stage wait

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noun Theater.

an unintentional pause during a performance, usually caused by a performer's or stagehand's missing a cue.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of stage wait

First recorded in 1860–65

His reluctance was merely a dissimulation, a stage wait for heightened dramatic effect.
The Shadow|Arthur Stringer
After that there was what is known in theatrical circles as a "stage wait."
Number Seventeen|Louis Tracy
A stage wait to let that soak into them in all its full strength.
Europe Revised|Irvin S. Cobb
A tiny pause ensues; this stage wait has been skillfully timed; a suitable atmosphere subtly has been created.
The Abandoned Farmers|Irvin S. Cobb

The ‘stage wait’ was filled up by some simple playing and singing by a few local amateurs.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Edgar Thurston