Music & Performance
HardStage and Theater Crossword
Category: Music & PerformanceDifficulty: Medium15 × 17
Wednesday, September 9
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Enter one letter per square. Answers run Across or Down. Omit spaces and accents; any special spelling convention is stated in the clue. This is a freeform themed grid, so some letters are not crossed.
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About This Theme
Theater has its own geography. Left and right depend on where you stand, and places hidden from the audience have names of their own. This crossword explores that geography alongside the people and signals that keep a performance moving. Imagine facing the audience when a clue asks about stage directions. For the rest, think about what happens before a performance as well as what happens under the lights.
Clues
Across
- 4Architectural opening framing the stage in a traditional theater (10)
- 6Performer prepared to take over another performer's role (10)
- 9Practice session before a performance (9)
- 11Performance held in the afternoon (7)
- 12Signal for a performer or technician to act (3)
Down
- 1Areas at the sides of a stage, usually hidden from the audience (5)
- 2Portable object used by a performer in a scene (4)
- 3Group of performers working together (8)
- 5Toward the back of the stage, away from the audience (7)
- 7Toward the front of the stage and the audience (9)
- 8Speech in which a character voices thoughts aloud, often alone (9)
- 10Stage area extending in front of the proscenium (5)
Answers and Explanations
After Your Solve
UPSTAGE and DOWNSTAGE are directions within the performance space, while WINGS describes areas to its sides. The perspective matters: stage directions belong to the performer facing the audience. UNDERSTUDY names a person prepared for a particular responsibility; REHEARSAL names the process of preparation. CUE is a small word for a crucial signal. Once you have solved, try describing the beginning of a scene using three of these terms. Their relationships make the vocabulary easier to retain than a disconnected glossary.
- 4 acrossPROSCENIUM
The proscenium separates the framed stage view from the auditorium.
- 6 acrossUNDERSTUDY
An understudy learns a role as cover.
- 9 acrossREHEARSAL
Rehearsal prepares the production.
- 11 acrossMATINEE
Matinee identifies timing rather than genre.
- 12 acrossCUE
A cue triggers a planned action.
- 1 downWINGS
The wings provide offstage space.
- 2 downPROP
A prop is a stage property.
- 3 downENSEMBLE
Ensemble can refer to the collective company.
- 5 downUPSTAGE
Upstage is farther from the audience.
- 7 downDOWNSTAGE
Downstage is closer to the audience.
- 8 downSOLILOQUY
A soliloquy gives access to a character's thoughts.
- 10 downAPRON
The apron projects toward the audience.
Further Reading
- Theme referencetheatrecrafts.com
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