Term of the Day: reign of terror

reign of terror--ongoing, abusive work environment, coming from an unstable head. "The propwoman led a 15-year reign of terror against the contract people who came into her theater, until her firing was orchestrated by a Broadway actor and theater legend."

Term of the Day: dry drunk

dry drunk--former drunk who is on the wagon, but still has the explosive rages or dysfunctional behavior associated with long-term drunks. Term comes from the12-step community.

Overheard Stagehand Conversation #31: "I've done three shows..."

New House Head: "I've done three shows. I know what I am doing."
Old Contractman: (Malicious laughter) "I've done 40 shows. I am not sure I've got it myself."

Term of the Day: turn the screws

turn the screws--to apply constant pressure on a person to get the results you want. "I turned the screws on the contract propman and he finally got me a new vacuum." Also: put the screws on. Turn the screws is a reference to thumbscrews, the medieval torture device.

Term of the Day: the Basement

the Basement--the two theaters run by the Manhattan Theatre Club in the basement of the City Center, famous for their low pay and substandard conditions for stagehands.

Term of the Day: the usual whistle stops

the usual whistle stops-- when a stagehand is bouncing around, they can make their money by doing the same big projects every year, like the Clinton Global Initiate, Fashion Week, the summer festivals at Lincoln Center or the Park Avenue Armory. "Where have you been working?" "Oh, the usual whistle stops." A whistle stop is a 19th century political term for a short visit by train from a political candidate, where they'd stop in a town, give a speech, then move on.

Term of the Day: empty headset

empty headset--a production stage manager who lacks the character, charisma or skills to do their job properly. "The new PSM is a real empty headset...there is not much there."

Term of the Day: light cues/heavy cues

light cues/heavy cues--at a long-running Broadway show, the house crew has two sets of cues that they offer sub heads, the light cues or the heavy cues. If they like the head, they give them the light cues. If they don't like them, they give them the heavy cues with back-breaking moves of heavy furniture.

Term of the Day: nothing teaches likes adversity

nothing teaches likes adversity--when bad experiences makes a better stagehand

Overheard Actor Line #3: "There is cheap all around."

 "There is cheap all around"-- on a hit Broadway show, when it was time for the actors to renew their contracts, the producers were offering $50-a-week raises. One actor sighed and said, "There is cheap all around."