Blocking (stage)

A cue is a part of a dramatic text, which gives recommendations for the staged implementation. Most stage directions in parentheses and / or italics inserted in the dialogs, ie belong to the " secondary text " of the drama.

The characterization of the scene at the beginning of an image is also one of the stage directions as the entrances and exits. Similarly, explanations for the understanding of text passages (such as the instructions " aside" or " jokingly "). - A number of other characteristics of the production can be determined by stage directions, such as detailed descriptions of rooms or corridors in naturalistic drama. Usually they are today, although perceived by the Director as a recommendation, but not considered as a binding rule.

By the end of the 19th century, the publishers distributed with the plays also detailed descriptions of the premiere, which was reproduced in the rule because there was no direction in the modern sense. Thanks to the emergence of the director profession in the first third of the 20th century, these stage directions are superfluous. In an older tradition, however, is still the U.S. Musical: The stage directions in the text where they are observed exactly what is also governed by license agreements.