What Are Some Common Theatrical Superstitions?

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00:00What are some common theatrical superstitions?

00:05Many theatre patrons would be surprised to learn how many theatrical superstitions and

00:10backstage rituals still exist in modern acting companies.

00:16When actor Patrick Stewart took on the title role in a Broadway production of Shakespeare's

00:20tragedy Macbeth, for example, he had to learn not to mention the name of the play while

00:25within the walls of a theatre.

00:28Using the euphemism, that Scottish play in place of the actual title is a long-standing

00:34tradition.

00:35There are several theories behind this particular superstition, many of which surround the use

00:40of incantations during the opening scene.

00:44According to legend, real witches were originally cast to play witches in early productions,

00:49and the spells they used were said to be authentic.

00:52It is said that a witch cursed the play as revenge for revealing these secret incantations.

00:58Several actors and others connected to subsequent productions died under mysterious circumstances,

01:04so cast members traditionally avoid announcing any upcoming productions of Macbeth, lest

01:09they attract the attention of the witch and her curse.

01:15Another type of theatrical superstition involves the use of fake props in place of real items

01:20of value, such as antiques, jewellery, or real flowers.

01:25This behaviour has some practical value, however, since those items may become lost, broken,

01:31or stolen during a production run.

01:33Real flowers must also be replaced regularly, and the potential for slips and falls on a

01:38wet stage is always present.

01:41Some theatre companies also believe that real antiques carry with them the spiritual energies

01:45of past owners, both positive and negative, and negative energy could affect performances.

01:51The use of a real Bible or other holy relic is also discouraged on stage.

01:57Prop masters often use a common book and a fake cover to simulate a Bible on stage, rather

02:02than show disrespect for a sacred text.

02:05The personal behaviour of actors and other theatrical workers is also a source of superstition

02:10in the theatre.

02:12Whistling is considered to be bad luck, primarily because it was the preferred communication

02:16method for stagehands, and an unplanned whistle could signal an unexpected and dangerous change

02:21of scenery.

02:24Since modern technical crews now use computerised cueing systems and mobile phones instead of

02:29sailors' whistles, whistling in the backstage area is no longer the dangerous practice it

02:34once was, but it is still avoided.

02:38Actors in musical productions are also not allowed to hum or sing songs from the actual

02:42show before a performance.

02:45During rehearsals, actors are also not supposed to deliver the final lines of a play, since

02:50no theatrical performance is considered complete without an audience.

02:55Actors who violate these unspoken rules and rituals may be asked to perform a penance

02:59before rejoining the cast.

03:02In the case of Macbeth, for example, any actor who mentions the real title within a theatre

03:07must immediately leave the building, turn around three times, utter a curse word, and

03:12then ask for permission to re-enter the building.

03:15Some theatrical superstitions concern the use of certain colours in a production.

03:20The colour yellow, for example, is considered unlucky in many older theatre companies because

03:25it originally represented Satan in early morality plays.

03:29Even the use of a yellow clarinet in the orchestra is considered an evil omen.

03:34Another unlucky colour, at least on stage, is green.

03:39While the luxurious backstage area known as the green room is universally seen as a good

03:44thing, the use of the colour green on stage could prove troublesome.

03:49Some suggest that actors who wore green during outdoor productions could become camouflaged

03:54by the natural greenery visible behind the stage.

03:58While most leading actors appreciate gifts, there are some superstitions associated with

04:02certain gifts as well.

04:05Flowers should never be presented to an actress before a performance, only afterward.

04:10In fact, one old belief required the presentation of flowers stolen from a graveyard, a tradition

04:16apparently started out of financial necessity by struggling acting troops.

04:22There are also superstitions surrounding the behaviour of actors both on stage and off.

04:28Tripping before making an entrance is considered to be good luck, as is having a bad dress

04:33rehearsal.

04:34In order to avoid cursing on stage, many casts meet backstage just before a performance and

04:40shout a chosen expletive several times to essentially get it out of their systems.

04:45Pinching an actor before he or she takes the stage is also considered good luck.

04:51The one thing a well-wisher must never do is wish an actor good luck.

04:56This is perhaps one of the best-known theatrical superstitions still in effect today.

05:01There is a belief among certain theatrical professionals that ghosts tend to haunt empty

05:06theatres and are keen to produce the opposite result of whatever requests they hear.

05:12In order to thwart these spirits, actors often say the opposite of what they actually mean.

05:18By telling someone to break a leg instead of good luck, the hope is that the spirit

05:23will be tricked into providing real good luck for the performer.

05:27Ghosts also play a role in another superstition known as the ghost light.

05:32Because ghosts can only inhabit dark spaces, a special ghost light is traditionally left

05:37burning on the centre of the stage at night.

05:40This light is intended to hold malevolent spirits at bay, but it also provides enough

05:44illumination for early crew members to find their way backstage without tripping over

05:49sets or other obstacles.

05:52Many theatres are also closed one night out of the week, commonly Mondays, in order to

05:57allow the theatre ghosts an opportunity to visit the darkened stage and perform their

06:01own plays.

06:03There are some theatrical superstitions that seem to defy logic, however.

06:08The use of peacock feathers in any form or fashion is said to be bad luck, primarily

06:13because the eyes of a peacock's plumage represent the evil eye.

06:18Knitting is also discouraged both on and off the stage, ostensibly because the needles

06:22could cause damage to costumes or be stepped on by actors.

06:27Even carrying a make-up box is considered a bad omen, since it represents an amateurish

06:31trait in a professional actor or actress.

06:35Boxes should also never be cleaned out to make room for new supplies of make-up, either.

06:40Some of these beliefs have fallen by the wayside in recent years, but many of them are still

06:44regularly practised by established theatre companies.

06:49These backstage rituals may seem odd or archaic to outsiders, but many actors observe them

06:55as both a tribute to the ancient theatrical traditions and as a means to produce a consistent

07:00level of incident-free performance for their audiences, much like professional sports teams

07:05observe their own pre-game rituals.

07:08For more clear, concise answers to common and not-so-common questions, visit the Conjecture

07:12Corporation website.

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