The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-11-03
STAGE WORDS.
The Singular Vocabulary That Is
in Use Behind the Scenes
in tho Theatre.

own" said a stage carpenter to a re-
porter who stood upon the boards OF
one of the principal metropolitan
theatres. "Words have meanings
with us that are unknown to any
other trade or art. / couldn't begin
10 give you q complete list, but l will
mention a few IN my department.
In addition to thesethe property man
has his words, and SO have the actors,
the customers, the wingmakers, the
gasmen, and the dramatists.
Each of the varied pieces of seen
ery has q distinct name. The back
scene, when made in two pieces,
rolled on from either side, ia
called the 'flats;;' when it is in one,
and raised or lowered from above, it
Is called a drop The narrow side
Genes are wings Inclined plat
forms are called runs these are used
in mountain scenes and for the horse
in .Mazeppa,' and Simi:arspurposes
Small painted fram.St , hide the runs
are known as masking pieces
When a room is set with solid walls
instead of wings, it is a box scene
Those arched pieces of canvass over
your head are sky borders.' The
space over the stage is known as the
rigging lott though in England 1t
is more generally termed a 'gridiron.'
The gallery run ming round the stage.
whence all the ropes n worked, is
called the 'fies.' That continuation
of it there where the artist is at work
is called the paint BRIDGE It Is
made to raise and lower, and so Is
his immense easel known as a print
These holes In the stage are
traps and the space underneath
trap cellar Some of the traps are
made with springs so as to shoot a
person up quickly in pantomime or
spectacular pieces. They are then
called star or vampire traps
Those strips of wood below the flies
into width the scenes slide are called
and each division of a
groove il a cut The space between
each set of grooves is an entrance
two Handsomely painted
near the p%roscenium arch, and
usually remain on the stage
matter what the scene, are called
'tormentors;;' why I don't know, ex-
cept it may be that the audience gets
ofalways :eeing them.
observe these narrow grooves in
the stage, down which scenes may
be made to disappear. They are
sinks and the boards that cover
them are Slide s. To hold up pieces
Of scenery we use these poles with
angle irons, called braces To
them to the stage are these
cork-screw-like things termed screw
eyes, This is Il Q prompt side, or
where the promptor stands, and the
other is the %. p,' or Opposite
prompt Here is the moon box
moves IN and down with the
calcium light representing that lu-
minary. This sheet of iron is termed
The thunder drum Pull the string
and you shake up a barrel of peas,
make sound Of rain and which
called the rain box. Turn that
handle and this gigantic rattle makes
1 noise like breaking wood. 1t is a
crash and is used to make the sound
If bursting doors or falling buildings.
the wall Is a call box
or n~0ticeslOf rehearsal are
That piece of canvas painted
ike water, and which while lying On
he stage is shaken from the entran-
,es. is u sea cloth,' The painted
trips of muslin are 'gauze waters;;'
hey were used in the cave scene
# the Colleen Bawn.'
To put a play on is to mount it.
70 mount it cheaply il to fake it.
full set is a scene occupying all
he stage. A carpenters scene is
ct in the first grooves to fill time
While other scenes are being set. To
is to move a scene from the
tage. A stage hand is a grip This
Wheel covered with foil working be-
lind Stats is the scene or a ripple
It gives the effect of moon
lght OF water. These wings cut in
ancy shape on the edge are pro
This mass of gas burners is a
bunch light it can be moved to
ny part Of the stage. The curtain is
allied the rag and the handsome
ne used between the acts is the act
[rop.' My instructions from the au-
.or called a scene plot and where
store my scenes is q dock
II suppose I can't call to mind now
Ialf the things which we carpenters
ave special names for. If we were
, go through all the differnt branch
3 Of the profession you'd get words
nough to start a new language.'-
1eW York Sun.