Same thing, different name

BabsLights · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:52 pm

Caught in the middle of trying to collate (and translate) the paperwork for ONE ballet, performed in THREE different countries, I've been struggling this week with theatrical backstage terms. There's the old stage right/stage left, PS/OP thing, but there have been more terms that have had us scratching our heads....rostrum.....domes

So I'm wondering...we have a pretty international crowd here. Let's compare some words!

Legs, borders, proscenium, platform, scrim are some American words I use regularily.

What about you?

And what's a rostrum, please? And the domes? (actually, we think the domes are the followspots in Australia)

djb · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:32 pm

I expect you've found the answer by now, but in case you haven't:

Quote:

n., pl. ros·trums or ros·tra.

A dais, pulpit, or other elevated platform for public speaking.

The curved, beaklike prow of an ancient Roman ship, especially a war galley.

The speaker's platform in an ancient Roman forum, which was decorated with the prows of captured enemy ships.

Biology. A beaklike or snoutlike projection.

[Latin rōstrum, beak.]

Must be the last definition.

Azlan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:45 pm

Methinks it's:

Quote:

The speaker's platform in an ancient Roman forum, which was decorated with the prows of captured enemy ships.

But it has to be from a captured enemy ship to be called a rostrum. Friendly fire doesn't count, in which case it would be called a fristrum.

BabsLights · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:04 pm

The country from which this ship arrived is considered friendly, so therefore hardly an enemy ship.

But seriously, I think it's interesting all the different names for things! I was hoping to generate a little discussion...

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:14 am

My understanding of the word - one of these two:


	public forum

Same thing, different name

Who is online