“Thank you, five” (“Thank you, 5”)

“Thank you, five” (or “Thank you, 5”) is a theater saying that has been printed on many images. A stage manager walks around just before the opening curtain and says, “Five minutes!” Actors respond with, “Thank you, five!”
     
“It’s intermission and the actors are getting a pep talk, ending in ‘5 minutes until curtain’. Me: THANK YOU FIVE” was posted on Twitter by Allison Hill on April 24, 2009. “Five minutes to places. Thank you, Five” was posted on Twitter by Benji Cotter on August 9, 2009. “Someone just yelled out ‘five minutes’ to which someone else responded ‘thank you five minutes’. Clearly a theater dork” was posted on Twitter by jess on October 27, 2009. “‘Thank You Five’ is sooo annoying. I don’t know why. Why do nervous actors have to say it super loud ten times? We. Get. It” was posted on Twitter by Anonymous Actress on March 21, 2010.
     
Thank You, Five! (2013) is the title of a short film. Thank You 5 (2020) is another film title.
 
 
Twitter
Allison Hill
@allisonsplanet
It’s intermission and the actors are getting a pep talk, ending in “5 minutes until curtain”. Me: THANK YOU FIVE.
11:28 PM · Apr 24, 2009
   
Twitter
Benji Cotter
@BenjiC17
Five minutes to places. Thank you, Five.
9:03 AM · Aug 9, 2009
 
Twitter
jess
@jessicalynne
Someone just yelled out “five minutes” to which someone else responded “thank you five minutes”. Clearly a theater dork.
11:57 PM · Oct 27, 2009
     
Twitter
Aron Altmark
@aronaltmark
Thank you five to places. LX ready. Standing by for opening night. (and drinking thereafter)...
6:55 PM · Jan 29, 2010
   
Twitter
Anonymous Actress
@ActressSaysWhat
“Thank You Five” is sooo annoying. I don’t know why. Why do nervous actors have to say it super loud ten times? We. Get. It.
2:55 PM · Mar 21, 2010
 
Twitter
Randy Wyatt
@LostNCove
The conductor called out “chicago five minutes” and I actually had to stop myself from saying “thank you five”.
12:02 PM · May 27, 2010
 
Google Books
Jacob and Jack
By James Sherman
New York, NY: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
2011
Pg. 40:
DON. We’re at five minutes, please.
ROBIN. Thank you, five.
   
Twitter
Not Liz No Ma’am
@Lizeeek
Replying to @TheActorProbs
@TheActorProbs @OnlyoneHoma Story of my life having grown up a child actor-turned stage manager. Will prob raise kids who say “thank you 5!”
7:07 PM · Dec 29, 2012
   
Twitter
evula
@evula
A theatre NYE party: a stage manager going around calling five minutes to the ball drop, and folk responding with “thank you five.”
12:58 AM · Jan 1, 2013
   
Twitter
LionHearted❤
@indiaaaO_o
I can’t wait until I graduate 😒 ima crip walk across the stage ! & say ” thank you five ” 👋
7:57 AM · Jan 2, 2013
 
IMDb
Thank You, Five!
2013
9m
Five minutes before curtain, three idiot actors wait backstage to make their appearance as walk-ons in a major production of an undetermined Shakespearean play.
Director Elizabeth McQuern
Writer Jenni Lamb
Stars Robert Buscemi, Tasha Anne James, Jenni Lamb
     
Twitter
Sierra Rein (s/h) I validated myself this morning.
@SierraRein
Humor is when the house manager of a MOVIE Theater says the film will start in 5 minutes, and about 10% of you reply, “Thank you five!”
1:01 AM · Aug 23, 2013
       
Twitter
Trutheatrekid
@Trutheatrekid
Why do actors say “thank you five” I’ve seen a lot of… — A lot of times before a show, stage managers will go ... http://ask.fm/a/6q5i7ai7
8:23 PM · Sep 28, 2013
   
Twitter
Des Conway
@msdesconway
thank you five!—the best reply to stage managers if you don’t want your head bitten off #theatretechclass #hvcctheatre
2:23 PM · Nov 20, 2013
   
Twitter
Dimitri Toscas
@DimitriToscas
Every stage manager in NYC: five minutes, Mr. Ball.
New Year Ball: thank you, five.
#behindthescenes #NYE
11:55 PM · Dec 31, 2013 from Santa Monica, CA
   
Twiter
amery ellein 😊
@amery_ellein
When the stage manager calls five!
Others: “thank you five!”
Me: “SCREW YOU FIVE!”
@ThisIsTheater
(This is also shown on images .—ed.)
7:09 PM · Jan 22, 2014 from Salisbury, NC
   
Twitter       
Rosalba Rolon
@rosalbarolon
#theaterstuff “5 minutes!” truly means 5 minutes! So make sure you holler “thank you 5!” back. Tht will make ur Stage Manager very happy.
5:50 PM · Mar 22, 2014
 
Twitter
Cleo
@sykess_7
There’s nothing quite like the backstage “5 minutes!” “thank you 5!” exchange between a stage manager & performers. #showtime #emergence
6:56 PM · Dec 12, 2014
   
Google Books
Places in Five
By M.G. Davidson and Jason Pizzarello
New York, NY: Stage Partners
2015
Pg. 10:
ELSA: Thank you, five.
   
Google Books
Music Direction for the Stage:
A View from the Podium
By Joseph Church
New York, NY: Oxford University Press
2015
Pg. 325:
“Thank you, five; thank you places,” are the actor’s traditional responses, an indication to the stage managers that they have heard the call.
 
Twitter
K (taylors version)
@therealmekg
So basically In any plays there’s this thing where stage manager says 5 minutes and you say “thank you 5”
1:29 AM · Feb 11, 2017
 
Twitter
Mirror Stage Theatre
@mirror_stage
House is open!
(Thank you house!)
Places in 5!
(Thank you 5!)
Just enough time for all the well-worn backstage rituals before curtain up!
3:24 PM · Aug 13, 2017
 
IMDb
Thank You, 5
TV Series
2018–
Community theatre: the stakes are high, but the expectations are low.
Creator Stafford Douglas
Stars Peter Diseth, Stafford Douglas, David Devereaux
   
Twitter
Buccal Fanta
@JohnLoosWins
[Backstage before a show]
Stage manager: 5 minutes!
Me, a serious actor: Thank you 5!
[Clears throat]
Sinema’s cinnamon cinema enema
Sinema’s cinnamon cinema enema
Sinema’s cinnamon cinema enema
Sinema’s cinnamon cinema enema
10:02 AM · Nov 13, 2018
 
YouTube
Lin-Manuel Miranda Teaches You Broadway Slang | Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair
Nov 27, 2018
Vanity Fair cover star Lin-Manuel Miranda teaches you Broadway slang.
   
Vanity Fair
SLANG SCHOOL | SEASON 1 | EPISODE 35
Lin-Manuel Miranda Teaches You Broadway Slang
Vanity Fair cover star Lin-Manuel Miranda teaches you Broadway slang.
Released on 11/27/2018
Transcript
(...)
Thank you five.
Thank you five is five minutes to places.
Thank you five means like, all right, wrap it up,
like put your costume on.
       
Twitter 
Missy Rose
@missyrose87
Replying to @broadwaycom and @Lin_Manuel
“Thank you 5 means put your costume on,” stresses out the stage manager in me. 😮
1:04 AM · Nov 29, 2018
 
Twitter
The Rose Theater
@RoseTheaterCo
Check out Chloe Irwin’s feature on Thank You 5! She discusses her most challenging roles throughout her busy, albeit early, stage career and lets us in on why she would love to sit down and chat with William Shakespeare! http://bit.ly/2KbU1p0
12:21 PM · Aug 3, 2019
 
Twitter     
Andrea 🎪
@SmirkingRaven
In theatre during performances, you say “thank you - insert what the stage manager said.” House is open: “Thank you, house.”  Places in 5: “Thank you, 5.” On Friday, the SM said we being too loud backstage after the house opened, so we responded with, “Thank you, loud bitches.”
5:59 PM · Sep 9, 2019
 
Twitter
🎯Szyael the Tactical Genius🎯
@szyaelthefool
Sometimes I wish I had superpowers like telekinesis. But then I realize that I’m a freaking stage manager! My superpower is that I have a SM kit with sewing supplies: I can mend my jeans and look presentable for an audience at the theatre. All in 5 minutes! Thank you 5!!!
11:55 PM · Dec 3, 2019 from Los Angeles, CA
 
Twitter
Jenny submitted her dissertation
@SmolAnalyst
Replying to @clairewillett and @AndreaNLam
I love that it’s an international theater kid thing. The shakeouts are different, the warmups are different,  but “thank you, five” is universal.
2:23 PM · Dec 31, 2019
 
IMDb
Thank You 5
2020
1h 53m
A theater production struggles to survive to opening night, enduring the eccentric personalities of the director, cast members and crew.
Directors Michael Barnard, Reid Estreicher
Writers Michael Barnard, Reid Estreicher
Stars Reid Estreicher, Meghan Murphy, Richard Kallus
               
Twitter
Clare
@claresmcdonald
Protest Scene
A person at the back of the group pointed a laser at a tree up ahead and yelled “there’s a drone behind the tree.”
And someone at the front of the group calmly yelled “thank you, drone.”
I could just miss theater, but it gave me “5 to places” “thank you 5” energy.
2:59 AM · Jul 26, 2020
 
Twitter
MindfulThursday
@MindfulThursday
Trending: Christmas is in 5.
Unemployed Theater People: Thank you 5.
12:32 PM · Dec 20, 2020
 
Twitter
Mike
@ChaiMike26
Replying to @therunchat
Thank you, 5 min! (I’m a theater person)
9:55 PM · Feb 21, 2021
 
Twitter
Taffeta V.
@TaffetaV
That’s ok! In live theater, the Stage Manager comes through the various areas (wings, dressing rooms, etc) and lets everyone know how long until curtain. There is a customary call/response of “5 minutes!” from the SM and “Thank you 5 minutes!” from cast/crew to acknowledge
8:13 PM · Jun 29, 2021
 
Twitter
David Marcus
@BlueBoxDave
In theater when a stage manager tells an actor the curtain is in 5 minutes the response is “Thank you 5,” not “Ok,” not “Got it,” but “Thank you 5,” which makes both parties completely clear in the instruction. It’s a small thing that has saved many performances.
4:28 PM · Aug 1, 2021
 
Twitter   
AliceVilla
@AlicexVilla
So am I an official theater kid when I instinctively say “thank you 5” when I hear to take 5 minutes
11:09 AM · Sep 27, 2021
 
Twitter 
Summer
@Africould
Mr friend: I’ll call you in 5
Me a middle school theater kid: Thank you 5
4:06 PM · Apr 1, 2022
 
Twitter
@megueyb@dice.camp on Mastodon
@NightSkyGames
A friend once expressed astonishment that I could say “leaving in 5!”, the kids would say “thank you 5!”, actually go get their shoes & coats and we would be out of the house 5 minutes later. [Thank you, theater crew!]
9:03 AM · Jul 24, 2022
 
Twitter
JB🛸
@shakeback_queen
One of my favorite things I learned about theater, being someone was never in it, is when everyone thanks the stage manager for the time reminders. Sometimes I just randomly say “thank you 5” when people FYI me and it thoroughly entertains me and only me.
11:47 PM · Nov 9, 2022