What Do I Do? Trivia Quiz

Answer: angel

In a theatrical and business sense, an angel is a person who financially backs up a theatrical production. The term actually originated in Broadway theater, first used by William Wetzel to describe investors who kept theatrical productions alive that would have otherwise shut down. A number of angels coordinate in groups.

Answer: thespian

Thespian is a synonym, deriving from an ancient Greek, Thespis, who is claimed to have been the first actor. Actors put on a live performance for the show to happen. There is a great variety of artistic talent that goes into acting, but use of the word thespian often carries connotations of tragic or dramatic theater.

Answer: grip

Grips are theatrical technicians, specifically those who work with lighting and rigging. Electricians handle the lights themselves, while grips control other factors that affect light. Grips also control the theater's riggings, and are responsible for safety issues involving gravity. The head of the grips is called the key grip.

Answer: usher

You'll encounter an usher leading you to your seat. They'll make sure you find your correct seat -- and avoid getting into areas you aren't supposed to be in. If you were given a ticket, the usher would be the one verifying it. Ushers also tend to help with security.

Answer: choreographer

Theatrical performances involve a lot of artistic creations, and the choreographers ("dance writers") are in charge of such sequences, particularly dance sequences. As a choreographer often needs to interpret ideas into the overall performance, he or she will normally work a lot with the play's director.

Answer: charge artist

Since it's pretty impractical to import entire scenes to the site of a play, the (scenic) charge artist comes in to draw as much of it as reasonably possible. They do not create any props (the carpenters do that), but are specifically in charge of painting them instead. Charge artists have to visually interpret instructions and, of course, stay within a production's budget.

Answer: prompter

A prompter is an emergency personnel that exists to step in when an actor forgets lines or where to move to. Prompting is commonly done only during rehearsals; if done during an actual performance, it is very discreet. Not all plays have dedicated prompters; a stage manager may be used for those responsibilities instead.

Answer: dialect coach

There is only so much of a speech that can be conveyed in writing, and the subtler bits like accents and voice tone are ultimately directed by a dialect coach. Dialect coaches add that last layer of authenticity on an actor's performance. Not all theatrical productions include a budget for a dialect coach.

Answer: running crew

The technical crew are all those who work on the technical aspects of a play, while the running crew are those who do the technical work during the actual performance of the play. These include the people who are in charge of the sound and lighting aspects of a play, as well as those who are responsible for changing the scenery. Some also help if actors need to change costumes.

Answer: dresser

An actor isn't an actor without a proper costume! The dresser is in charge of making sure each actor is dressed properly and works out precise routines for costume transitions. Dressers are directed by the wardrobe supervisor. Dressers may also help actors change costumes quickly during a performance, and having the new costume at hand. If any damage happens to a costume during a performance, it falls on the dresser to fix it.