Term of the Day: dry waterboarding

dry waterboarding--an incredibly boring job, where there is not enough work to keep busy. Several years ago, we were standing around at the 67th Street Armory, trying to look busy. In the prop department, we would run out of work often, for we had to wait for the props to arrive from England for the big Shakespeare festival. As we kept sweeping and re-sweeping the already clean parade floor, an old timer said, "This is like dry waterboarding."  

Line of the Day: "I'll tip big when you're back at Starbucks."

 "I'll tip big when you're back at Starbucks"-- a head friend of mine on a musical had to deal with a snotty of NYU grad performers doing their first Broadway show. Broadway, she knew, can be a mercurial, cruel mistress. Her line about them was, "I'll tip big when you're back at Starbucks."

Quote of the Day: I still have sores over this"

I still have sores over this-- I am still angry over this, I am still sore.

Term of the Day: a three-year review

three-year review-- when the review is so good, the show is going to run for a while. "I thought that 'School of Rock' got a three-year review in the Times. It wound up running 37 months." "A recent Times review of 'Tina: The Tina Turner Musical' praised the cast but damned the book. I think that is a 12-month review."

Term of the Day: review proof

review proof-- even after bad reviews, a show may survive with aggressive advertising and great word of mouth. "'Wicked' got a mediocre review from the New York Times, but it turned out to be review proof and it still running 16 years later."

Term of the Day: carney

carney--circus worker, roustabout. Modern definition is a disreputable person, possibly with a comic underlay. "I was short for labor during production, so I hired two carneys from the hall, who proceeded to disappear after lunch."

Term of the Day--pinchy

pinchy-- (adj.) cheap. to be pinchy. Short for penny pincher. "That company manager is really pinchy."

Term of the Day: Godzilla v. Mothra

Godzilla v. Mothra-- when two powerful stagehands are at war with each other. Screaming in the theater may result, and everything is laid to waste.

Term of the Day: wrong side of God

wrong side of God-- you are definitely in the wrong.  "The musician who pissed off the easygoing SM was on the wrong side of God that day."

Term of the Day: sticking my head in the lion's mouth

sticking my head in the lion's mouth--voluntarily doing an unpleasant or dangerous thing. "I'm going to talk to the difficult soundman...I guess I am sticking my head in the lion's mouth."