New York Stagehand Glossary

11 o'clock number-- a brassy, solo number by the star of the show or a main character before the finale, often reiterating the themes of...

the flow-- interest on the advance sale of tickets. A producer term. In the case of a $12 million advance like Phantom had in 1989, the int...

" Might as well throw the money onstage and burn it" --During those insane moments during production, when the producers are despe...

"must be a tax shelter"-- when a show comes into a theater in such bad shape, that survival is unlikely, a stagehand can mutter th...

Here are a few terms of trouble: break your shovel-- you're done here. "You have broken your shovel at this theater." ...

a shitstorm --chaotic, unpleasant situation. Usually dangerous, unexpected trouble. "When the soundman turned off the com system and le...

bum steer --false information, may be intentionally misleading. "The stagehand gave me a bum steer telling me the wrong dates for the l...