+123 Why has it become tradition to say break a leg when you wish someone good luck on a performance? You're telling them to get a serious injury. amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's an old theatrical superstition. Saying "good luck" to someone before they go onstage is supposed to be one of the worst things you can do.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Because it's bad luck to say good luck on opening night. :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

That comes from the shooting of a chuck Norris film, when the stunt people fighting Norris would tell each other break a leg because that was the least worst that could happen to them.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

in theatre superstition, whatever you say before a performance, the opposite will happen. so if you say good luck, the performance will be terrible. but if you wish something terrible to happen, like breaking your leg, then the performance will be great. also, don't say "Macbeth"

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Break a leg meant to get down on one knee at the end of a show (like a bow), So they wanted a bow worthy performance. My theatre teacher told me that.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i've always been told that to "break a leg" is to break the top of the curtain -- if the audience keeps clapping, and the curtain keeps being lifted for another bow, then the top - the "leg" will break.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

its bad luck to say good luck. so you say something bad and the reverse should happen. i should know im a thespian with my thespian buddies at the moment! come on! believe me! im right! geez!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

A 'leg' in theatre is the little curtains, also called 'wings' on the sides of the stage where you enter from. "Break a leg" pretty much means "go out there and to great" like bursting out of the leg with your awesomeness. It's not like the leg on your body.

by Anonymous 13 years ago