Overheard Stagehand Line #64: "I don't trust that guy..."

 Famous Tough Head: "I don't trust that guy... he's always smiling."

Term of the Night: production meeting karma

production meeting karma--when difficult production people get flayed alive at post-preview production meetings. "The famously backstabby production stage manager was called out by name at the post-show production meeting and reamed out by an angry director. She experienced some production meeting karma." 

Term of the Night: a park and bark

a park and bark--when a Broadway diva is given a showstopping number but no choreography to go with it, literally standing in one spot and belting out her number.  From the New York Times review of "Chess," November 16, 2025.

Overheard Stagehand Line #65: "making nasty comments in a folksy upstate accent"

Stagehand: "Why don't you hire that guy anymore?"

Head: "I got sick of him making nasty comments in a folksy upstate accent." 

Term of the Night: "Say anything, tell them nothing"

"Say anything, tell them nothing"--old Irish saying, good for dealing with shit-stirrers or management. Do not give any information that is useful. Give them blarney.

Overheard Stagehand Dialogue #32: "business or personal?"

Young Stagehand: "When you threw that violent carpenter under the bus, was it business or personal?"

Older Stagehand: (taking a contemplative moment) "'Twas business and personal, the best of both worlds." 

Legendary Stagehands #3: Tommy A-Flat

Tommy A-Flat-a stagehand who once fell into an orchestra pit, I believe at the State Theatre, crushed a cello and survived with minor injuries. The nickname "Tommy A-Flat" stayed with him for the rest of his career.