Rehearsals

What should you expect in a rehearsal? This guide will explain the types of rehearsals as well as the expectations for actors, crew, and staff when they arrive at the rehearsal room.

Terminology

• Blocking: The movement and gestures used in staging.
• Call Time: A call time is the time the cast and crew of a production needs to be at rehearsals or in the theatre, ready to work.
• Cue to Cue: Cutting out action and dialogue between cues during a technical rehearsal, to save time.
• Dress Rehearsal: A full, final rehearsal, with all technical and creative elements brought together. The performance as it will be "on the night."
• Off Book: Performing from memory rather than reading from a script.
• Opening Night: The first night on which a particular production is performed.
• Prompt (prompter): A member of the production team who prompts the actors when they forget their lines.
• Stagger-through: The first, rough complete run-through of the play.
• Technical Rehearsal: One of the final rehearsals where the technicians integrate the various technical elements into the production. Actors should be prepared to jump from cue to cue as required to allow this to happen.