Term | Definition |
The movement of any part of the body to help express something | Gesture |
Expressing ideas to another person without using words | Nonverbal Communication |
The firmness or solidity of an object | Resistance |
The act of acting without words | Pantomime |
Moving from one place to another on stage | Cross |
Any stage not classified as a proscenium, thrust, or arena. | Flexible Staging |
The area where the players perform; usually a raised platform. | Stage |
The part of the stage extending past the proscenium arch toward the audience. | Apron |
Offstage spaces to the sides of the acting area. | Wings |
A stage that extends into the seating area. The audience sits on three sides of the stage. | Thrust Stage |
A four-sided stage built like a box with one side cut away, enabling the audience to view the play as if it were in a picture frame. | Proscenium Stage |
A stage constructed so that the audience can sit on all sides; also known as “theatre in the round”. | Arena Stage |
The draperies covering the proscenium opening, separating the audience from the stage. | Grand Drape |
The area behind the stage and not seen by the audience. | Offstage |
Anything within the stage setting and visible to the audience. | Onstage |
The area onstage furthest away from the audience. | Upstage |
The area onstage closest to the audience. | Downstage |
Anything beyond the stage setting and not visible to the audience. | Backstage |
The area of the performance space where the audience sits, sometimes called “out front”. | House |
Nine divisions of the stage floor used by directors when moving actors or placing furniture. | Acting Areas |
Actors assume positions on stage of equal strength by opening up to the audience. | Share |
Position or turn the body more toward the audience. | Open Up |
Actors turn more toward the audience than they would in normal conversation. | Cheat Out |
Actor turns toward the center of the stage. | Turn In |
Actors turn more to the side of the stage. | Turn Out |
The arrangement of incidents that take place in a play. | Plot |
Introduces the audience to who, what, when, and why. | Exposition |
Series of complications or conflicts, which result in a turning point. | Climax |
The principle character who represents the main thought of the play. | Protagonist |
The character who opposes the principle character and stands in his/her way. | Antagonist |
Overall meaning or basic idea of a play. | Theme |
Tells the story through words or language. | Diction |
Includes the actor’s voices, as well as songs, instruments, recorded background sound, and even sound effects. | Song |
Includes all visual elements of production including scenery, props, lighting, costumes, makeup, stage movement, and dance. | Spectacle |
A major division of a play. | Act |
Further division of a play into sections often based on the setting, the location or passing of time. | Scene |
A play dealing with a serious situation; the protagonist is often defeated or dies. | Tragedy |
A play dealing with a serious subject, but the protagonist does not die. | Drama |
A play that presents the theme and characters is a humorous way. | Comedy |
The vibrant tone produced when sound waves strike the chambers of the throat, head, nose, and mouth. | Resonance |
The individual sound of a particular voice. | Quality |
Variety in pitch. | Inflection |
Relative highness or lowness of the voice at any given point. | Pitch |
The sound produced when nasal passages are blocked, leaving the voice flat. | Nasality |
Selection and pronunciation of words and their combination of speech. | Diction |
Relative strength, force, or intensity with which sound is made. | Volume |
Using correct vowel and consonant sounds in speech. | Pronunciation |
Speaking continuously on one level. | Monotone |
The speed at which words are spoken. | Rate |
To break into the speech of another character. | Cut In |
The last words, action, or technical effect that immediately precedes any line or business. | Cue |
Improvise stage business or conversation. | Ad Lib |
Any specific action performed on the stage. | Business |
To speak when someone else is speaking. | Overlap |
Giving an actor the freedom to move over the entire acting area. | Taking the Stage |
To leave the stage. | Exit |
A movement in the direction opposite to a cross to balance the stage. | Countercross |
To move onto the stage. | Enter |
The stage command for actors to take their positions at the opening of an act or scene. | Places |
A technical term, placing furnishings, pictures, and similar items to complete and balance the set. | Dressing the Stage |
Attracting attention from the person to whom the audience’s interest legitimately belongs. | Stealing the Scene |
The unstated or “between the lines” meaning an actor must draw from the script. | Subtext |
The movement or sweep of the play as it progresses. | Pace |
Terms used to refer to the stage from the actor’s point of view, not from that of the audience. | Left and Right |
A small acting part that has no lines. | Walk-On |
An acting role with very few lines. | Bit Part |
The main characters in a play or the named characters in a musical. | Principle |
The scenery for an act or scene. | Set |
All stage furnishings including furniture and those items brought onstage by actors. | Properties |