block booking n.— «As Ladd explained in Blockbuster, Star Wars got into the theaters because of a now illegal practice called “block booking,” which involved studios essentially holding a big movie hostage in exchange for...
Wagnolater n.— «They are a rare breed, those rabid fans of Wagner’s “Ring” cycle, and right now, they are angry.…While some Ringheads or Ringnuts, as they are called, took the change in stride, others were not shy about expressing...
A retired theater professor wants to know why she keeps hearing the word dramaturge used in surprising new ways. Is dramaturged now a legitimate verb? Can the noun also refer to someone who adapts a play for particular production—and not just to the...
gag and tag v. phr.— «Geico has dodged the “gag and tag” label by keeping its product front and center, despite the show-stealing purveyors of its service. “This is not a case where the theater has overpowered the brand...
media room n.— «Can they be unaware that many new houses come with what are called “media rooms,” with 60-inch-or-larger HDTV screens, surround sound and theater seating?» —“Name of NFL game is greed” by Dan K...
pedlock n.— «The Alliance has yet to take a position on congestion pricing, but many of its members support the idea. Mr. Tompkins cited the dual threats of gridlock, referring to frequent weekend backups of up to 45 minutes at the...