New York Stagehand Glossary

cold gun -- movie term for a gun that does NOT contain live ammunition. When a gun is handed to an actor and is full of blanks, it is deemed...

 galoot, gallof -- oafish, awkward person, not very bright. Can be affectionate, can be a slur.  "The angry old carpenter hired a galoo...

to be shot out of a cannon --to be thrown into a disorienting situation, like running a new track with no training.

  Lady MacBeth— backstabbing stagehand into political intrigue in the theater. “ That guy?   He’s a real Lady MacBeth. Be careful.”  Should ...

  "I am not a fan" --the nice way to say "I hate his/her guts."

 working oneself into a lather —for bosses, to wind oneself up to get angry enough to fire someone. Or anyone who ramps up their anger with ...

a wipeout --when one or several rows of seats are removed from the theater orchestra during a load-in/production period for high-powered cre...