Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-18
STAGE WORDS
The singular Vocabulary tia, ,.,
Use Behind the scenes in 81
ThAatra-

Theatre.
New York Sun.
The stage has Q language of its or.
sid Il stage carpenter to q repo,tor w
stood upon the boards of one of the nr;,,o %ul
metropolitan theatres. Words have maas
ings with us that are unknown to sny n.aa
trade Or art. 1 couldn't begin to give v y
complete list, but 1 will mention a few !; Ioae
department.. In addition to these the proper,
mar has his words, and SO have the octoss
the costumels, the wigmake,s, the gasmss
the dramatists. ~
Each of the various pieces Of scenery 10.
a distinct name The back scene, wbsn
made in two pieces, rolled on from eitha,
side, is called the fats when it is in one ~.
raised Or lowered from above, it is callaS
drop The narrow side scenes are .winn..
Inclined platforms are called 1runs;' these ;,
used in mountain scenes and for the horsa X
'MaZeppa' aud similar Purposes. Sma,
painted frames to hide the run, are known =.
masking pieces When a room is set vii,
solid walls instead of wings, it is q. box scen.
Those arched pieces of canvas over Won,
head are sky borlers.' Tie space over tla
stage is known as the rigging loft though j.
England it is more generally termed u .pria,
IRON The gallery running round the sta,s
whence all the ropes are worked, is Name
the 'Aies.' That continuation of !;
there where the artist is at work l.
called the paint bridge 1t is made to rais
and lower, aud so is his immense easel know,
as a paint frame These holes in the sta,,
are traps and the space underneath is II,
trap cellar Some Of the traps are mai,
with springs to shoot n person up quickly i,
pantomilne or spectacular pieces. They ar
then called star Or vampire traps, Tho,
strips Of wood below the flies into which tbs
scenes slide are called grooves and each d.
vision OF a groove is a cut The space +.
tween each set of grooves is al. '%entrance
These two handsomely painted wings neg,
the proSaenium arch, AMI which usually 70.
main on the stage 40 mates" what the scene
are called '~tormentnrs: why, l don't know
except it may lie that the audience par
wearied OF always seeing them.
'Observc these narrow grooves in t,
stage, down which scenes may be made !,
disappear. They are Sinks and the bosud,
that cover them are 'sliders.' To hold II
pieces of scenery we use these poles wifi
angle irons, called braces. To fasten then
To the stage are these cork-screw-like THING,
lin oSiC"-CSSS. LUIS IL Tue D(Omrt
side,' or where the %pro:npter stands, and thc
other is the q. p.,' or opposite prompt.
Here is a moon box which moves up and
down with the calcium light representing
that lumiEary. This sheet of iron is terlnsl
the thunder drum Pull that string and YOU
shake up a barrel Of peas, which makes thu
sound Of rain, and which is called the rain
box Turn that handle aud this gisau,i,
rattle makes IL noise like breaking wood.
is a crash, and is used to make the sound o
bursting doors or falling buildings. Asaig,
the wall is n call box where the calls Or
notices OF le,iralSst!s are posted. That pisc
OF canvas painted like water, and whicl 7
willie lying on the Stage is shaken from the
entrances, is Il sea cloth Those lminte /
strips of muslin are 'gauzo waters they
were used in the cave scene Of tue 'Collag |
Bawn.'
'To put a play on is to mount it. Tt
mount it ,.teaply is to fake it. a full set
Isl scene occupying all the stage. A cur
pente,'s scene is set in the first grooves Il
fill time while other. scenes are being SET. :
To strike is to move ii scene from the staye. /
4 stage land is :; grip This wheel covered
with foil working behind Stats in the scent
is a ripple barrel 1t gives the effect Of
moonlight on the water. These wings cut
n fancy shapes OH the edge are 'proflsd.'
This mass of gas burners is a bunch light;
it can Ike moved to any part of the stage
The curtain is called the rag aud the hand |
some one used between the acts is the 'sr !
drop My instructions from the author are
called a scene plot and where l store MY
scenes is II dock
81 suppose [ can't call to mind now bali
the things even We carpenters have special
names for. Ii you were to go through al
the different branches of the profession you'd
get words enough to start u new language