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AH 13 Drama Terms

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Question
Answer
1. Name the famous theater where Shakespeare performed and where many of his plays were first performed   Globe (Theater)  
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2. A play in which the audience completely surrounds the stage is called a theater in the what   Round  
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3. A person who writes plays is called a what   Playwright  
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4. Who were the three great Greek writers of tragedies   Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles  
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5. To wish an actor good luck, what are you supposed to say   Break a leg  
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6. An afternoon performance of a play is a   Matinee  
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7. What name is given to a play having a serious mood and ending in death or disaster   Tragedy  
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8. Name the movable stage upon which a medieval mystery play was presented. Today, it a name for an outdoor performance   Pageant  
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9. What two-word phrase refers to an occurrence in which virtue is rewarded, or evil is punished, in an unusual or unexpected way, such as in 'Oliver Twist' when the villainous Sikes accidentally hangs himself when trying to escape   Poetic justice  
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10. What term refers to a person or force in conflict with the main character of a story or play   Antagonist  
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11. What term refers to the main character of a story or play   Protagonist  
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12. A struggle or fight within a story or play is referred to by what literary term   Conflict  
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13. What literary term refers to a scene that breaks into the story or play to show an earlier part of the action   Flashback  
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14. What are clues called that hint at what will happen later in the story or play   Foreshadowing  
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15. What term beginning with “I” refers to an instance when the opposite of what is expected occurs   Irony  
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16. What term refers to the strong feeling that is created within a literary work or play   Mood or Atmosphere  
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17. A work's main idea is referred to by what term   Theme  
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18. What term is applied to a writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter   Tone  
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19. What eight-letter word beginning with S refers to a feeling of tension or anticipation created in a literary work or play   Suspense  
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20. What names were given to plays that stressed illogical or irrational aspects of experience Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco have written such plays   Theater of the Absurd  
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21. What term coined by Aristotle refers to the release or purging of emotions while watching a tragedy   Catharsis  
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22. Name the Greek who is usually considered the first actor   Thespis  
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23. Name the classic medieval morality play   Everyman  
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24. Identify the Greek term that denotes excessive pride leading to the downfall of the hero in a tragic drama   Hubris  
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25. What term refers to the area of the stage in front of the curtain   Proscenium  
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26. Literally, "viewing-place”, what part of the Greek theater was where the audience sat   Theatron  
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27. What term refers to dialogue spoken by an actor while other actors are on stage but which is understood to be heard only by the audience   Aside  
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the quality of a room in respect to transmission of sound   acoustics  
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a major unit or division of a play   act  
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use of face, body, and voice to portray character   acting  
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the movement or development of the plot or story in a play; the sense of forward movement created by the sense of time and/or the physical and psychological motivations of characters   action  
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a performer who assumes the role of a character in a play, film, or television show; a female actor may also be called an actress   actor  
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to improvise lines that are not part of the written script; also refers to the improvised line   ad-lib  
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a dramatic work in which there is a one-to-one correspondence between the literal meaning and the underlying, or allegorical, meaning of the work   allegory  
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a type of stage with an oval or round structure with no roof and with tiers of seating rising from the center   amphitheater  
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the opponent or adversary of the hero or main character of a drama; one who opposes and actively competes with another character in a play, most often with the protagonist   Antagonist  
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a protagonist who does not have the heroic qualities of the traditional protagonist   antihero  
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the area between the front curtain and the edge of the stage   apron  
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Great Greek Comedy Writer   Aristophanes  
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dialogue spoken by an actor while other actors are on stage but which is understood to be heard only by the audience   Aside  
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the people who watch the performance; those for whom the performance is intended   audience  
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a tryout for a part in a drama; also, the act of trying out   audition  
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the part of the theater in which the audience sits; also called the house   auditorium  
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a flat surface the width of the stage, hung upstage of the acting area, upon which scenery is usually painted   backdrop  
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flats or drops behind scenery openings, such as doors and windows of the set, to mask the backstage area   Backing  
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the area behind or beyond the stage that includes dressing rooms and wings   backstage  
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a person who composed and recited heroic or epic poems; William Shakespeare is referred to as this   Bard  
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a long piece of wood or pipe from which scenery, lights, and curtains are suspended   batten  
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a one-room theater, without a proscenium arch; interior is painted black, including walls, floor, and ceiling, and any drapes are also black   black box  
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a lighting cue where all stage lights go off simultaneously   blackout  
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the path formed by the actor’s movement on stage, usually determined by the director with assistance from the actor and often written down in a script using commonly accepted theatrical symbols   blocking  
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an enclosed area, usually found in or adjoining the lobby of a theater, where tickets are sold; how well or poorly a production performs “at the box office” indicates a monetary measure of the success of ticket sales   box office  
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a set with three walls and a ceiling, leaving the fourth wall to be imagined by the actors The box set represents a real room with doors and windows that work   box set  
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traditional Japanese puppet theater   Bunraku  
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a form of low comedy that mocks a broad topic   burlesque  
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a show produced in a small space with limited seating, such as a restaurant or nightclub   cabaret  
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a second audition   callback  
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the group of people selected to portray characters in a drama   cast  
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coined by Aristotle to reflect the purging and cleansing of emotions from watching a tragedy   Catharsis  
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a narrow bridge above the house and the grid, near the ceiling, that provides access to stage scenery, rigging, and lighting units   catwalk  
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the area in the center or middle of the stage   center stage  
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the movement of actors and dancers to music in a play   choreography  
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a group of performers who sing, dance, or recite in unison; in Greek drama, the chorus was the group of performers who sang and danced between episodes, narrated off-stage action, and commented on events   chorus  
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the point of greatest intensity in a series or progression of events in a play, often forming the turning point of the plot and leading to some kind of resolution   climax  
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an audition in which the actor is asked to read from the script without any preparation; intended to give the director a better sense of the actor’s potential and range   cold reading  
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a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way   comedy  
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a break in the tension of a tragedy provided by a comic character, a comic episode, or even a comic line   comic relief  
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a type of theater that originated in northern Italy and France and relied on stock characters with which the audience was familiar   commedia dell’ arte  
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organizations of amateurs who produce and perform plays in a particular region or community   community theater  
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everyone associated with a production   company  
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the internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic tension   conflict  
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the words or action at which an actor is expected to deliver a line or perform another action cue   Cue  
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the appearance of the cast at the end of a play to receive applause from the audience   curtain call  
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to stop action; delete   cut  
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a fabric drop hung from a curved or segmented batten, or a curved wall at the back of the stage, upon which light can be cast to create effects (cyc for short)   cyclorama  
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the solution, clarification, and/or unraveling of the plot of a play   dénouement  
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literally, “god from the machine”; refers to the character in classical Greek tragedy who entered the play from the heavens at the end of the drama to resolve or explain the conflict; in modern drama, refers to any arbitrary means of plot resolution   deus ex machina  
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spoken conversation used by two or more characters to express thoughts, feelings, and actions   dialogue  
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Greek god to whom most of the Greek plays were produced   Dionysus  
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the person who is responsible for the overall interpretation of a dramatic work, bringing all the elements together to create a unified production   director  
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the area of the stage closest to the audience   downstage  
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the art of composing, writing, acting, or producing plays; a literary composition intended to portray life or character or enact a story, usually involving conflicts and emotions exhibited through action and dialogue, designed for theatrical performance   drama  
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person who assists the director by researching the context of a play, including the historical periods and biographical information about the playwright; person who assists the playwright with clarifying and revising the script in progress   dramaturg  
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a rehearsal, usually the last one before performances begin, in which all lighting, costumes, makeup, set changes, props, sound effects, and special effects are used   dress rehearsal  
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a large cloth (often painted) used for creating a scene or picture background on stage   drop  
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The elements of drama, by which dramatic works can be analyzed and evaluated, can be categorized into three major areas: literary elements, technical elements, and performance elements   elements of drama  
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the capacity to relate to the feelings of another   empathy  
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the dynamic interaction and harmonious blending of the efforts of the many artists involved in the dramatic activity of theatrical production   ensemble  
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stage direction indicating the act of entering the play area during a performance   entrance  
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a summary speech delivered at the end of a play that explains or comments on the action   epilogue  
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stage direction; to leave the stage   exit  
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the part of a play that introduces the theme, chief characters, and current circumstances   exposition  
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composed or performed with little or no previous preparation; similar to impromptu   extemporaneous  
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the series of events following the climax   falling action  
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an extreme form of comedy that depends on quick tempo and flawless timing and is characterized by improbable events and farfetched coincidences; from the French meaning “to stuff   farce  
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in a nonlinear plot, to go back in time to a previous event; a flashforward would move the action into the future   flashback  
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a wooden frame, usually covered with painted cloth, used to create walls or separations on stage   flat  
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A floodlight: a lantern which gives a wide-spreading, unfocused beam of light   Flood  
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one who by strong contrast underscores the distinctive characteristics of another and, sometimes, prevents someone or something from being successful   foil  
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any story or tale passed on traditionally   folktale  
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an indication beforehand of something that is about to happen   foreshadowing  
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the invisible wall of a set through which the audience sees the action of the play   fourth wall  
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a triangular diagram that shows how a plot or story line progresses Divided into three parts: Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action   Freytag's Pyramid  
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A loosely-woven cloth on which a scene can be painted When lit from the front, it is opaque and only the painted scene is seen; when lit from behind, however, it becomes transparent   Gauze  
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a category of literary or dramatic composition   Genre  
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any movement of the actor’s head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning   gesture  
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a single light left on in a theater during the night   Ghost Light  
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slang term for theatrical makeup; originally referred to greasy, oil-based makeup that replaced powder in the 1860s   greasepaint  
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a waiting area offstage to be used by actors   green room  
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a metal framework above the stage from which lighting instruments and flown scenery are hung   grid  
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the lights that illuminate the auditorium before and after a performance and during intermission   house lights  
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one of the stock characters that originated from commedia dell’ arte; originally a sharp-witted servant, the character became a simpleton or jester; best recognized by his suit of diamond-patterned fabric in contrasting colors   harlequin  
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a word coined by Aristotle to refer to excessive pride which was usually the downfall of the protagonist   Hubris  
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the spontaneous use of movement and speech to create a character or object in a particular situation; acting done without a script   improvisation  
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a brief break between acts, in which the house lights come on and the audience may leave their seats   intermission  
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an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant   irony  
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In this theater, actors use exaggerated and stylized makeup, costumes, gestures, speech, and special effects to portray traditional character roles and story lines   Kabuki  
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in music, a recurring musical theme that accompanies a character or situation; in drama, then, the repetition of a word or phrase or image (from the German meaning “leading motive”)   leitmotiv  
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the dialogue of a play; the words actors say in performance   lines  
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a style of play, which originated in the 19th century, relying heavily on sensationalism and sentimentality They tend to feature action more than motivation, stock characters, and a strict view of morality in which good triumphs over evil   melodrama  
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acting without words   mime  
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the practice of mimicking or imitating   mimicry  
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copying the movement and/or expression or look of someone else exactly   mirroring  
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a long speech made by one actor they may be delivered alone or in the presence of others   monologue  
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the tone or feeling of the play, often engendered by the music, setting, or lighting   mood  
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an allegorical drama, such as Everyman, in which vices and virtues are personified in the battle for the protagonist’s soul The genre developed in Medieval England   morality play  
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an English folk play, performed mostly in rhyme and often with songs or even dances, that depicts the death and resurrection of a folk hero   mummer’s play  
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a play in which the story is told through a combination of spoken dialogue and musical numbers   musical  
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Japanese drama that began as a religious ceremony in the 14th century; plays are highly stylized and depend upon music, lavish costumes, mime, and masks   Noh  
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Any hindrance that gets in the way of what a character wants   Obstacle  
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literally “dancing space” - area of the Greek stage where the chorus sang and danced   Orchestra  
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acting without words   pantomime  
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a mocking or satirical imitation of a literary or dramatic work   parody  
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a presentation of a drama   performance  
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a person who writes a play   playwright  
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the events of a play or arrangement of action, as opposed to the theme   plot  
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a dramatic device to let the antagonist be punished and the protagonist get his reward   Poetic Justice  
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the person who puts together a theatrical production, obtaining the financing, hiring the director and other stage personnel, supervising the budget, leasing rights and space, etc   producer  
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the staging of a dramatic work for presentation to an audience   production  
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how well the voice carries to the audience   projection  
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a speech which introduces a play   prologue  
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to give actors their lines as a reminder; the prompter is the one who assists actors in remembering their lines   prompt  
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short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery, used as part of a dramatic production; any moveable object that appears on stage during a performance, from a telephone to a train   props  
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a frame or arch separating the stage from the auditorium   proscenium  
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the main character or hero in a play or other literary work   protagonist  
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a practice session in which the director works with cast and crew   rehearsal  
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how the problem or conflict in a drama is solved or concluded   resolution  
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a critic’s analysis of a performance   review  
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language and effects used to impress or persuade the audience   rhetorical devices  
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a series of events following the initial incident and leading up to the dramatic climax   rising action  
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the character portrayed by an actor in a drama   role  
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monies paid for permission to stage a play   royalties  
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a play in which sarcasm, irony, and ridicule are used to expose or attack folly or pretension in society   satire  
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a small section or portion of a play   scene  
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the theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, or platforms, used in a dramatic production to communicate environment   scenery  
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a drop made of fabric that seems almost opaque when lit from the front but semitransparent when lit from behind   scrim  
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the written dialogue, description, and directions provided by the playwright   script  
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the physical surroundings, visible to the audience, in which the action of the play takes place   set  
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when and where the action of a play takes place   setting  
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– literally “tent” – area directly behind the Greek stage that served as a building or temple   Skene  
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a speech in which an actor, usually alone on stage, speaks the inner thoughts of his/her character aloud   soliloquy  
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visual or sound effects used to enhance a theatrical performance   special effects  
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the scenery, costumes, and special, or visual, effects in a production   spectacle  
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A type of lantern whose beam is focused through a lens or series of lenses to make it more controllable   Spotlight  
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when facing the audience, the area of the stage on the actor’s left (the audience’s right)   stage left  
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person in charge of everything that happens backstage   stage manager  
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the level of comfort, commitment, and energy an actor appears to have on stage   stage presence  
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when facing the audience, the area of the stage on the actor’s right (the audience’s left)   stage right  
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characters who represent particular personality types or characteristics of human behavior   stock characters  
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the removal of all stage equipment, including scenery, props, lights, and costumes, from the stage area   strike  
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a feeling of uncertainty as to the outcome, used to build interest and excitement on the part of the audience   suspense  
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an object or event used in literature to represent something else; often this representation alludes to a deeper meaning   Symbol  
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a technique in creative drama in which actors create a frozen picture, as if the action were paused; plural is tableaux   tableau  
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a horizontal drape at the top of the proscenium arch   teaser  
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the pace of a scene or a play   tempo  
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the atmosphere created by unresolved, disquieting, or inharmonious situations that human beings feel compelled to address; the state of anxiety the audience feels because of a threat to a character in a play   tension  
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an acting area or stage that may be viewed from all sides simultaneously   theater-in-the-round  
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literally, "viewing-place” – part of the Greek theater where the audience sat   Theatron  
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the basic idea of a play; the idea, point of view, or perception that binds together a work of art   theme  
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the Greek recognized as the first actor   Thespis  
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Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides   Three Great Greek Tragedians  
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a stage that extends into the audience area, with seats on three sides of a peninsula-shaped acting space   thrust  
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includes setting cues for effects and lighting, synchronizing two or more things that must happen simultaneously, and establishing the pace at which lines will be delivered or the play performed   timing  
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side pieces such as flats or drapes placed just upstage of the proscenium to adjust the width of the opening   tormentors  
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from the Greek meaning ‘goat song’; A type of drama that recounts the events of an individual’s life that results in an unhappy catastrophe   Tragedy  
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the defect in the tragic hero that leads to his or her fall   tragic flaw  
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the central figure in a tragedy; typically, a tragic hero is a person of basically good character who passes from happiness to misery because of a character flaw or error in judgment   tragic hero  
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an opening in the stage floor   trap  
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the climax or high point of a story, when events can go either way   turning point  
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actors who are able to play major roles in the event the originally cast actors cannot0   understudies  
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(noun) the area on stage farthest from the audience, toward the backstage wall   upstage  
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a form of stage entertainment that includes a variety of acts; was extremely popular in the early 20th century; the term comes from the Valley of Vire in France, known for its music and entertainment in the 15th century   vaudeville  
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offstage areas to the right and left of the acting/onstage area   wings  
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The element of drama deals with the individuals in a drama   Character  
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The sequence of events or incidents of which the story is composed   Plot  
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The element of drama involving objects or actions that represent something else   Symbols  
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The controlling or main idea   Theme  
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The element of drama that involves the use of words to mean something very different from what they appear on the surface to mean   Irony  
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perspective from which a story is told   Point of View  
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a story told by the author, using the third person; her/his knowledge, control, and prerogatives are unlimited; authorial subjectivity   Third Person Omniscient  
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a story in which the author associates with a major or minor character; this character serves as the author's spokesperson or mouthpiece   Third Person Limited  
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The point of view in which the narrator does participate in the action of the story as one of the characters; the story is told using the first person "I"   First Person  
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the point of view in which the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue   Objective or Dramatic  
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The sequence of events or incidents of which the story is composed   Plot  
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The part of the plot that provides background information about a story   Exposition  
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the part of the plot that build toward the climax   Rising Action  
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the high point of action and often the turning point of the story   Climax  
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the part of the plot that leads to the end   Falling Action  
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literally “untying the knot” The part of the plot that ties up all the loose ends in the story   Denouement  
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How many elements of drama does Aristotle have?   six  
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What happens in a play; the order of events,the story as opposed to the theme;what happens rather than what it means   Plot  
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What the play means as opposed to what happens(plot); a role played by an actor in a play   Theme  
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The personality or the part an actor represents in a play; A role played by an actor in a play.   Character  
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The word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors delivering the lines   Diction/Language/Dialouge  
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The sound rhythm and melody of the speeches   Music/Rhythum  
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The visual elements of the production of a play; the scenery,costumes,and special effects in a production.   Spectacle  
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This is the most common stage found in the West. In this stage type the audience is located in one side of the stage with the remaining sides hidden and used by the performers and technicians   Proscenium  
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They may be similar to a proscenium stages but with a platform or performance area that extends into the audience space so that the sudience is located on three sides   Thrust Stages  
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The audience is located on all four sides of the stage   Theatre in the round  
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