You've heard them, I'm sure. Today I was watching an archive tape that contained, above the music, all the backstage conversation and calls by the stage manager, a video of Giselle. So where Giselle at one point in Act Two is leaned over the side of the stage to drop some flowers to Albrecht, a voice just before had said something to the effect of "Warning on the Tilt-A-Wili!"

Any similar memories?

On a parallel path, here is the link to a topic which somehow manages to combine comments about lighting with jokes about viola players and other so-called musicians. Viola players have it hard!

http://forum.criticaldance.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000034

A Swan Lake stage manager was once heard to call, "Cue the duck."

When on tour with the Opera and performing "Carmen", by the end of the run (60+ performances over 3 months), the stage manager would call the last act to stage by saying, "OK, let's kill this chick."

The windmill in Don Q being referred to as the Wheel of Fortune