Production Glossary
A comprehensive guide to theatrical production terminology
A
Add Prop Deadline: The final date by which the Director can request additional props be added to the production. After this date, no new props will be considered to ensure adequate preparation time.
Administrative Terms: Terminology related to the management and documentation aspects of production.
ASL Performance: A special performance where an American Sign Language interpreter translates the dialogue and lyrics for deaf or hard-of-hearing audience members.
Assistant Stage Manager (ASM): Supports the Stage Manager with rehearsal tasks, tracking props and costumes, and other administrative duties throughout the production process.
Audition Form: Document completed by performers at auditions including contact information and conflict schedule.
B
Blocking: The process of determining actors’ physical positions and movements on stage. This includes entrances, exits, and specific movements during scenes.
Board Operator: The technician responsible for running either the lighting board or sound board during rehearsals and performances.
Box Office: The department responsible for ticket sales, audience seating, and front-of-house operations.
Budget Package: Comprehensive financial planning documents for the production.
C
Callback: A second audition for specific roles where actors are given material to prepare in advance. Callbacks allow the creative team to evaluate chemistry between potential cast members and see how actors handle specific material.
Callback Folder: Collection of materials (sides, music) given to performers for callback preparation.
Cast List: The official announcement of which actors have been selected for each role in the production.
Casting Guide: Document outlining specific protocols for the audition and casting process.
Casting Phase: The period dedicated to auditions, callbacks, and role assignments.
Choreographer: The artist responsible for creating and teaching dance and stylized movement for the production.
Color Palette/Swatches: Specific color selections that guide design consistency across departments.
Community Design Presentations: An opportunity for the community (potential audience, donors, etc.) to see design concepts for upcoming productions.
Concept Statement: A written explanation of how a design serves the story and aligns with the director’s vision.
Contact List: A comprehensive document with contact information for all production team members.
Costume Breakdown: A detailed document showing when each actor wears specific costume pieces, noting any quick changes.
Costume Breakdown Sheets: Detailed documentation of costume pieces for each character.
Costume Designer/Coordinator: The creative responsible for designing, sourcing, and managing character attire.
Costume Plot: A scene-by-scene breakdown of what each character wears throughout the show.
Creative Team: The core artistic leadership of a production, typically including the Director, Music Director, and Choreographer.
Cue: A precise moment during a performance when a technical element (light, sound, set piece) changes or when an actor performs a specific action.
Cue List: A sequential listing of technical commands (lights, sound, etc.) during a performance.
Cue-to-Cue: A technical rehearsal that focuses on the execution of technical cues. The performance jumps from one technical cue to the next without running scenes in their entirety.
D
Daily Call: The schedule distributed to cast and crew detailing who is needed when for a specific day.
Design Integration: The process of ensuring all design elements work cohesively together.
Design Package: A comprehensive collection of documents that details design concepts, technical specifications, and implementation plans for a production department.
Design Presentation: The formal sharing of design concepts (sets, costumes, lights, sound) with the production team and cast. Renderings, samples, and concept boards are typically presented.
Designer Run: A complete run-through of the show presented to all designers, typically occurring near the end of the rehearsal process and before technical rehearsals begin. This gives designers a chance to see the show in its entirety before finalizing technical elements. The Designer Run is always followed by a production meeting where questions and discrepancies can be addressed. See 4 - Rehearsals for the full Designer Run process.
Director: The artistic leader who shapes the creative vision and guides performances.
Dress Rehearsal: A full run-through including all technical elements and costumes. Sequence during Tech: First Dress → Final Dress → Invited Dress → Previews.
Dry Tech: A technical rehearsal conducted without actors present, focusing on technical elements — set changes, lighting cues, sound cues — and how they coordinate. Typically led by the Technical Director. See 5 - Pre-Tech for the full Dry Tech process.
E
Elevations: Scale drawings showing the front, side, or other views of scenic elements.
Emerging Artist: A category of Encore productions focused on developing young performers with some previous experience.
Ensemble: A group of performers who appear on stage together, often in supporting roles or as a chorus.
F
Final Dress Rehearsal: The last dress rehearsal before preview performances begin, typically run under performance conditions with minimal stops.
First Dress Rehearsal: The first rehearsal that integrates costumes with other technical elements.
First Rehearsal: The initial gathering of the full cast, typically including introductions, a read-through of the script, and often a parent meeting.
G
Google Drive Template: Digital organization standards for production documentation.
Ground Plan/Floor Plan: A scale drawing showing the arrangement of scenery and set pieces as viewed from above.
H
Hair/Makeup Designer: The creative responsible for character hair styles and makeup designs.
I
Inception Phase: The initial phase of production when show selection occurs, rights are secured, and budgets are established.
J
Jr. Series: A category of Encore productions designed for younger performers with limited theatrical experience.
L
Launch Day (parent meeting): Encore’s official production-start event — see Launch Day. Combines design reveals, team introductions, community welcome, and parent orientation in one gathering. The parent-meeting portion (see Parent Meeting Outline) covers schedule, expectations, and policies with families of young performers.
Light Cue: A specific lighting state or change programmed into the lighting board.
Light Plot: A technical drawing showing placement and specifications of lighting instruments.
Lighting Designer: The creative responsible for designing the lighting plan and cues.
Load-In: The process of moving set pieces, technical equipment, and production elements into the performance space.
M
Marketing Budget: Funds allocated specifically for promoting the production through various media.
Master Calendar: The complete schedule of all production activities from inception through closing.
Master Folder: The primary Google Drive folder containing all production documentation.
Mic Plot: A document detailing which performers use which microphones at what times during the performance.
Microphone Plot: A plan detailing which performers need microphones and when.
Music Director: The artist responsible for teaching vocal parts, conducting the orchestra/band, and overseeing all musical elements of a production.
O
Off-Book: The point at which actors are expected to have their lines and lyrics fully memorized and no longer need to refer to their scripts.
Onboarding Meeting: The initial meeting where all production team members are introduced and the overall vision for the production is shared.
One-on-One Meeting: Individual meetings between the Production Manager and specific team members.
Opening Night: The first official public performance after previews.
P
Paper Tech: A meeting where the Director, Stage Manager, and designers go through the script to establish when technical cues will occur, without actually running the technical equipment. The Show Bible is the source of truth for the meeting. See 5 - Pre-Tech for the full Paper Tech process.
Parent Meeting: See Launch Day (parent meeting) under L. The parent-meeting portion of Launch Day is documented in Parent Meeting Outline.
Performance Phase: The period when the show is presented to audiences, including previews, opening night, and the full run of performances.
Performance Report: Documentation of show execution, audience response, and any issues during performance.
Places: The call given to performers to take their starting positions before a performance begins.
Post-Production Phase: The final phase after performances conclude, including strike, budget reconciliation, and archiving production materials.
Pre-Production Guide: Detailed document focusing on design package development and integration procedures.
Pre-Production Phase: The planning period before rehearsals begin, divided into two parts: Assemble (hiring team) and Design (creating production concepts).
Pre-Production Phase 1 | Assemble: The phase focused on bringing together the creative team and establishing the production framework.
Pre-Production Phase 2 | Design: The phase where designers develop concepts and create design packages.
Pre-Tech Phase: The period immediately before technical rehearsals when all departments prepare technical elements for integration.
Preview: A public performance before the official opening used to make final adjustments.
Preview Performance: A public performance before opening night, typically used to gauge audience reaction and make final adjustments.
Preview Prologue: A special pre-show presentation that provides context about the production, typically on opening night or during previews.
Producer/Executive Team: The administrative leadership responsible for budgeting, marketing, and overall production management.
Production Assistant: Support staff who assists with various production tasks.
Production Bible: The master document outlining all production phases and responsibilities, serving as the central reference for the entire production process.
Production Budget: Funds allocated specifically for design elements, materials, and technical requirements.
Production Checklist: A detailed task list organized by phase and role.
Production Manager: The administrative leader who coordinates communication between departments, manages production meetings, and oversees logistical aspects of the production.
Production Meeting: Regular gatherings of the production team to discuss progress, challenges, and coordinate between departments.
Production Meeting Guides: Templates for effective meetings throughout the process.
Props Designer: The creative responsible for designing, sourcing, and managing hand props and set dressings.
Props List: A comprehensive inventory of all hand props and set dressings needed for the production.
Props Table: An organized area backstage where props are arranged for actors to access during performances.
Props Tracking: Documentation of where props begin and end each scene.
Q
Quick Change: A costume change that must happen rapidly (typically under 90 seconds) and often requires assistance.
R
Rehearsal Guide: Structured approach to the rehearsal process.
Rehearsal Phase: The period when actors learn music, blocking, and choreography before technical elements are added.
Rehearsal Report: A daily document created by the Stage Manager detailing what was accomplished in rehearsal and any notes or questions for the production team.
Rehearsal Reports: Daily documentation of rehearsal activities, needs, and issues.
Rehearsal Room: The designated space where rehearsals take place before moving into the performance venue.
Renderings: Artistic representations of completed designs for set, costumes, or other elements.
Rights Requirements: Mandatory elements specified in the licensing agreement for a production.
Role Offer: The formal invitation for an actor to play a specific part in the production.
S
Sensory-Friendly Performance: A modified performance designed to be accessible for audience members with sensory sensitivities, often featuring adjusted sound levels, house lights kept dimly lit, and relaxed expectations about audience noise and movement.
Set Designer: The creative responsible for designing the physical environment of the production.
Set Move: The choreographed movement of set pieces during scene transitions.
Show Bible: The stage manager’s comprehensive reference containing all cues, blocking, and production information.
Show with a Pro: A category of Encore productions that includes professional actors working alongside young performers.
Sound Designer: The creative responsible for designing sound effects, music playback, and microphone plans.
Spacing Rehearsal: The first rehearsal in the actual performance space, focusing on adjusting blocking to fit the dimensions of the set.
Special Performance: Shows with additional features like ASL interpretation or sensory-friendly adaptations.
Spike Mark: Colored tape placed on the stage floor to indicate the precise position of set pieces, furniture, or actors.
Stage Manager (SM): The production team leader who maintains the Show Bible, runs rehearsals, calls cues during performance, and serves as the central communication hub between cast, creative team, and crew.
Stage Management Team: Includes the Stage Manager, [Assistant Stage Manager], and any Production Assistants assigned to support rehearsals and performances.
Standby: A verbal warning called by the Stage Manager alerting board operators and crew that a cue is about to be called.
Strike: The process of dismantling the set, returning props and costumes, and clearing the performance space at the end of a production.
T
Table Work: An early phase of rehearsal where the cast sits and reads the script together, discussing character motivations, story beats, and dramaturgical context before staging begins. See Table Work for the Encore approach.
Technical Director (TD): The production team member responsible for the technical execution of the production — set construction, rigging, technical safety, and coordinating the technical crew.
Technical Rehearsal: A rehearsal focused on integrating technical elements — lighting, sound, set changes, special effects — with the performances. See 6 - Technical Rehearsals.
Tech Week: The intensive period immediately before opening, when all technical elements are integrated with the performances. See Tech Week Essentials.
Top of Show: The very beginning of the performance, from the moment the audience is settled to the first cue.
U
Understudy: A performer prepared to take over a role if the principal performer is unable to perform. Encore uses understudies selectively depending on production scale.
Upstage: The portion of the stage farthest from the audience. (“Upstage Right,” “Upstage Left,” “Upstage Center.“)
V
Voice-Over (VO): Pre-recorded dialogue or narration played through the sound system during performance.
Volunteer: A community member who supports the production without compensation. See Volunteer Handbook and Volunteer Coordinator.
W
Walk-Through: A slow, deliberate pass through a sequence — typically blocking, choreography, or a set change — without performance energy, to confirm everyone knows their part.
Warm-Up: A pre-rehearsal or pre-show routine to prepare the body and voice for performance. Owned by the Choreographer (movement) and Music Director (vocal) during rehearsal; led by the Stage Manager or designated cast member at performance call.
Wings: The offstage areas to the left and right of the performance space, used for performer entrances/exits, prop tables, and quick changes.
Working Run: A run-through that allows stopping for notes, fixes, or adjustments — as opposed to a “performance run,” which runs straight through.
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Status: Working · Portal: Team · Last reviewed: 2026-05-11 · Owner: Rhett