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- In America, it is considered bad luck to wish someone "good luck" in a theatre. Prior to performances, it is traditional for the cast to gather together to avert the bad luck by wishing each other bad luck or cursing, the expression "break a leg" replaces the phrase "good luck".
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Jul 28, 2021 · The common story behind "break a leg" is that it began as a replacement for "good luck"—a phrase that's actually considered bad luck if spoken out loud in theater. The superstition is real,...
- Michele Debczak
- Where Does “Break A Leg” Come from?
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- Bad Dress Rehearsal, Good Performance
- The "No Wearing Blue" Theater Superstition
- Why Is Whistling in A Theater Bad Luck?
- Sleep with Your Script Under Your Pillow
- Flowers After A Theater Performance
Well-wishers should always replace the phrase “good luck” with its theatrical substitute “break a leg.” According to Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the saying has a variety of possible origins. It may come from the ancient Greek practice of stomping feet instead of applauding, the Elizabethan term for bowing (to break the leg), the Vaudevillian pract...
Actors are notoriously aware of the spirits among us; the ghost of Thespis (the first known actor in ancient Greece) is said to wreak havoc upon theaters all over the world. The ghost light tradition—leaving a single lit bulb upstage center when the theater is empty—is meant to ward off these mischievous specters. In a more practical sense, it allo...
This has long been part of the actor’s folklore, and there are dozens of theories about when, where, and why performers started avoiding the play’s title—instead referring to the drama as “The Scottish Play.” There are several instances of mysterious and sudden deaths during performances of “Macbeth,” suggesting a curse that dates back to the 17th ...
Wishful thinking or not, many stage actors swear that a bad dress rehearsal portends a great opening night. This superstition’s origins are unclear, maybe a producer or director trying to boost a cast’s morale, but it’s a comforting concept when the final dress goes south.
This traditional superstition may be less adhered to in modern times, but it has its practical roots in early theatrical costuming. Blue was the most expensive colored dye, and blue garments were put on stage at failing companies to trick the audience into thinking the producers were affluent. How to combat this indigo stigma? Add something silver ...
This seemingly silly rule actually has its roots in safety; in the early days of large-scale stage productions, backstage crews were composed of off-duty sailors using their hard-earned rigging skills to manipulate the sets and curtains. Just as they would on a large sea vessel, the crews communicated with each other through a series of coded whist...
Can sleeping with a script under your pillow help you learn your lines faster? Science says no, but theatrical superstition says yes! The practice is said to help actors learn “by diffusion,” but we suggest you hedge your bets and memorize lines the old-fashioned way.
Who doesn’t love getting (and giving) a beautiful bouquet at a performance or recital? But old school actors require their flowers after the curtain call—not before—claiming that a gift prior to the start causes a lackluster show.
- Say "break a leg" instead of "good luck." Why is it bad luck to say "good luck" to an actor? Some thespians believe there are theatre ghosts or fairies who like to cause mischief by making the opposite of what you want to have happen occur.
- Do not whistle in the theatre. In the 1600s, theatres began to employ mechanisms to fly scenery, props and, sometimes, actors. The rigging of theatrical fly systems was very similar to that of many sailing ships.
- Never mention "Macbeth" in a theatre. Even whispering the name of one of William Shakespeare's bloodiest plays inside a theatre is a most egregious taboo.
- Avoid placing a peacock feather onstage. Why is a beautifully ornamental bit of plumage bad luck in a theatre production? The pattern on a peacock feather creates an eye, or (according to legend) an evil eye, which brings bad juju to a production.
Aug 9, 2021 · Updated: Mar. 20, 2023. Tadamasa Taniguchi/Getty Images. When we say "break a leg," we don't actually want people to break their legs. So, why do we say this interesting phrase in the...
- Kelly Kuehn
Apr 27, 2022 · April 27, 2022. Theaters are superstitious places, sites of myth, ceremony and invocation. And no stage superstition has more adherents than the one shrouding Shakespeare’s Scottish play: Anyone...
- Alexis Soloski
Break a leg" is a typical English idiom used in the context of theatre or other performing arts to wish a performer "good luck". An ironic or non-literal saying of uncertain origin (a dead metaphor), "break a leg" is commonly said to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform or before an audition.
Nov 9, 2022 · You would say, rather, “I hope your horse will break a leg.” This served as a kind of reverse psychological thought to appease the spirits of fate, which favoured the humble. He also mentioned that though Theatre was not as superstitious as horse racing, it was close.
