Theater and Film Vocabulary

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opening night (n) /ˈəʊpənɪŋ naɪt/

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first public performance; The actors felt nervous on the opening night and hoped the play would be a success. Syn: premiere

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box office (n) /bɒks ˈɒfɪs/

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money from ticket sales for a show or film; The film became an instant box office success.

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genre (n) /ˈʒɒ̃rə/

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a style of film, art, music, etc. which has particular characteristics; Black comedy is a film genre which can address serious issues by using humour.

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sci-fi (n) /ˈsaɪ faɪ/

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abbreviation of science fiction; I enjoy watching sci-fi series about time travel, such as Doctor Who.

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scoundrel (n) /ˈskaʊndrəl/

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a person who cheats, lies or treats others badly; The insurance agent was simply a scoundrel who ran off with his customers’ money.

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saint (n) /seɪnt/

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a very good, kind person; She’s regarded as a saint for her volunteer work with the homeless.

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lead actor (n) /liːd ˈæktə(r)/

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the actor who plays the main role; Frances McDormand won an Oscar as the female lead actor in the film Nomadland.

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release (v) /rɪˈliːs/

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make available to buy, listen to, watch, etc.; When will the band’s new album be released?

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fictional (adj) /ˈfɪkʃənl/

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imaginary and from a book or story; My favourite fictional character is Arya from Game of Thrones.

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effectiveness (n) /ɪˈfektɪvnəs/

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the fact of achieving an aim; They’re experimenting to test the effectiveness of different stage lighting.