Quote shortened during actual performance (7)
I believe the answer is:
recital
'performance' is the definition.
(recital is a kind of performance)
'quote shortened during actual' is the wordplay.
'quote' becomes 'cite' ('cite' can be a synonym of 'quote').
'shortened' means to remove the last letter.
'during' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'actual' becomes 'real' ('real' can be a synonym of 'actual').
'cite' with its last letter removed is 'cit'.
'cit' going inside 'real' is 'RECITAL'.
(Other definitions for recital that I've seen before include "(Usually solo) concert" , "Narrative" , "Verbal account" , "Reading" , "statement of facts" .)