Why is it considered bad luck to say "Macbeth" in a theatre? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk Why is it considered bad luck to say "Macbeth" in a theatre? Ewan Thomson This is because, in the days when every town had a theatre, if the tickets for a particular run were not selling well, the theatre owners would often end the run and replace it with the, always popular, Macbeth. Actors usually preferred to do something new or different. Chris Lewis, Tyldesley, UK The story I heard was that if a new play bombed the theatre owners would replace it with a sure success. Macbeth was the most popular replacement so if you heard someone rehershing Macbeth in the wings before your play opened you knew that confidence was low. John Leith, Kirkwall, UK Theatrical folklore has it that, as revenge for Shakespeare's inclusion of a number of accurate spells within the play, a coven of witches cursed it for all eternity.

Whether or not you believe this rationale is irrelevant, though, because the ill-fortune associated with the play is backed up by numerous examples over its four hundred year history Initially, King James banned the play for five years because he had such a dislike for it, but there are also more bloody examples: there was an unpleasant and lethal riot after one showing in nineteenth century New York and one Lady Macbeth fell off the front of the stage while sleepwalking, dropping nearly twenty feet. Even Olivier wasn't free from the curse, as one of his performances was enlivened by a falling stage weight which landed only inches from him mid-performance. Given the weight of evidence, it's not surprising that actors are given to indulge in a little superstition. Neil Barnes, Saffron Walden, Essex I heard from a very sensible actor (I think it was Jonathan Price) that Macbeth is not unlucky, merely dangerous because it is so full of action scenes and special effects. The fear of personal injury through mishaps when performing the piece has evolved into a superstition about the very name. Oh and it makes actors feel cosy to have their special belief system.

Miaow Vic Grant, London UK Theatre Superstitions - Theatre reviews Theatre reviews Tom Williams Editors Note: This article was NOT written by me but I did compile the below information from various sources noted including Wikipedia and Steppenwolf Theatre. I think the info would be interesting to my readers so I’m sharing it. –Tom Williams Theatre Superstitions Theater people are superstitious. There are lists of things that are prohibited when you are in a theater, things you must not do, otherwise the performance will go terribly wrong. For example, no actor would ever say the word Macbethin a theater – it would bring certain disaster. Actors, instead, call it “The Scottish Play” and the title character “the Scottish Lord” in order to avoid pronouncing the word. Whistling in a theater is also forbidden because it brings bad luck to the whistler. And in case you have forgotten, NEVER wish an actor good luck! – tell them to break a leg. Why? Backstage sent artistic intern Jack Tamburri on the hunt of the origins of these superstitions, and he came back with the following list.

If you’re not superstitious, then read on, Macduff… Tell them to “break a leg,” not “good luck!” This bizarre phrase has a number of purported meanings… 1) If the havoc–wreaking spirits (Sprites) heard you ask for something, they were reputed to try to make the opposite happen. Telling someone to “break a leg” is an attempt to outsmart the Sprites and make something good happen. 2) To break a leg was to hope the actor would have so many curtain calls that his trousers would be creased permanently. 3) In Shakespeare’s time, to break meant to bend. So, bend your leg, means take a lot of bows. 4) One popular etymology derives the phrase from the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth, the actor turned assassin, leapt to the stage of Ford’s Theater after the murder, breaking his leg in the process. The logical connection from this event to wishing someone good luck is none too clear, but such is folklore.

5) Evidently, in the days of early vaudeville, the producers would book more performers than could possibly perform in the given time of the show, since “bad” acts could be pulled before their completion. In order to ensure that the producers didn’t start paying people who hadn’t actually performed, there was a general policy that a performer did NOT get paid unless they actually appeared onstage. So the phrase “break a leg” referred to breaking the visual plane of the “legs,” or curtains that lined the side of the stage. In other words, “Hope you break a leg and get onstage, so that you get paid.” 6) It came from the understudies telling their primaries to “break a leg” enough times that it came to be considered bad luck if they didn’t say it. 7) In Ancient Greece, people didn’t applaud. Instead, they stomped for their appreciation and if they stomped long enough, they would break a leg.

Or, some would have it that the term originated during Elizabethan times when, instead of applause the audience would stomp their chairs – and if they liked it enough, the leg of the chair would break.We‘re in the “dark” You never say a theater is “closed,” but instead that it is “dark.” If you say a theater is closed, you can invoke plagues, Puritans or embezzlement. A dark night (when there is no performance) is normal and healthy. Whatever you do, don’t turn off the Ghost Light. Every theater has a Ghost Light, a light that is left onstage which is never turned off. It’s there to guide the first and last person into and out of the theater. For centuries, a myth has held that the light is protection from spirits, because if the theater ever went completely dark, lonely and resentful ghosts would realize everyone had gone and proceed to cause all sorts of mischief. No whistling! In the olden days, stage hands were out–of–work sailors (theaters and ships share a profusion of ropes) who communicated with complex whistles.

So, if you were walking around stage whistling a tune, you could accidentally call down a sandbag onto your head! The “Scottish Curse.” Don’t say Macbeth, or even quote that play, in a theater. Ever. Theater people believe it will bring disaster. In actual fact, Constantine Stanislavski, Orson Welles and Charlton Heston all suffered some catastrophe during or just after a production of “The Scottish Play.” In 1849, more than 30 New Yorkers were killed when rioting broke out during a performance of the play. Abe Lincoln read it the night before he was assassinated. If someone else quotes from “The Scottish Play“ inside a theater, you must utter the words “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” Then the offender must leave the house, turn around widdershins (counterclockwise) three times, swear and knock to be readmitted. The superstition seems to have arisen, in part, from the play’s depiction of witchcraft, still a vital (though contested) belief in 1606, when the play was first performed.

Like Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, in which staged incantations were occasionally reported to have raised real devils, “The Scottish Play“ was believed to flirt dangerously with the “Powers of Evil,“ bringing catastrophe down upon productions over the succeeding centuries. Those seeking rational reasons for the “Scottish Curse” have pointed to several features of the play as conducive to accidents: dim lighting and stage combat chief among them. Authentic productions often use broadswords, which are heavy and difficult to wield deftly, capable of inflicting considerable blunt trauma. Moreover, as Shakespeare’s shortest and one of his most popular plays, Macbeth has often been a last–minute addition to a company’s repertoire when the company is in financial straits late in the season. Therefore, it can be dangerously under–rehearsed, and it can portend the closing of the company (which probably would have closed regardless which play was chosen). And many, many more… Wearing the colors blue and yellow will cause actors to forget lines. Wearing green is unlucky. There should be no peacock feathers inside a theater. No real flowers, mirrors or jewelry should ever be used on stage. You should use a rabbit’s foot to apply makeup.

You should never clean your makeup box. You should NEVER wear brand–new makeup on opening night. Never place shoes or hats on chairs or tables inside the dressing rooms. Always exit the dressing room left foot first. Absolutely no knitting in the wings. Never open a show on a Friday night. And never speak the last line of a play before opening night. Main article: The Scottish play Shakespeare ‘s play Macbeth is said to be cursed, so actors avoid saying its name (the euphemism “The Scottish Play” is used instead). Actors also avoid even quoting the lines from Macbeth inside a theatre, particularly the Witches incantations. Outside of a theatre the play can be spoken of openly. If an actor speaks the name Macbeth in a theatre, he or she is required to leave the theatre building, spin around three times, spit, curse, and then knock to be allowed back in. There are several possible origins for this superstition. One is the assumption that the song of the Weird Sisters is an actual spell that will bring about evil spirits.

Another is that there is more swordplay in it than most other Shakespeare plays, and the more swordplay must be rehearsed and performed, the more chances there are for someone to get injured. Yet another option is that the play is often run by theatres that are in debt and looking to increase patronage. There is also a legend that the play itself was cursed because the first time it was ever performed, the actor playing Macbeth died shortly before or after the production (accounts vary).[ citation needed ] It is also said that the original production of the play used actual witches and witchcraft, and so the play is cursed.[ citation needed ] The YTV / Discovery Kids children’s program “ Mystery Hunters ” actually tempted the curse by uttering “Macbeth” and demonstrated several ways to counteract the curse in the episode “MacBeth/Salem Witches”. The superstition is even parodied in an episode of The Simpsons . While visiting London, the Simpson family comes across Sir Ian McKellen outside a theater showing “Macbeth.” Every time “Macbeth” is said, something happens to McKellen; among others, he is struck by lightning numerous times, and a chunk of concrete falls on his head.

Jimmy Neutron also made direct reference to the curse when the school performed “Macbeth in Space”. In the middle of the play, a tornado rips the school off its foundation, potentially killing everyone inside. Because it is a children’s show however, no one was injured, and the tornado was caused by Jimmy’s machine, albeit was built for the play and created weather pattern during the performance. [1] Wishing bad luck and cursing Generally, it is considered bad luck to wish someone good luck in a theater. Prior to performances, it is traditional for the cast to gather together to avert the bad luck by wishing each other bad luck or cursing. In English-speaking countries, the expression “ break a leg ” replaces the phrase “ good luck “, which is considered unlucky. The expression is sometimes used outside the theatre, as superstitions and customs travel through other professions and then into common use. If someone says “good luck”, they must go out of the theatre, turn around 3 times, spit, curse, then knock on the door and ask to be readmitted to the theatre.

(Note that this is the same ritual one is supposed to use when accidentally mentioning or quoting from The Scottish Play in a theater.) The exact origin of this expression is unknown, but some of the most popular theories are the Shakespearean Theory or Traditional Theory, and the Bowing Theory . [2] This expression has so entered the mainstream that it is used by non-actors toward actors and in non-theatrical situations. In Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries, before each performance, director and actors gather on the stage, join hands and scream “Muita Merda!”/”¡Mucha mierda!” (“A lot of shit!”). Instead of saying “break a leg”, those who want to wish good luck to the performers wish “mierda” to them. Similarly, in France, actors say the word “Merde!” just before making an entrance. The French “Merde!” is also popular among ballet dancers across the world. To say “break a leg” in ballet is considered just as much bad luck as saying “good luck”, considering it’s a physical art. Ghosts One ghost-related superstition is that the theater should always be closed one night a week to give the ghosts a chance to perform their own plays.

This is traditionally on Monday night, conveniently giving actors a day off after weekend performances. Theaters that have stood for more than a few decades tend to have lots of associated ghost stories, more than other public buildings of similar age. Thespis One specific ghost, Thespis , holds a place of privilege in theater lore. On what has been estimated to be November 23, 534 BCE, Thespis of ancient Athens (6th BCE) was the first person to speak lines as an individual actor on stage (hence the term “thespian” to refer to an individual actor). Any unexplainable mischief that befalls a production is likely to be blamed on Thespis, especially if it happens on November 23. [ edit ] Ghost light One should always leave a light burning in an empty theatre. Traditionally, the light is placed downstage center. That is, closest to the audience, center stage. Several reasons are given for this, all having to do with ghosts : The light wards off ghosts. A theater’s ghosts always want to have enough light to see. Failure to provide this may anger them, leading to pranks or other mishaps.

It prevents non-spectral personnel from having to cross the stage in the dark, falling into the orchestra pit , dying in the fall and becoming ghosts themselves. Though it’s a superstition, it does have practical value: The backstage area of a theater tends to be cluttered, so someone who enters a completely darkened space is liable to be injured while hunting for a light switch. [3] Whistling Related to a similar rule for sailing ships, it is considered bad luck for an actor to whistle on or off stage. As original stage crews were hired from ships in port ( Theatrical rigging has its origins in sailing rigging), sailors, and by extension theatrical riggers, used coded whistles to communicate scene changes. Actors who whistled could confuse them into changing the set or scenery, though in today’s theatres, the stage crew normally uses an intercom or cue light system. Script under pillow A common superstition held by actors is that sleeping with a script under their pillow will help them to learn it faster. This is sometimes known as “learning by diffusion”. Script under the pillow is said to have caused bad luck. Miscellaneous No real money should be used on stage.

This may derive from gamblers’ superstitions about money, or it could just be a sensible precaution against theft. In a similar vein, it is considered unlucky to wear real jewelry on stage, as opposed to costume jewelry . It is bad luck to complete a performance of a play without an audience in attendance, so one should never say the last line of a play during rehearsals. To get around this, some production companies allow a limited number of people (usually friends, family, and reviewers) to attend the dress rehearsals. In some companies wearing the t-shirt of the play being produced before opening day is considered bad luck. Other companies however hold the exact opposite opinion, and actually encourage their actors to wear the shirt as often as possible before opening night to increase ticket sales. A bad dress rehearsal foretells a good opening night. Possibly, this is an example of sour grapes . However, it has a tendency to be true in that cast and crew are scared straight by a bad dress rehearsal and therefore fix their mistakes by opening night. (Alternatively, a director may offer this superstition to boost the confidence of the actors after they were disheartened by the bad dress rehearsal.) A company should not practice doing their bows before they feel they deserve them.

Gifts such as flowers should be given to actors after a show, as opposed to before. Peacock Feathers should never be brought on stage, either as a costume element, prop, or part of a setpiece. Many veteran actors and directors tell stories of sets collapsing and other such events during performances with peacock feathers. Some actors believe that having a Bible onstage is unlucky. Often, other books or prop books will be used with Bible covers. The color blue is considered unlucky, unless countered by wearing silver. As blue dye was once very costly; a failing acting company would dye some of their garments blue in the hopes of pleasing the audience. As for the silver to counter it, one would know that the acting company was truly wealthy, so to enable actors to wear real silver. The color green is also considered to be unlucky. This is said to date from the time when most performances were given out-of-doors. Wearing green would make it hard to distinguish the actor from grass/trees/bushes in the natural setting beyond the performing area. References The Straight Dope: What's the story on the curse of <em>Macbeth</em>?

A Staff Report from the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board What's the story on the curse of Macbeth? October 16, 2007 Is there any information you can give me on the supposed curse of Macbeth? It puzzles me that of all Shakespeare's plays, one of his best (in my opinion) should be cursed. Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide. — DGNR, via e-mail As success or failure in the theater can be influenced by so many intangible and unpredictable factors, it's not surprising that actors and other theater types maintain a variety of long-standing superstitions, which often are taken very seriously. (The most famous is the insistence on saying "break a leg" rather than "good luck.") Two such superstitions float around Macbeth. The first is that it's bad luck to even say “Macbeth” except during rehearsal or performance.

When referring to the work one instead uses circumlocutions, such as “the Scottish play” or “Mackers” or “the Scottish business” or “the Glamis comedy” or just “that play." Some say this rule applies only when inside a theater; it’s OK, therefore, to use the dread name in other settings  like classrooms, for instance. The remedy, if someone does happen to utter the unutterable, is to leave the room, close the door, turn around three times, say a dirty word (or spit, some say), then knock on the door and ask to be let back in. If you can’t do all that, you simply quote from Hamlet, act 1, scene 4: “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” The second superstition is that the play itself brings ill luck to cast and crew, and many productions of Macbeth have, in fact, encountered unfortunate circumstances. The supposed origin story for this is that Shakespeare used “authentic” witches’ chants in the play; as punishment, real witches cast a curse on the play, condemning it for all time.

If legends are to be believed, bad fortune for productions of Macbeth seems to have started fairly early on: one story (which I have not been able to verify), is that King James I banned the play for about five years after he first saw it, in 1606. Some say he found the witches’ curses too realistic  having authored a work on demonology, he considered himself an expert. Among the incidents cited as examples of the curse at work (and we don't guarantee the veracity of some of the earlier stories): • In the first production of Macbeth, on August 7, 1606, Hal Berridge, the boy playing Lady Macbeth, became feverish and died backstage. This story is likely mythical, and further tradition says that Shakespeare had to take over the part. (One version holds that Shakespeare played the role badly, and later chewed out his fellow actors for mentioning “that play,” thus beginning the tradition of not referring to it by name.) • In a 1672 production in Amsterdam, the actor playing Macbeth substituted a real dagger for the blunted stage dagger and killed the actor playing Duncan, in full view of the audience.

• On the opening day of a London run in 1703, England was hit with one of the most violent storms in its history. • At a 1721 performance a nobleman in the audience got up in the middle of a scene and walked across the stage to talk with a friend. The actors chased him from the premises; he returned with militiamen, who burned the theater down. • Female Lady Macbeths haven't been immune. In 1775, Sarah Siddons was nearly attacked by a disapproving audience. In 1926, Sybil Thorndike was almost strangled by a fellow actor. And in 1948, Diana Wynyard decided to play the sleepwalking scene with her eyes closed and sleepwalked right off the stage, falling 15 feet. In the best show-must-go-on tradition, she finished the performance. • In the mid-1800s, two rival actors (William Charles Macready of England and Edwin Forrest of the U.S.) staged competing productions, so that on May 10, 1849, they were both playing Macbeth in New York.

An audience of Forrest fans threw fruit and chairs at Macready during his performance at the Astor Place Opera House, disrupting the show and starting a riot. The militia was called in and fired on the crowd; more than 20 died and another 30-plus were wounded. • On April 9, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was reading passages from Macbeth  those following Duncan's assassination  aloud to some friends. Within a week Lincoln was himself assassinated. • During the first modern-dress production, at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1928, a large set collapsed, seriously injuring some cast members. • In a 1937 production a heavy counterweight crashed to the stage, missing Laurence Olivier, playing Macbeth, by only inches. • In a 1942 staging, with John Gielgud as Macbeth, three actors (two witches and Duncan) died and the set designer committed suicide. • In a Thursday-night performance in 1947 actor Harold Norman was stabbed during the final sword fight in act 5 and died of his wounds.

On Thursdays his ghost is now said to haunt the Coliseum Theatre in Oldham, where the fatal scene was played. • In a 1953 outdoor production in Bermuda, during the realistically staged attack on Macbeth's castle, a gust of wind blew smoke and flames into the audience, who fled. Charlton Heston, playing Macbeth, suffered severe burns on his groin and leg because his tights had accidentally been soaked in kerosene. • Rip Torn's 1970 production in New York City was halted by an actors’ strike. • David Leary’s 1971 run was plagued with two fires and seven robberies. • In 1971 Roman Polanski (who may himself have seemed cursed at the time, as his wife Sharon Tate had been murdered by followers of Charles Manson just two years earlier) made a film version; a camera operator was almost killed in an accident on the first day of shooting. • J. Kenneth Campbell, playing Macduff, was mugged soon after the play's opening in 1981 at Lincoln Center.

• In a 2001 production by the Cambridge Shakespeare Company, Macduff injured his back, Lady Macbeth bumped her head, Ross broke a toe, and two cedar trees from Birnam Wood topped over, destroying the set. There are several explanations for why Macbeth seems so accident-prone. During much of the play lighting is low  the bulk of the scenes take place at night or in the dark or fog  thus increasing opportunities for accidents. There are several fight scenes, more than in most plays; in a long run, it's almost inevitable something will go amiss. Macbeth is also Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, and thus somewhat cheaper to put on; one theory suggests that when finances get tight, companies will slap together a production of Macbeth, and during the general cutting of corners safety gets compromised. But more than anything, the whole curse business benefits from a self-fulfilling circularity. Every play production involves some things going wrong  considering all the people, costumes, scenery, and equipment involved, there are bound to be problems. And if a play is popular enough to get staged and restaged for 400 years or so, some of those problems are bound to be pretty serious on occasion.

If we could compile a list of accidents and near accidents for performances of, say, Hamlet, would it be equally long and dramatic? Almost certainly. But no one remembers or records these accidents, because there’s no curse on Hamlet. When accidents happen around Macbeth, though, the superstitious nod wisely and mutter about the curse. The play itself is soaked in blood, violence, and disorder  it's got gory ghosts, deceit, manipulation, assassination, malevolence, brutal murders of children, etc  and so provides fertile ground for dark musings. When cast and crew are expecting accidents, watching for them, any mishaps are uniquely bound to remembered. Every old actor has his or her own Macbeth story that gets reverently passed on to the younger ones. And so the curse persists, feeding upon its own reputation. Primary reference: Why It Is Bad Luck To Say Macbeth In A Theater Why It Is Bad Luck To Say Macbeth In A Theater Updated on April 14, 2012 Source Shakespeare's Macbeth Almost from the moment the play was first performed, people have had a superstitious belief that William Shakespeare's Macbeth is cursed.

The idea that bad luck surrounds the play has become so much a part of theater tradition that many actors still do not utter its name. Instead, they refer to it as The Scottish Play, a reference which may relate either to its setting in the Scottish Highlands, or to the fact that it was written in honor of King James I of England (James VI of Scotland). So, where does the idea of a curse come from and how do you break it if you accidentally speak the name of Macbeth within the theater? Origins of the Curse of Macbeth There are several different stories relating to how the play came to be cursed: Shakespeare used real witches curses in his text and this is where the bad luck springs from The person responsible for finding props for the first staging of the play stole a cauldron from a coven to use in the production Shakespeare consulted witches about how to create the characters of witches and they were insulted by his portrayal of them as old crones, so they cursed the play Or, it could simply be that when a production of Macbeth was announced, it was a sign that a theater was in financial difficulty.

Macbeth is one of the most popular plays of old time and was often put on by struggling theaters to try to draw in audiences. What Sort of Things Have Happened? Well, several mishaps have occurred during various productions of the play: One actor had his thumbs cut off when a real sword was used in a fight scene In one production in 1937, the director was almost killed in a car crash. Laurence Olivier, who was starring in the play lost his voice and was almost hit by a weight from the stage lights that came crashing down close to him. The founder of the theater had a heart attack and died on opening night and finally, a fragment of Olivier's sword flew off and hit an audience member, who died of a heart attack Some years later, a production starring John Gielgud was also hit by a series of unfortunate events. One of the actresses playing the witches died of a heart attack during final rehearsals and the actor playing Duncan also died. Another actress playing a witch collapsed and died on stage and the set designer committed suicide.

One of the worst disasters in theater history, the Astor Opera House disaster in 1849 in which 22 people died, occurred as a result of rioting between the fans of two famed actors playing Macbeth at different theaters. So, is the play cursed? Well I'll leave that one to you but I guess any play that's been performed regularly for over 400 years is bound to have been marred by problems every now and then. How to Break the Curse of Macbeth Standard curse breaking methods are to recite a line from another Shakespearean play, usually something with a reference to heavenly powers. Another way to break the curse is to spin around three times, utter a curse word and spit over your shoulder. Or, you can always leave the theater, turn around three times and wait until you're invited back inside. One of Henrik Ibsen's finest plays is Hedda Gabler. It centres around the eponymous heroine and her desire to break free from the constraints imposed by society in the late 19th century. 6 Several of Shakespeare's plays do not fit comfortably into the genres of comedy, tragedy or history and have come to be known as problem plays.

3 Top 10 Theater Superstitions - Listverse Top 10 Theater Superstitions Molly August 20, 2010 Theater Folk are a superstitious lot, and considering the amount of things that can (and do) go wrong in a performance, it’s not surprising that folklore has popped up giving an explanation to these occurrences. These myths go above and beyond walking under ladders and opening umbrellas inside (although those are adhered to as well!); these are specifically for those working in the arts. In this list I delve into the world of theater superstitions and try to provide the reasons for their existence. 10 The Blues Superstition: It is bad luck to wear the color blue onstage, unless it was countered with something silver. In the early days of theater costuming, it was extremely difficult to make blue dye, and thus expensive to purchase. Companies that were failing would wear blue garments to try and fool their audience as to their success, and likely go bankrupt due to the cost of the costumes. The silver that countered it was proof of a successful company, as it proved to the audience that they could afford real silver or they had a wealthy backer.

9 Unlucky rule of Three Superstition: Having three lit candles onstage is bad luck. While it is adhering to the ‘ rule of three ’ having lit three candles on stage is considered bad luck. It is said that the person nearest to the shortest candle will be the next to marry, or the next to die. Before electric lights were commonplace in theater, the stage was lit by candles, although this is not the origin of the superstition – the unlucky candles had to be on the stage (i.e. – part of the set). Logic prevails on this one as with dim lighting, busy people and highly flammable fresh paint on the set, you are running the risk of burning down the theater. 8 Peacock feathers Superstition: Peacock Feathers should never be brought on stage, either as a costume element, prop or part of a set as chaos will ensue. Many veteran thespians tell stories of sets collapsing, curtains catching alight and other disastrous events during performances with peacock feathers. The feather is said to represent a malevolent ‘evil eye’, that bestows a curse on the show.

The association between peacock feathers and the evil eye is best illustrated by the Greek myth of Argus, the monster whose body was covered with a hundred eyes, these eyes were transferred to the tail of the Peacock. 7 Graveyard Gift Superstition: It’s considered good luck traditionally to give the director and/or the leading lady, after closing night, a bouquet of flowers stolen from a graveyard (never give flowers before a performance – They are yet to earn them so it’s bad luck!) Graveyard flowers are given on closing night to symbolize the death of the show, and that it can now be put to rest. The rational origin is that theater was, as most people who have worked in the industry will tell you, never a greatly profitable profession and despite being macabre, graves were a great source of free flowers. 6 Mirror image Superstition: It is bad luck to have mirrors on stage. The myth is that many believe that mirrors are a reflection of the soul and breaking one can mean seven years bad luck, not only for the breaker but for the theater itself. However, having a mirror on stage can cause technical issues, such as reflecting light into the audience or into places never intended to be lit.

It can also be a source of distraction for vain actors. The mirror superstition has since been challenged with the successful musical Chorus Line, and its famous mirror scene . 5 Hauntings Superstitions: Ghosts haunt theaters and should be given one night a week alone on the stage. Depending on your theater the stories will change, but there is one specific ghost, Thespis, who has a reputation for causing unexplained mischief. Thespis, of Athens (6th BC) was the first person to speak lines as an individual actor on stage, thus the term “Thespian” to refer to a theatrical performer was born. To keep the ghosts of the theater subdued, there should be at least one night a week where the theater is empty, this night is traditionally a Monday night, conveniently giving actors a day off after weekend performances. 4 Ghostly light Superstition: There should always be a light burning in an empty theater to ward off ghosts. Conventionally, the light is placed downstage center, illuminating the space when it is not in use, to keep ghosts with enough light so that they can see, which keeps them at bay.

This is another superstition with a practical value: The backstage area of a theater tends to be cluttered with props, set pieces and costumes, so someone who enters a completely darkened space is prone to being injured while hunting for a light switch. It prevents those still living from having to cross the stage in the dark, injuring themselves and leading to new ghosts for the theater. It’s also known as the “Equity Light” or “Equity Lamp”. 3 Whistling Superstition: It is considered bad luck to whistle on or off stage, as someone (not always the whistler) will be fired. The reason for this superstition was that before the invention of walkie-talkies or comms, the cues for the theater technicians were coded whistles given by the stage manager. If one was whistling backstage it could call a cue before its due, which could have disastrous outcomes resulting in someone losing their job whether it be the whistler, the stage manager or the technician. 2 Good Luck Superstition: To wish someone ‘Good luck’ before a show is bad luck. Generally, it is considered bad luck to wish someone good luck in a theater, the expression “Break a Leg” replaces the phrase “Good luck”.

There are many theories of the origin of this superstition of wishing luck to the actors, but here are a few: – After a good performance during Elizabethan England, actors were thrown money on the stage and they would kneel down to collect the money thus ‘breaking’ the line of the leg. – Similarly, for the curtain call, when actors bow or curtsy, they place one foot behind the other and bend at the knee, thus ‘breaking’ the line of the leg. – If the audience demands numerable curtain calls and the actors are moving on and off stage via the wings they may ‘break the legs’, ‘legs’ being a common name for side curtains/masks. 1 Macbeth Superstition: Saying the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theater will result in extreme bad luck. Theater folk avoid using it, referring to the play as ‘The Scottish Play’ or ‘The Bard’s Play’. If the name is spoken in a theater, there is a cleansing ritual one can do to rectify the mistake. The ritual I am familiar with is: The person is required to leave the theater building, spit, curse and spin around three times, before begging to be allowed back inside.

Other variants include: Reciting a line from another Shakespearean work, brushing oneself off, running around the theater counter clock-wise, or repeating the name 3 times while tapping their left shoulder. There are several possible origins for this superstition. One option is to believe in witchcraft. According to one superstition, Shakespeare himself got the words from a coven of real witches, who, after seeing the play weren’t impressed by their portrayal. Another says the props master from the original performance stole a cauldron from said coven, and the witches, again, weren’t impressed. The best witchcraft explanation is that Shakespeare put a curse on the play so that no-one, other than him, would be able to direct it correctly. Another origin is that there is more swordplay in it than most other Shakespeare plays, and, therefore, more chances for someone to get injured. But the option I believe is most likely is that, due to the plays popularity, it was often run by theaters that were in debt and as a last attempt to increase patronage; the theaters normally went bankrupt soon after. NB: The superstition is even parodied in an episode of The Simpsons.

While visiting London, the Simpson family comes across Sir Ian McKellen outside a theater showing “Macbeth.” Every time “Macbeth” is said, something happens to McKellen. More Great Lists Book Mania! — Friday the 13th: Shakespeare’s You-Know-Who Friday the 13th: Shakespeare’s You-Know-Who There are plenty of superstitions blanketing over the Shakespearean play Macbeth. Many consider the play “bad luck.” The rule of thumb is not to mention the play per se when inside a theater, but to refer to it as “The Scottish Play”. Another thing is not to mention the character “Macbeth,” instead refer to him as the “Scottish King.” Mentioning Shakespeare’s You-Know-Who and You-Know-What will result to extreme bad luck. Encounter with the Witches (via publicradio ) One possible origin of these myths was believed to have come from witches. Shakespeare himself was suspected to have been inspired to get some lines from the coven of witches, so that no one other than him could be better at directing the play. Another possible origin was when witches saw the play, they became unimpressed and rather cursed the play.

Productions of The Scottish Play are said to have been plagued with accidents, which dated back when the play was premiered. An actor was said to have demised after the actual production. Just last July 2014, one actor was rushed into the hospital after reportedly being struck by Kenneth Branagh’s sword . Curse - Macbeth Curse The following information was found on Geocites The "Curse of Macbeth" is the misfortune that happens during the production of the play. The theory goes that Shakespeare included actual black magic spells in the incantations of the weird sisters. Those who appear in the play or those who mention the play's name within the confines of a theatre risk having these evils brought down on their heads. The tragedy of Macbeth is considered so unlucky that it is hardly ever called by name inside the profession. People refer to the play as "that play�, �the unmentionable" or "the Scottish play." It is supposed to be bad luck to quote from the play or to use any sets, costumes, or props from a production.

The play partly acquired its evil reputation because of the weird sisters and partly because tradition traces a long line of disasters back to its premier on August 7, 1606. The boy actor playing Lady Macbeth died back stage on opening night. In 1934, four actors played Macbeth in a single week. In 1937, Macbeth had to be postponed for three days after a change in directors and because of the death of Lilian Boylis. In 1954, the portrait of Lilian Boylis crashed down on the bar on opening night. The answer to the curse is lost in folklore, there are three main guesses to why the curse occurs. The first guess is that there is something mystical about the weird sisters incantations. The second guess is that the play has a history of bad luck. The third guess is that the play's crowd-pleasing popularity made it the stand-by when a show was flopping. There is a lot of fighting and physical action in Macbeth. It is inevitable that in the long run of the play someone is going to get hurt.

After a few of these stories get around, you get the "Curse of Macbeth." In one production of Macbeth, nothing went wrong until the fight scene between Macbeth and Macduff. Both actors had round "Celtic-style" shields strapped to their forearms of their left arms. The fight was very physical. The actor playing Macbeth made a violent move with his left arm and the shield left his arm and flew like a Frisbee for twenty feet across the stage. The actor playing Macduff ducked instinctively and the shield hit the ground about sixteen inches from the front of the stage. Sitting in the front row, directly opposite the shield sat two nuns. The superstition is not so much about doing the play as about naming it. You are not supposed to mention the title in a theatre. The most interesting theory is that the play contains the devil in the form of the porter. The most common remedy to get rid of the curse is that the offender must step outside, turn around three times, spit, and say the foulest word he/she can think of, and wait for permission to re-enter the theatre. Crazy isn't it?

Theatrical Superstitions and Saints Theatrical Superstitions and Saints. Please visit my home page for descriptions of, and links to, the many other pages on this site. THEATRICAL SUPERSTITIONS AND SAINTS Not surprisingly, given the number of things that can go wrong, sometimes with no apparent logical cause, theatre folk often are a superstitious lot. Superstitions aren't limited to the theatre, of course. Undoubtedly you’ve heard of athletes who feel they absolutely must always wear a given article of clothing or they’ll have a bad game. For example, Jack Nickalaus must carry three pennies with him every time he plays golf, Babe Ruth had to touch first base with his foot on the way to the outfield, and race-car driver Rick Mears refuses to allow peanuts near his car. (For an excellent book about superstitions in sports, see Locker Room Mojo by Nick Newton and Bill Minutaglio, from which these examples are drawn. Amazon link .) Surely we all have our personal superstitions about avoiding walking under ladders, not stepping on a sidewalk’s crack, and changing direction so the black cat does not cross our paths.

And as for breaking a mirror--of course we know that means seven years of bad luck! For many of us, there’s a comfort in the ritual of superstition. Perhaps the logical part of your brain tells you there’s no magic in the first star you see at night but your heart encourages you to say, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might....” Not only is there comfort, we are happy that our art has interesting quirks. They contribute to our feeling we're special, different. Here, then, are some theatrical superstitions. We follow that discussion with a look at two special theatrical saints. THEATRICAL SUPERSTITIONS In theatre, many of our superstitions are based on old lore with origins that are lost in history. Often we can only conjecture how they started. Whatever their origins, they are fixed by constant repetition and are a firm part of what makes theatre interesting and colorful. BREAK A LEG “Break a leg!” is the standard way of wishing actors a good show. Why? No one knows with certainty. It may be based on the premise that saying “good luck” actually will have an adverse affect.

There's a possibility the saying comes from folklore, as Evan Morris ( ) suggests: "Popular folklore down through the ages is full of warnings against wishing your friends good luck. To do so is to tempt evil spirits or demons to do your friend harm. Better to outwit the demons (who must be rather dim, it seems to me) by wishing your friend bad fortune." Perhaps the saying comes—in a complicated way—from the use of “leg.” In tech theatre, a “leg” is a curtain, and a highly successful run with repeated curtain calls could wear out the fly machinery that raises and lowers the "leg," er, curtain. “Break a leg” is (a complex!) way of expressing wishes for a show that is so great, with the audience demanding so many curtain calls, that it "breaks" that "leg" or curtain. Another possible background for the expression is its relation to "taking a knee," which itself has roots in chivalry. Meeting royalty, one would "take a knee"--bend down to one knee. That breaks the line of the leg, hence "break a leg," a wish that the performer will do so well that he or she will need take bows.

Someone may try to convince you that "break a leg" actually has sardonic roots in John Wilkes Booth's assassination of President Lincoln in 1865. You know, of course, that Booth was an actor and that after shooting Lincoln he jumped down from the President's box to the stage, breaking his leg in the process. (After he landed on stage he shouted "Sic semper Tyrannis!" Latin for "Thus may it be it ever to tyrants!" So why isn't that the phrase we use to say "good luck" to actors?) Incidentally, according to Michael W. Kauffman's book, John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies, it isn't true he broke his leg in that jump. The break, Kauffman writes, happened later during Booth's frenized escape, when his horse fell. Others will tell you that the roots of the expression date back to the famous French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, whose career continued even after her leg was amputated in 1915. (So why isn't the phrase "cut off a leg"?) Both theories are colorful but unlikely.

Partridge's A Dictionary of Catch Phrases suggests that there may be a connection with the German phrase Hals und Beinbruch, an invitation to break your neck and bones. That phrase is used by aviators and is equivalent to the English phrase Happy Landings. But how the phrase flew from airports to the stage isn't known. (Pilots do have their way of talking. When I was learning to fly, the phrase I heard was, "Don't bend the plane." My flight instructor muttered at me not to bend his plane. If someone had a rotten landing and broke the landing gear or worse, the hanger pilots would shake their heads and say, "Man! He sure did bend that plane!") Whichever of these contribute to the phrase, the point is clear: "Break a leg" means "Have a great show!" THAT SCOTTISH PLAY One of the most prevalent theatrical superstitions forbids mentioning the title of Shakespeare’s tragedy about a lustful greed for power. Don't ever say its name when you're inside a theatre building.

Call it “that Scottish play.” Long-time theatre workers can recite many legendary bad-luck events, so inexplicable that supernatural forces of evil must have caused them, which jolted actors or productions after someone actually said the name of this particular play. Some say that more accidents and bad luck are connected with that play than with any other. Although there’s no hard evidence to support that claim, it does have major sword fights—the death of Banquo, the leading character’s (yes, I’m avoiding saying the name!) battle with Young Siward, and his final struggle with MacDuff—which obviously give more opportunities for accidents than we find in most plays. Certainly, too, the play's darkness (the word "dark" or its synonyms appears in it more than in any other of Shakespeare's plays, and "love" appears less than in most of his plays), the presence of "the weird sisters," and the growth of evil combine to give it raw destructive power. There's another theory for this play's "cursed" reputation.

Supposedly in the past, when theatres were in grave financial difficulties, they'd desperately select this (no, we're not mentioning its title!) play to draw audiences, and therefore this play became known as a curse of failing theatres. Interesting theory, albeit complex. But was this play really such a major draw? To judge by the modern popularity of Romeo and Juliet, that play would be a far better selection to draw audiences. I'm not sure that theory has much logic. (We barely whisper its name here, looking nervously over our shoulder: Macbeth.) THE GHOST LIGHT Many theatres have ghosts, according to resident theatre personnel who will tell you they’ve seen or heard uncanny visitors, and some insist that to ward off bad luck spirits there must always be a “ghost light” illuminating the stage when it is not in use. It is turned on as the actors and crews leave and burns all night. If the stage is dark, the superstition has it, ghosties can run free. Or perhaps we leave a light on so they can perform.

To me, the reason is less ghostly and more a statement of intense belief: we must be sure that concrete light always is on so that the metaphorical light of the theatre never will disappear. "Dark," let us recall, refers to a time when there is no show (i.e., "We perform Tuesday through Sunday, but Monday is dark"). We want our art never to become "dark" but instead to remain brightly alive. Of course there also is a practical reason for that light on stage: a large number of items come and go on the stage as a show is prepared, and the place can get downright cluttered, so a light helps protect against accidental falls when someone stumbles around in the dark—or (more importantly??) prevents accidental damage to the set. SPEAKING OF LIGHTS. . . . This is not a superstition but instead illustrates the way some theatrical terms enter every day conversation. You've heard of this or that athlete, politician, or rock star having his/her day "in the limelight"? The phrase dates back to 1808 when Sir Humphrey Davy, a British chemist, discovered that a brilliant white light resulted from heating calcium oxide ("lime") to an extreme temperature.

This limelight became popular to illuminate the important actors on stage. Think follow spot. It follows, then, that "in the limelight" came to mean "in the center of attention." And vice versa. WHISTLING BACKSTAGE Returning to superstitions. . . . Whistling backstage is a taboo because it supposedly brings dire results. This superstition quite likely has its roots in the past when managers hired sailors to run the fly loft, on the premise that the sailors’ expertise with knots and raising and lowering sails made them ideal workers. A signal system of whistles cued the sailors. Someone whistling for personal enjoyment could sound like a cue, resulting in a dire event like a heavy batten falling on actors’ heads. Therefore whistling can be bad luck. This is akin to clapping backstage. One never claps backstage, goes this superstition, because it brings bad luck. Again, the roots are founded in signals to crews--a noise like clapping might cue the fly loft crew to execute a shift, with distinctly unfortunate results.

A BAD DRESS REHEARSAL WILL MAKE A GREAT OPENING Then there's that saying that "a bad dress rehearsal will equal a good opening night." Me, I think that started with a producer who had a show underway that had an absolute disastrous dress. Not knowing how else to build morale, the producer glibly invented a quick excuse: "Well, you know the old saying that a bad dress guarantees a great show!" And that propaganda is hauled out by its hind legs everytime a dress rehearsal goes down the tubes. Plah! As far as I've seen, a cruddy dress most often will mean a cruddy opening; a potent dress rehearsal, on the other hand, builds confidence and morale and it is a marvelous high leaping off place for growth that will follow. SPEAKING THE PLAY'S LAST LINE IN REHEARSALS Some theatre folks believe it is bad luck to speak the last line of the play before opening night, because the play isn't "finished" until performed. Well. . . .

Given the number of tech cues associated with that last line--lights, sound, curtain--plus somewhat frenzied blocking to get everyone offstage and in position for the curtain call, isn't it awfully risky not to rehearse it? (Somewhat connected, I've always postponed blocking the curtain call until the very last moment, mostly because doing it says "we're finished" when we aren't. Too, the way a curtain call is blocked necessarily will indicate relative importance of various roles, and I dislike making that statement to the cast because it violates the idea of an ensemble, the creation of which is always one of my directorial goals.) BOX OFFICE SUPERSTITIONS This superstition seeks to ensure financial success. It insists that the house manager must refuse to admit a person with a “comp” (free ticket) until after at least one paying patron has entered the auditorium. Doing otherwise, according to this superstition, dooms the production to failure. A second superstition is pure sexist. In 1866, what was to become known as the “first American musical” was about to open in New York at Niblo’s Gardens.

This history-making production was a gaudy extravaganza called The Black Crook that was some five and a half hours long (!). At the time no one was aware of the historical significance of this production or that it was the beginning of America's major contribution to theatre arts. No, it was merely an accidental conjoining of a theatre manager desperate to get some production, any production, to fill his theatre, plus an unemployed ballet company, some spare scenery, and a desperately cobbled together script about some sort of fantasy world. The script made little sense, but that didn't matter: there were beautiful dancing ladies in skimpy costumes! (Of course you'll recognize that tradition in today's musicals!) On opening night September 12, William Wheatley, the manager of Niblo's Gardens, was at the theatre’s entrance as the audience was about to enter. To his shock, the first person in line was a woman. “No! You cannot be first,” Wheatley said, pushing her away.

“To allow a woman to be the first to enter would ruin the success of the play!” The Black Crook ran 474 performances, a gigantic run for its time, and its success of course prompted dozens of imitations, giving rise to what we know today as the “American Musical Theatre.” Wheatley later claimed the huge success of The Black Crook was due to the way he refused to allow a woman to be first to enter his theatre on opening night. H'mmm. Are we to conclude there’d be no American musical tradition if that female had been the first to enter? MIRRORS Others believe it is bad luck to have a mirror on stage (a superstition perhaps rooted in ancient times when the mirror could open the soul to the devil?). Of course a mirror can be a technical nuisance because it will reflect light into the audience's eyes. But the mirror superstition should've been put to rest with the production of Chorus Line-- 6,137 performances!--and its famous mirror scene. FLOWERS ON STAGE Live, real flowers on stage are bad luck (perhaps because they’ll wilt under the heat of theatrical lights?). A BLACK CAT A black cat usually is considered bad luck.

Not in theatre, however, according to some theatre practitioners. They think it brings good luck. Why? There are some stories, perhaps true, of actors who had a "black cat experience" right before going on stage and gave a show-stopping, better-than-ever performance. Therefore, of course, the black cat made that great show happen. (Hey, no one expects theatre folks to be logical!) Some actors even bring a black cat backstage. THE GREEN ROOM Theater superstitions | The Castaways Repertory Theatre The Castaways Repertory Theatre Theater superstitions (Bet you didn’t know there are so many) Some actors believe that sleeping with a script under their pillow will help them to learn their lines faster. This is sometimes known as “learning by diffusion”. Rehearsing on Sunday is said to be very bad luck (perhaps due to people being out late Saturday night). A bad dress rehearsal foretells a good opening night. Possibly, this is an example of sour grapes. However, it has a tendency to be true in that cast and crew are scared straight by a bad dress rehearsal and therefore fix their mistakes by opening night.

(Alternatively, a director may offer this superstition to boost the confidence of the actors after they were disheartened by the bad dress rehearsal.) It is bad luck to wear the color blue onstage, unless it is countered with something silver. As blue dye was once incredibly expensive, a failing acting company would dye some of their garments blue (thereby having no money to pay the actors) in the hopes of pleasing the audience. As for the silver to counter it, one would know that the acting company was successful and truly wealthy, or a rich person was funding the theater, to enable actors to wear real silver. The color green is also considered to be unlucky. This is said to date from the time when most performances were given out-of-doors. Wearing green would make it hard to distinguish the actor from grass/trees/bushes in the natural setting beyond the performing area. Certain articles of clothing in green or yellow are seen as being very bad luck. This is because they are the traditional symbols of the Devil in the old Miracle Plays. The bits of costume to be wary of in these colors are a tie, a vest, or a hat.

The Green Room is a cozy backstage room for actors to assemble when they are not on stage, logically near the dressing rooms with quick access to the stage. To help actors catch their cues for their entrances, in the Green Room are monitors that broadcast the play’s action and, often, the audience responses. Woe to the person who clutters it or turns it into a personal storeroom, demonstrating a selfish self-centered arrogance that shows no respect for the theatre, its traditions, or its actors! The Green Room also is the place where audience members come after a production to embrace the cast. A Green Room should never be painted green. A yellow clarinet in the Orchestra will bring disaster. Peacock Feathers should never be brought on stage, either as a costume element, prop or part of a set, as chaos will ensue. It is bad luck to have mirrors on stage. Having mirrors on stage is avoided where possible because in ancient times it was believed that looking into a mirror could open up your soul to the devil. Actors are also well known for being terribly vain so if a mirror is visible, they will spend more time looking at themselves then at the audience.

In reality, having a mirror on stage is a nuisance for the lighting as it causes all sorts of difficult shadows and reflected glare, which is difficult to control. Using real jewelry can cause the same problems. It is considered unlucky to have another person look into the mirror over your shoulder while you are on stage or making up before the show because misfortune is sure to befall the person being overlooked. This may come from the belief that the undead have no reflection. You should use a rabbit’s foot to apply makeup. You should never clean your makeup box. You should NEVER wear brand–new makeup on opening night. Never place shoes or hats on chairs or tables inside the dressing rooms. Always exit the dressing room left foot first. Absolutely no knitting in the wings. Whistling on or off stage is a taboo because it is considered bad luck and supposedly brings dire results, such as someone (not always the whistler) will be fired. The main reason for whistling being thought of as being bad luck comes from the days when out of work sailors often worked in the fly loft (area directly above the stage where scenery is stored when not in use).

In the days of tall ships and galleons, the sailors that manned them were experts with ropes and knots, having to raise and lower the sails and tie the ships to the quayside. Much of the scenery in the theater was pulled (flown) up to the roof in a similar way to sails being heaved out, (Theatrical rigging has its origins in sailing rigging), and by extension theatrical riggers, working on the ropes used to communicate to each other by whistling. This was fine unless a person whistling a tune walked across the stage while men were working overhead. They would hear the whistle and start lowering the pieces of set. If the set hit you, you could prove another theatrical superstition and become a theater ghost yourself. Ghosts haunt theaters and should be given one night a week alone on the stage. There should always be a light burning in an empty theater. For centuries, a myth has held that the light is protection from spirits, because if the theater ever went completely dark, lonely and resentful ghosts would realize everyone had gone and proceed to cause all sorts of mischief. Conventionally, the ‘ghost light’ is placed downstage center, illuminating the space when it is not in use.

It provides ghosts with enough light so that they can see. A theater’s ghosts always want to have enough light to see. Failure to provide this may anger them, leading to pranks or other mishaps. It also prevents non-spectral personnel from having to cross the stage in the dark, falling into the orchestra pit, dying in the fall and therefore becoming ghosts themselves. One specific ghost, Thespis, holds a place of privilege in theater lore. On what has been estimated to be November 23, 534 BCE, Thespis of ancient Athens (6th BCE) was the first person to speak lines as an individual actor on stage (hence using the term “thespian” to refer to an individual actor). Any unexplainable mischief that befalls a production is likely to be blamed on Thespis, especially if it happens on November 23. To wish someone ‘Good luck’ before a show is bad luck. In some theaters it is tradition for the cast prior to the performance to gather together to await the “bad luck” by wishing each other “bad Luck” or in some countries by cursing. The expression “Break a Leg” replaces the phrase “Good luck”.

In Shakespeare’s time, to ‘break’ meant to ‘bend.’ So, bend your leg, means to take a lot of bows. A company should not practice doing their bows before they feel they deserve them. Offhandedly, don’t say ‘Macbeth’, or even quote that play, in a theater. Ever. Saying the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theater will result in extreme bad luck. To avoid the bad luck, you must utter the words “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” Refer to the play as ‘The Scottish Play’ or ‘The Bard’s Play’ and the title character “the Scottish Lord” in order to avoid pronouncing the word. If the name is spoken in a theater, there is a cleansing ritual one can do to rectify the mistake. One ritual is the person is required to leave the theater building, spit, curse and spin around three times, before begging to be allowed back inside. Another is reciting a line from another Shakespearean work, brushing oneself off, running around the theater counter clock-wise, or repeating the name 3 times while tapping their left shoulder.

One never claps onstage as it also was used by the stage crew sailors overhead to communicate, so clapping brings bad luck. It is bad luck to complete a performance of a play without an audience in attendance, so one should never say the last line of a play during rehearsals. To get around this, some production companies allow a limited number of people (usually friends, family, and reviewers) to attend the dress rehearsals. Gifts such as flowers should be given to actors after a show, as opposed to before. If an actress receives flowers as a present, she may wear them before or after the performance, but considers it to be very unlucky to wear them when she is actually on the stage. Artificial ones are generally used instead. Live, real flowers on stage are bad luck. If a doll of a baby is ever used during a play, superstition dictates that whenever it is off stage in the wings, it should be placed face down. This stems from ancient China where it was believed that if a baby doll is left face up a ghostly spirit that resides in each doll will be let loose to cause havoc. A black cat usually is considered bad luck but not in theatre, some theatre practitioners think it brings good luck.

Some actors believe that having a Bible onstage is unlucky. Often, other books or prop books will be used with Bible covers. No real money should be used on stage. It is considered unlucky to wear real jewelry on stage, as opposed to costume jewelry. To stumble over anything on making an entrance, the actor firmly believes, will cause him to miss a cue or forget his lines. If an actor’s costume catches on a piece of scenery as he goes on, he must immediately retrace his steps and make a new entrance, or else suffer misfortunes of all sorts during the rest of the performance. Walking canes are said to represent success and health. Crutches are said to represent failure and serious injury. Fresh paint and costumes are very flammable so candles are obviously dangerous. Whoever is closest to the shortest of three candles burning together is soon to get married or die (what an option). These tunes are all seen as being unlucky: ‘Three Blind Mice’, ‘The Death March’, and ‘I Dreamt that I Dwelt In Marble Halls’, the latter is not heard much lately :>) In some companies, wearing the T-shirt of the play being produced before opening day is considered bad luck.

Other companies however hold the exact opposite opinion, and actually encourage their actors to wear the shirt as often as possible before opening night to increase ticket sales. Like any business, theatre is about making money. It is a bad omen to start off a show with an ’empty’ cashbox. To avoid being doomed to disaster, many house managers will ask comp ticket holders to please wait to be seated, until a paying customer has first entered the house. A man must be the first to enter a theater on opening night. A similar theory as the one above, a woman should never be the first to enter as it will mean the run will be cut short. True: You should never look at the audience from the stage side of the curtain, e.g., sticking your head out to see who is there. True: A common saying “In the Limelight” comes from calcium oxide bulbs or from when an oxyhydrogen flame was directed at a cylinder of quicklime (calcium oxide) and used in follow spots illuminating the main star of the show. Date published: September 30, 2016 Search for:

Question: What Shakespearean play is it bad luck to mention inside a theater?
Answer: Macbeth