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Entrances and Exits

Performance
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The planned beginning and ending movements of a performer. They frame the audience’s first and last impressions of a reading.

Detailed Definition
Entrances and exits are part of a poem’s theatrical container, even in a simple reading. Walking to the microphone with intention, settling before speaking, and leaving without breaking the atmosphere can sustain the work’s emotional effect. A deliberate entrance may establish nervousness, authority, or anticipation, while an unhurried exit can let a final image linger. These choices matter most when they serve the poem rather than calling attention to performance for its own sake.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet begins offstage and walks slowly to the microphone during the opening lines of a poem about migration, making arrival part of the meaning; After reading a poem about grief, the performer leaves the stage in silence rather than accepting immediate applause, allowing the final image to linger; In a group poem, each reader enters only when their stanza begins and exits after speaking, creating a visible sequence of generations; A slam poet pauses at the doorway before entering for a poem about anxiety, using the hesitant entrance to establish the speaker's emotional state
Additional Notes
Plan entrances and exits to match the poem’s tone and pacing. A confident arrival, purposeful final gesture, or held silence can frame the audience’s attention and strengthen the ending.
Also Known As
Stage Entrances and Exits Ins and Outs
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