[NEohioPAL] Etymological question for theatre folk

[Shonna Talley]

Robert-since i wasnt alive then i cannot swear to it, but i was taught long ago that audition pieces were called "sides" from shakespeares day. Similar to cue acting, actors were only given there lines verbally from someone on the sides of the stage before they said them. Many actors did not read, nor would they have been given a full script of everyone elses lines, only their own lines. This supposedly also kept the play more secretive so that other acting troupes had a harder time stealing the play for their own use. Like i said, just what i was taught in college theatre, wouldnt bet the farm on it :) hope it helps anyway.

Shonna
Twinsburg Community Theatre

On Sep 17, 2011, at 9:46 AM, Robert Hawkes <rhhawkes at gmail.com> wrote:

> Can anybody enlighten me as to why excerpted passages of plays for reading at auditions are called "sides"?
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