Exercise 1.

Fill the gaps with one of the word below.

communicate, audience, superstitious, considered, props, perform, jewelry

Theater Superstitions

Many superstitions may seem silly to us today, but they continue to influence our behaviour and many people would argue that there are in fact some very good reasons for avoiding black cats and walking around ladders. Certain groups of people, like actors, tend to be very _______ (1) indeed. Here are few of the main ones:

Break a Leg: Actors never say “good luck” before a theater performance. In English-speaking countries, the phrase “break a leg” is a popular alternative, but really, any wishes for bad luck are acceptable. The “break a leg” phrase is believed to come from the idea that a performer must go on stage and hopefully _______ (2) well by “breaking through” the side curtains, known as “legs.”

Fake Props: Real _______ (3) and real money are typically not used on stage. Similarly, the Bible shouldn’t be brought onstage. If the Bible needs to be in the play, it’s typically a prop book with the Bible as a cover only.

No Whistling: It’s bad luck for actors to whistle on or off stage. This dates back to original stage crews who used coded whistles to _______ (4) scene changes. If actors whistled, it could cause major confusion. Even though the practice is no longer used, it’s still ______ (5) bad luck to engage in whistling in theaters.

Full House: It’s bad luck to finish a play without an _______ (6). Therefore, most rehearsals skip the final line of the play, or invite a few family, friends, and reviewers to see the dress rehearsals.

Peacock feathers: Many consider peacock feathers to be bad luck in general. That includes peacock feathers on stage. They shouldn’t be part of costumes, _______ (7), or sets. Actors have told stories of peacock feathers causing sets to collapse.