The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-14
STAGE vERNAcULAR.
What Actors Mean by the Slang Of
the Profession.


Very often a layman listening TO a
group of theatrical men discussing
shop" is at loss to understand half
of the conversation. owing to the pc
culiar vernzcular of the stage world
which is CIreeh to an Outsiuer. Among
some OF the oft-used phrases the Tol-
lowing are the better known and their
full significance has been compiled BY
one of the eastern theatrical journals:
Roast-This is not appertaining 10
fire but simply means that Wnen an
actor is assailed BY the press he IS
usually roasted" There are various
kinds of roasts, but they all look alike
Hit-This applies to the word success.
When an actor makes hit IL means that
he has succeeded In his own estimation
he is always a hit, but in the public's
mind he sometimes is and sometimes IS
not.
Cold Feet-This is a slang phrase used
in an expression or disgust when a man
ager takes out a company and either
leaves IL stranded or disbands IL in short
order The words will not be found IN
any of Tennyson's poems but in poeu-
cal sense may read as follows After the
piece was out two weeks the manager got
cold feet and the show closed
Angel-An individual who does not 1--we
in the celestial regions but usually man
of means who stands sponsor for pro
duetion. There are various KINDS OF
them, some good and some bad The good
ones part with their money without
murmur- Nothing need be said ABOUT the
/ bad ones
publicity given the players in the news
papers. The man who does It Is called
q press agent The value OF press Work
is great. The methods pursued are not
always original. and such things as los
ing diamonds, divorcing husbands, come
under the category of press work For
further particulars apply to A Toxin
Worm, care of TanbarkviIle. N Y
Morgue-A theatre best known as one
doing no business. There is nothing DEAD
about such house save the management
AT urpseut there Is but one in New YORK.
although throughout the country there
are several.
Paper-There are two meanings to the
word paper" One is the Autographs
used by the various managers and the
other is the complimentary admission
found in the theatre ticket takers DoX.
--Papering a house means that it is filled
with ''deadheads. 1t is practice IRE
quentiy resorted to on the opening of
new play.
The Ghost WaIks-This means salary
day and frequently he has failed TO walk
That IS why there are so many IN
S. r. O.-An oId-tine abbreviation for
Standing Room Only" In the larger
favor of House Full" or Full House"
Jump-AppIfes TO the difference between
the town a company is playing in and
. town a company is 60 go to.
Three Sheet-An expression used to deS-
ignate a certain style of paper. II re-
quires three certain sized sheets, which
when pasted together. form one complete
one. to be pasted on what is termed a
Time-The dates booked and contracted
for the appearance OF travelling comp2-
MES.
Gala call is a notice placed generally
near the stage door, on which IL posted
information or instructions 10 the players
open Time-Dates not booked or con-
tracted for
Turkey Snap-An organization especial
ly made for Thanksgiving day.