulary** - **Aesthetic -** The sensory and emotional experience that occurs when an audience interacts with a theatrical performance. - **Sound Design -** The process of recording, developing, or creating audio elements to achieve a certain tone or effect for a production. - **Sound Designer -** The person responsible for everything related to sound for a given production. They ensure the audience hears what the creative team wants them to hear. - **Diegetic Sound -** Sounds that characters can hear on stage. - **Non-Diegetic Sound -** Sounds that the characters cannot hear but helps to create the mood or atmosphere of a production. - **Environment -** The surroundings or conditions in which the play takes place. - **Sound Effect -** Sounds recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point without the use of dialogue or music. - **Sound Palette -** A library of consistent sounds that the designer can draw from to unify an audio piece. - **Soundscapes -** Combination of sounds that create the sensation of a particular acoustic environment. - **Sound Pressure Level -** A measure of how loud or soft a sound is. This is measured in decibels. - **Frequency -** Frequency refers to the pitch of the sound. This is measured in hertz. - **Microphones** - Microphones are designed like a human ear. Like an eardrum, it has a little strip of material called a diaphragm, which vibrates when struck by pressure waves in the air. - **Dynamic Microphones -** Simple and robust, these mics have a lightweight, suspended diaphragm that vibrates when sound hits it. - **Condenser Microphones -** Mics that are more sensitive and reproduce sound more accurately but are less durable and convenient. Instead of hitting a diaphragm, sound in those mics disturb an electrical field. - **Impedance -** The amount of resistance an electrical circuit puts to an incoming signal. - **Balanced Lines (XLR Cables) -** Balanced lines use three wires---two for the audio signal and one for grounding. This setup helps reduce noise and interference, making it ideal for long cable runs. - **Unbalanced Lines (1/4-Inch Plug) -** Unbalanced lines typically have two wires---one for the audio signal and one for ground. They are simpler and cheaper but more prone to noise over long distances. - **Feedback -** Audio version of a short circuit. It happens when a sound comes out of a speaker and immediately reenters the sound system through a microphone. - **The Six Microphones Used in Theater** - **Handheld Microphone -** These are portable, allowing actors to speak or sing directly into them. - **Pressure Zone Microphone (PZM) --** Designed to capture sound from a specific area. - **Lavalier Microphone --** Small clip-on that are ideal for actors who need hands-free operation. - **Headset Microphone --** Worn on the head, these mics provide audio while allowing full movement. - **Microphone Pack --** These are worn on the body and connect to lavalier or headset mics. - **Shotgun Microphone --** Highly directional mics that capture sound from a specific targeted area. - **The Four Parts of Lighting Design** - Sets the mood and tone. - Establishes and supports the genre. - Directs the audience's focus. - Supports the director's vision. - **Lighting Equipment** - **The Light Board -** Stage lights are connected to and controlled by the light board which is operated from the back of the audience. - **Battens -** Metal pipes above the stage from which the lights are hung. - **Cyclorama (Cyc) -** A white curtain or background that stretches across the back of the stage. - **Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight (ERS) -** Creates an intense, narrow beam of light that has clear edges; great for focusing on a specific area. - **Fresnel -** Creates a softer and wider beam of light that blends in well with the stage and other lights. - **Parabolic Reflector (PAR) -** Creates large washes of light; great for filling in gaps or when the designer needs to cover vast areas. - **Moving Head Light -** A versatile light that can swivel and move to change light direction in real time. - **Strip Light -** A line of lights placed at the front of the stage or at the base of the cyclorama; adds large amount of color. - **Follow Spots -** A spotlight mounted on a stand and operated by a person -- often used to follow a lead actor. - **Advantages and Disadvantages of LEDs** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **Advantages** | **Disadvantages** | +===================================+===================================+ | - Lasts longer, more energy | - It is expensive to convert an | | efficient, cheaper to | entire lighting system from | | maintain. | incandescent to LED. | | | | | - Technicians can change color, | - While LEDs are becoming the | | intensity, and size from the | standard, there are still | | board without having to lower | thousands of theatres that | | the batten or climb a ladder. | use traditional lighting. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ - **Lighting Tools** - **Gels -** Gels are colored, translucent "filters" that are placed in front of a light to create color in the scene. - **Gobos -** Metal disks with a pattern cut out such as stars or a cityscape. When placed in front of a light, it projects the image onto the cyclorama. - **Barn Doors -** A frame around a light that can be narrowed or widened to control the size of the beam. - **Lighting Plot -** A blueprint or map of where all the specific lights will be placed - for a production.