A's-B's
Acting areas
Center stage, downstage, stage left, stage right, and upstage
climax
The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action
context
The interrelated conditions in which a play exists or occurs.
dialogue
the conversation between actors on stage
electronic media
Means of communication characterized by the use of technology.
Antagonist
Antagonist
A persons, a situation, or the protagonist's own inner conflict in opposition to his or her goals.
character
the personality or part an actor recreates
costume
An clothing worn by an actor on stage during a performance.
dramatic structure
the special literary style in which plays are written
Elizabethan theatre
the theatre of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and often extended to the close of the theatres in 1640.
Articulation
The clear and precise pronunciation of words
characterization
The development and portrayal of a personality through thought, action, dialogue, costuming, and makeup.
crisis
A decisive point in the plot of a play on which the outcome of the remaining actions depends.
dramaturg
A person who provides specific in-depth knowledge and literary resources to director, producer, theatre company, or even the audience.
Ensemble
A group of theatrical artists working together to create a theatrical production.
Actor's position
the orientation of the actor to the audiance
Catharsis
The purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) caused in a tragedy.
A signal, either verbal or physical, that indicates something else, such as a line of dialogue or an entrance, is to happen.
diction
The pronunciation of words, the choice of words, and the manner in which a person expresses himself or herself.
Epic theatre
theatrical movement of the early 1920s and 1930 characterized by the use of such artificial devices as cartoons, posters and film sequences distancing the audience from theatrical illusion and allowing focus on the pay's message.
Blocking
the planning and working out of the movements of actors on stage
cold reading
A reading of a script done by actors who have not previously reviewed the play.
critique
Opinions and comments based on predetermined criteria that may be used for self-evalution or the evaluation of the actors or the production itself.
denouement design
The final resolution of the conflict in a plot.
Exposition
Detailed information revealing the facts of a plot.