Drama Vocabulary

Where an actor may move in full view of the audience

A particular manner of acting which reflects cultural and historical influences

The development of the plot in a play; the physical movement of the characters

How the elements of drama - literary, technical, and performance - are used

When you project images onto a screen from behind. Often used for projecting scenery or special effects

A flat surface at the back of the acting area which sometimes has scenery painted on it

Turning all stage lights off at the same time

Everywhere an actor moves on stage (often written down in a script)

Showing a character's emotions or feeling in the position of your body

A person in a drama performance or book

How an actor uses body, voice, and thought to develop and portray (show) a character

A quality typical of a person eg. kind, funny, nervous, bad tempered

The movement of actors and dancers to music in a play

The highest point of tension in a play

A play with funny characters and events

The actor's focus, focusing on the work at hand, being in character, or being in the moment

When different ideas or interests happen in a performance that creates dramatic tension

The use of opposites, such as movement/stillness, sound/silence, and light/darkness

Progession of the plot ot conflict in a play

Spoken conversation between two or more characters

Meaning that is shown by either looking directly at something/a character or away from something/a character

Showing a character's emotions or feeling in your face

To go back in time to a previous event; a flash forward would move the action into the future

A type of performance, story or piece of Art work. Drama is divided into many genres; comedy, tragedy, melodrama etc.

A type of performance, story or piece of Art work. Drama is divided into many genres; comedy, tragedy, melodrama etc.

Any movement of the actor's head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to show meaning or emotion

The use of movement and speech to create a character in a particular situation; acting done without a script

Change in pitch or loudness of the voice

The action ot relationship between two or more characters

In drama, the particular manner of verbal expression, the diction or style of writing, or the speech or phrasing that suggests a class or profession or type of character

Acting without words

Copying the movement and/or expression or look of someone else exactly

A long speech made by one actor; a monologue may be delivered alone or in the presence of others

The tone or feeling of the play, often engendered by the music, setting, or lighting

Stage blocking or the movements of the actors onstage during performance; also refers to the action of the play as it moves from event to event

A style of drama that attempts to represent real life on stage

Rate of movement or speed of action

Includes acting (eg. character motivation and analysis, empathy), speaking (breath control, vocal expression and inflection, projection, speaking style, diction), and non-verbal expression (gesture, body alignment, facial expression, character blocking, movement)

The particular level of a voice, instrument or tune

The events of a play or arrangement of action, as opposed to the theme. See also Story line

The organisation or building of the action in a play

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. See also Hand props, Personal props

The main character or hero in a play or other literary work

The actual space between characters which conveys information about the circumstances

The character portrayed by an actor in a drama

Improvising movement and dialogue to put oneself in another's plave in a particular situation, often to examine the person(s) and/or situation(s) being improvised

A small section or portion of a play

The theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, or platforms, used in a dramatic production to communicate environment

The physical surroundings visible to the audience, in which the action of the play takes place

When and where the action of a play takes place

The effects and audience hears during a performance to communicate character, context, or environment

Recorded: often abbreviated to FX. There are many sources for recorded sound effects, from compact discs. to downloading from internet. May form an obvious part of the action (train arriving at the station) or may be in the background throughout the scene (eg. bird chirping). Live: gunshots, door slams, and offstage voices (amongst many others) are most effective when done alive.

A defined area

The position and height of an actor on stage. This can show relationships and status between characters and also their importance to the audience at that point in the action

Visual or sound effects used to enhance a theatrical performance

The plot or plan of action

The shaping of dramatic material, settings, or costumes in a deliberately nonrealistic manner

A feeling of uncertainty as to the outcome, used to build interest and excitement on the part of the audience

The use of symbolic language, imagery, or colour to evoke emotions or ideas

A technique in creative drama in which actors create a frozen picture, as if the action were paused; plural is tableaux. Not to be confused with freeze frame, which is a term used in film and video production and which should not be used when discussing drama.

Relative speed or rate of movement in pace over time, eg. the speed at which the music for a dance should be played. Can be applied to dramatic contexts such as in 'tempo rhythm'

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

The basis of dramatic activity and performance; a written script or an agreed upon structure and content for an improvisation

An acting area or stage that may be viewed from all sides simultaneously

The basic idea of a play; the idea, point of view, or perception that binds together a work of art

A stage that extends into the audience area, with seats on three sides of a peninsula-shaped acting space

Includes setting cues for effects and lighting, synchronising two or more things that must happen simultaneously, and establishing the pace at which lines will be delivered or the play performed

A quality in the voice which expresses the speaker's feelings or thoughts, often towards the person being spoken to

Form of staging where the audience is on either side of the acting area

The climax or high point of a story, when events can go either way

How an actor uses his or her voice to convey character

Directing the voice out of the body to be heard clearly at a distance

The combination of vocal qualities an actor uses such as articulation, phrasing, and pronunciation

How a performer adjusts their voice to be louder or quieter

Offstage areas to the right and left of the acting/onstage area