Non-Equity
Non-Equity refers to theatrical productions and performers operating outside Actors’ Equity Association contracts — offering valuable experience and credits while generally providing lower compensation than union work.
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway refers to professional New York City theater in venues with 100-499 seats — smaller than Broadway but operating under Equity contracts and known for producing adventurous new work.
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway is New York City’s most experimental theater tier — small venues under 100 seats, often non-union, that have served as the incubator for some of American theater’s most important artists and works.
Regional Theater
Regional Theater refers to professional non-profit theater companies operating across the US outside New York City — developing American theatrical culture nationally and often originating major Broadway productions.
Showcase Code
A Showcase Code is an Actors’ Equity agreement allowing union members to perform in small low-budget productions under modified terms — serving as a development and visibility vehicle for new work and emerging artists.
Sotto Voce
Sotto Voce is an Italian term meaning ‘under the voice’ — describing a soft, hushed delivery in theater and music that suggests secrecy, intimacy, or emotion too deep for full expression.
Stage Door
The Stage Door is the working entrance of a theater used by performers and crew — and the traditional gathering point where fans wait after performances to meet the cast.
Stage Whisper
A Stage Whisper is a theatrical convention in which a performer speaks at full audible volume while the dramatic action implies the words are being said quietly — projecting apparent secrecy to an entire audience.
Staged Reading
A Staged Reading is a developmental theatrical format in which performers present a script in hand without full production elements — used to develop new work and gather feedback before full production.
Standby
A Standby is a performer specifically contracted to cover one or two named leading roles in a theatrical production — remaining on call and prepared but not performing in the show unless needed.