Term of the Day: chewing the scenery

chewing the scenery--overacting. See also: "tooth-marks on the scenery."

Term of the Day: bond

bond--producers must post bond to cover salaries and liabilities in case of sudden closure.

Term of the Day: between hangovers

between hangovers--sarcastic comment about a stagehand with a drinking problem. "He's a good head if you catch him between hangovers."

Term of the Day: above my pay grade

above my pay grade--indicating you are not qualified to make a decision, deferring a difficult or embarrassing decision to the bosses above you. Washing your hands of a matter.

Term of the Night: straight from Central Casting

straight from Central Casting--when an actor or crew member conforms to a Broadway stereotype. "The new dancer was a Texas redhead straight from Central Casting." The Central Casting Bureau was an extras casting agency set up by the Hollywood studios in the 1920's as a resource to find extras and as a way to control them and their wages.

Term of the Day: "You can't break iron"

"You can't break iron"--When asked how he was recovering from an injury incurred when somebody pushed a roadbox on him, the stagehand, who survived the horrors of Vietnam combat, said with deadpan intensity, "You can't break iron."

Overheard Stagehand Line #19: “The road don’t count.”

“The road don’t count.”--stagehand explanation for out-of-town infidelity.