Whether you're a Broadway veteran or a first time theatre goer, here are 26 things that every thespian should know.
Antoinette Perry.
Founder of the American Theater Wing and who the Tony Award is named after.
Broadway.
The thing that every "theatre kid," young and old alike strive for and dream about.
Choreography.
"Right! Let's do the whole combination,
Facing away from the mirror.
From the top. A-Five, six, seven, eight!"
Dressing Room.
That place where you seem to lose ALL of your Bobby Pins...
Eleven O'Clock Numbers.
Cabaret, Memory, Rose's Turn, What I did for Love...you know, all those songs you sing when you're home alone or in the car by yourself.
Fourth Wall.
The invisible wall between the stage and the audience; a barricade that can often be knocked down by witty or insightful asides.
Glow Tape.
Lots of it. On all the things. Everywhere.
House.
The audience's home.
Intermission.
The 15 or so minutes between acts where you can now unwrap your loud candy wrappers without the person next to you cringing in annoyance or be on your cell phone without Patti Lupone having to get her stage manager.
Jukebox Musical.
Jersey Boys, Beautiful, American Idiot, Million Dollar Quartet...Everyone has a favorite jukebox musical, whether it's a guilty pleasure or all time fave.
Kick Lines.
*insert obligatory choreography here*
LaDuca Shoes.
319 W 47th St, New York, NY. Aka the chorus dancer candy store where happiness can be handmade for your sole.
Mic Checks.
Testing testing.
New York City.
It's the greatest city in the world, if you can make it there you can make it anywhere.
Opening Night.
"Another Opening, Another Show..."
Playbills.
Signed, framed, and saved for forever.
Quick Change.
Some of the most well choreographed, yet stressful seconds of your acting career.
Rehearsals.
Time to go do what you can't live without.
Also you're supposed to be off book for Act I today.
Stage Doors.
Where memories are made and playbills are signed.
Tech Week.
Hell week, heck week, lose sleep and love your crazy life week.
Understudies (& Swings).
Actual superhumans who have the capability to somehow memorize the tracks of several ensemble members and three leads. They take the idea of "one man show" to a new level.
Voice.
The performers instrument.
Warm-ups.
Lemon water, vocal steamer, yoga, articulations, isolations...
X (Cross).
Look, no matter how you mark that cross from down stage right to upstage center, you better be off book for your lines and blocking by next rehearsal.
Young Actors.
Particularly all those Matilda's, teenage Newsies, and Annie's with equity paychecks.
Zero.
The number of Tony Awards that 99% of us currently posses, but that won't stop us from heading to the Great White Way!
