GUIDE TO ABBREVIATIONS AND SPECIAL TERMS
The
following terms and abbreviations, used throughout the book, will prove helpful
to the reader.
In One- this refers to a scene or
musical number that is played in front of a drop to facilitate a set change.
Many numbers begin in full set and end in front of a closed curtain or
drop. It usually means there are no set
props available i.e. benches, chairs. Most
In One numbers are performed standing up. "Elegance," in Hello, Dolly! is
an example of this type of song.
Stage Directions- Stage directions, as we know them, go back to
Shakespearean times when performers played on a raked stage with the poorer
members of the audience most often standing on a flat surface. In order to allow these standees to see the
action at the rear of the stage the stage was raked with the highest end
furthest from the audience. When an
actor walked away he was walking Upstage. Thus the term Upstage
refers to action furthest away from the audience and Downstage refers to that
which is closest. All stage directions
are given from the actors viewpoint, which means that
Stage Right and Stage Left refer to the actor's Right and Left.
L to...- refers
to Lines which directly preceded a song.
This information is included because of the difficulty for performers to
bridge the gap between spoken dialogue and song. Lines may mean a monologue prior to a solo
song or a few lines at the end of a scene that flows into the song.
Sc to...- applies
to scenes that precede musical numbers.
These are most often small scenes with two or three characters with
action directly leading to the song and its development. All the characters
need not have lines in the Scene, and all need not sing in the song. There are many Scenes to Solos which require
the other person to be onstage prior to the song and often throughout the song
without taking a vocal part in the song.
Solo- a song sung by one
person, sometimes to another who does not sing. In cases where the
response of the non-singer is important to the singer it is advised that the
two rehearse together. It is suggested that "reaction" numbers be
part of all students' training. "Miracle of Miracles" and "Far
From the Home I Love" from Fiddler
on the Roof, are two examples of how the non
singer helps the singer. In the first Tzeitel's reactions to Motel's enthusiasm lead him to
greater heights, and in the second Tevye's response
to Hodel and her subsequent reactions make the drama
heartbreaking.
In
the same vein:
Duet- Two People
Trio- Three People.
Quartet- Four People.
Quintet- Five People
Octet- Eight People, only mentioned if the number specifically
requires that exact amount for vocal reasons
Chorus- refers to musical numbers,
which are most often performed by a group in some sort of physical unison. In the song charts in the back of the book
the chorus numbers are specifically geared to the beginning choreographer and
success in a classroom or Revue situation.
There are many chorus numbers that require a seasoned choreographer,
excellent dancers and grueling rehearsals.
For that reason they do not appear except in the synopsis.
Linear...- Linear, most often used to
define duets, refers to a song where two people sing together but from
different areas of the stage. They
usually do not physically relate to the other character. However, lyrically may involve the other person.
Linear duets are usually not appropriate for dramatic scene to duet class work
for there is no inter- relationship.
Triple Threat- this relatively new term
refers to performers who act, sing and dance.
Prior to the seventies performers usually excelled in either
singing, dancing or acting and were termed singers who danced or dancers
who sang or actors who could sing, or actors who danced. The rising cost of Broadway
musicals necessitated that chorus size be trimmed, thus the disappearance of
separate singing and dancing choruses.
A Chorus Line is a show that
requires a company of triple threat performers.
Concept Musical- This term generally
refers to a show that originated from a concept, is fairly free flowing, and
has characters that do not need to inter-relate. Working
and Runaways are examples of
these. Both shows primary interest is
the treatment of the topic and how the individual character feels about himself.
VTNE- Vocal Type Not Essential, applied
to a non-singing role
VTI- Vocal Type Inter Changeable, this primarily refers to those
who only sing in trios, quartets, or chorus where the character is not altered
by a change in vocal type.