Theatre I Course Vocabulary

Course Vocabulary

Below you will find the vocabulary used in this course divided by unit.

Unit #1

Term	Definition
actor	brings a character to life on stage; develops a character under the director's supervision
amateur theatre	theatre performed by nonpaid actors, dancers, and singers
apron	the area of a proscenium stage that extends beyond the curtain
arena stage	a stage that is completely surrounded by audience members
audition	an interview for a particular role or job as a singer, actor, dancer, or musician
black box stages	another name for flexible stages; its generally an empty room where audience seating can be placed anywhere
blocking	the planning of movement on a stage
Broadway theatre	a theatre building with more than 500 seats
callbacks	the second audition that is used to narrow down possible actors for a role
cast	to select actors for particular roles
closed audition	an audition limited to members of actor's union or by invitation
cold reading audition	an audition where actors perform unfamiliar text with creativity and feeling
commercial theatre	a business within a community that attempts to make profits for investors
Costume designer	the person responsible for creating the costumes that actors wear to portray characters in a play.
costume plot	a list that shows what each character wears in each scene in a show
designers	create the visual picture the audience sees on stage
director	oversees all aspects of a theatrical production, works with designers to make creative decisions, and puts the production on stage
educational theatre	theatre that has specific educationnal goals, including to teach, persuade, and convince
entrance	making an appearance on stage
exit	leaving the stage
flexible stage	stages that are made out of found spaces and can be arranged in any way the director needs
Lighting designer	the person who helps create the mood of the show with the use of light technology
not-for-profit theatre	a theatre that enrichs a community and rolls all profits back into its operation
off-Broadway theatre	a theatre building that has between 100 and 499 seats
open audition	an audition open to the general public; also called "cattle call" auditions
playwright	writes the play
prepared audition	an actor comes with material prepared baed on established guidelines
producer	oversees all aspects of the development of a theatrical work, including overseeing the financial aspects and hiring creative staff
proscenium stage	a stage which is like a picture frame through which the audience can see the action of the play
resume	a one-page summary of an actor's physical description and work history
scenic designer	the person who is reponsible for the creation of the scenery for the play
sound designer	the person responsible for the auditory portion of a show
stage balance	keeps the action balanced across the stage
technical director	term that includes other designers, such as the set designer and the costume designer
theatre budget	an estimate of income and expenses for a theatrical production
thrust stage	a stage that is surrounded on three sides by the audience

Unit #2

Term	Definition
action of the play	a brief synopsis of what happens in the play; this is part of the production concept
aesthetic	overall visual presentation of something like a set or costume
amplifier	equipment that increases the power of a signal
archetypes	another term for "stock character"
arrows	part of a ground plan; the arrows show the direction the audience is looking towards the stage
barn door	the flaps attached to the Fresnel in order to narrow a beam of light
blackout	occurs when the lights on stage are turned off suddenly
box out	a set comprised of three walls that surround the actor's performance space
building a costume	the construction of a costume used in a show
color	an element of design; refers to the lightness or darkness of something
costume	the style of dress representative of a particular place or person
costume parade	an event where the actors try on their costumes and walk around the stage under the lights for the director to see
costume plot	a list of clothing worn by each actor in each scene
crone	a stock character; an older woman who is either a helpful force of good to the hero or who thwarts the hero. A wicked witch in a fairy tale is an example of a crone.
cue	a trigger for something to happen at a specific time
curtain line	the specific area on the stage where the front curtain hangs
curtain set	a set that uses hanging fabric to provide the location of the play or scene
design objectives	part of the production concept that answers the question "what does the director want the designers to accomplish with the costume, set, lights, and sound?"
dimmer	a switch that can increase or decrease the intensity of the light
director's production objectives	part of the production concept that answers the question "what story is the director trying to tell with the play?"
don	a term meaning "to put on a piece of clothing"
dressing a set	occurs when set dressers add furniture and other props to the stage to make it look as it will during the performance
drops	pieces of fabric that are hung from the ceiling of a stage and act as background scenery.
elements of design	key items that are the basis of all design and are a starting point for all designs. They include shape, line, color, texture, and space
ellipsoidal reflector spotlight	type of light; also referred to as Lekos
equalizer	instrument used to boost or reduce different frequencies in sound
fabric	piece of cloth
flat	a piece of scenery that is flat and painted to represent something in the back of the set
follow spot	lights that are manually operated to light specific area of a stage
fresnel	lights with varied beam widths
gels	color filters added to lights
gobo	a template used for special effect lighting
ground plan	a bird's eye view of the set in relation to the stage
hero	a stock character; the protagonist and main focus of the story
house lights	lights that illuminate the area of the theatre where the audience sits
ingénue	a stock character; the damsel in distress and often the hero's love interest
KAVES	an acronym to help you remember the parts of a ground plan. It stands for: K - A Key, A - Audience and Arrows, V - Viability, E - Entrances and Exits, S - Symbols, Scale, and Staging
key	part of a ground plan; it explains the symbols used in the ground plan
lavalier mic	a small microphone that allows for hands-free communication; sometimes called a lapel mic
minimal set	a set that only uses what is necessary to represent the setting; it only gives an illusion of a set and ask the audience members to use their imaginations
nerd	a stock character; a person who is intelligent but who struggles for social acceptance
outline	part of a ground plan; the outline is the basic shape of the stage and shows where the audience is positioned in relation to the stage
permanent set	a set that doesn't change throughout an entire show
prism set	a set that uses 3 pieces of wood nailed together to form a triangle
production concept	written statement of a director's vision to unify the design of a play; it includes the action of the play, the director's production objectives, and the design objectives
projections	when an image that is projected, or displayed, on a surface
radio drama	a dramatized performance over the radio
rendering	a final, color sketch of what the scene will look like
rostrum	a platform or riser on stage
scenery	pieces of the set
scrim	a thin piece of fabric that can be used for special effects once light is projected either in front of or behind it
set	a representation of the locale where a play takes place
shape	an element of design; a self-contained area with a defined form
sight line	the line of sight from audience to the action on the stage
silhouettes	an outline shape of a costume drawn in black and white
sound board	a piece of equipment that controls the sounds used in a production; also called a sound mixing console
sound effects	artificially created sounds used to advance a story without using music or words
space	an element of design; he distance between objects
stage lights	lights who usage is designed by the lighting designer
stock characters	stereotypical characters in literary works that audiences recognize because of their frequent appearances in other works
strip lights	lights that provide a general wash of light on the stage
swatch	a small piece of fabric meant to demonstrate what a larger piece of fabric looks like
texture	an element of design; the quality of the surface of an object
theme	underlying message of the play
trim	ornamental pieces of fabric needed for the costume; includes ribbons or ruffles
unit set	a set that includes free-standing elements
viable set	a set that works for the actors and the audience
villain	a stock character; the antagonist and person is most often set against the hero

Unit #3

Term	Definition
acts	large divisions of a play into a series of actions
antagonist	the person who is opposed to or competes with the protagonist
backstory	includes relevant events that happened before the play began
catharsis	emotional cleansing by the protagonist and audience
character	a person or being in a literary work; also one of the six elements of drama
climax	the turning point of the story
conflict	the struggle between opposing forces
copyright	the exclusive legal right given to creator to point, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same
copyright infringement	the use of works protected by copyright laws without permission
denouement	the final resolution to the plot
dialectical nature of theatre	the tendency of theatre to start a conversation between two opposing sides
dialogue	the spoken exchange between 2 or more characters
diction	the words and language used in a play; also one of the six elements of drama
dramatis personae	a list of the characters in a play
dramaturg	the person who works in an advisory role to help a playwright develop a new script
dynamic character	a character who changes over time due to experiences within the conflict of the plot
earned conclusion	a relevant, plausible ending that's appropriate for the story and is justified by the previous events
exposition	the opening of the play
external conflict	struggle between the protagonist and the antagonist
falling action	the series of events that occur after the climax that lead to a conclusion
flat character	a character with one kind of personality trait
fourth wall	a fictional barrier between the actors and the audience
Freytag's Pyramid	plot structure laid out in different components, including expostion, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
full length play	a play made up of at least 2 acts that revolve around one common story; lasts at least 90 minutes
inciting incident	the event that directly involves the protagonist in the main story
intellectual property	any work or invention that is created by someone, like a manuscipt, artistic work, or a design
internal conflict	conflict where the main character is filled with inner turmoil
license	gives permission to perform a play on a specific date and time for a specific audience
musical	a play where singing and dancing are an important part; can run any length
one-act play	a play where the entire action of the play takes place in only one act; lasts approximately 30 minutes
playwriting festivals	festivals and workshops where plays are developed and performed, often for the first time
plot	the sequence of events within a story; also one of the six elements of drama
plot structure	the tools that a playwright uses to tell the story
political theatre	theatre used for political purposes or as a part of a campaign or movement
protagonist	main character
public domain	the material that belongs to the public as a whole and is not subject to copyright law
resolution	the end of the story where all conflicts are settled
rising action	the series of events that relates directly to advancing the main story
round character	a character with a complex personality
royalties	fees to perform a show
sampling	taking a portion of one sound recording and reusing it in another
scenes	individual actions that take place in a specific and single setting and moment in time
sound	the music or noise used in a play to help create the mood or tell the story; also one of the six elements of drama
spectacle	the visual element of the play; also one of the six elements of drama
staging	the process of putting a script on the stage
stakes	what a character stands to gain if they succeed or lose if they fail
thought	subject matter or theme of a play that a playwright wants to tell; also one of the six elements of drama
trademarks	protect phrases or designs that identify the source of the goods or services of one party and distinguish them from those of others

Unit #4

Term	Definition
36 Dramatic Situations	36 categories of dramas and tragic stories; written by French writer Georges Polti in the 19th century
allegory	a play that teaches a moral concept and the characters personify qualities
ambiguity	comedy that relies on double meanings; a characteristic of comedy
anticipation	when the audience looks forward to the coming laugh; a characteristic of comedy
aria	a long solo for a solo voice in an opera
bit parts	small roles with a few lines
black comedy	another term for dark comedy
book	plot of a musical theatre show
catharsis	a release of pent up emotions; an emotional response
chorus	a group composed of members of an opera company; during a show, they comment on the action of the show
comedy	a play of a light nature with a cheerful ending
composers	the people that write music, such as operas
constructivism	theatre that relies on the use of mechanical skeletons for staging
creative drama	an improvisational activity in which a leader focuses on the process of creating the performance and asks the participants imagine, create, and later think about what they learned
dark comedy	comedy that makes light of subjects that are usually serious or painful; also called black comedy or gallows humor
devised drama	a method of theatre-making in which the script originates from improvisation and collaboration of a performing group
drama	a literary composition performed onstage
emcee	a master of ceremonies who hosts a performance or show
epic theatre	a style of theatre intended to teach an audience about moral problems and social issues
exaggeration	speaking of something in an excessive manner; a characteristic of comedy
existential theatre	theatre that puts characters in situations in which they have to make a choice in order to give meaning to life
expressionism	a style of theatre that focuses on spiritual awakening and suffering of the protagonist
fantasy	a type of middle comedy which deals with imaginary times and places and unreal characters
farce	humor made up of clowning, jokes, and unusual characters and situations
fatal flaw	the error that often leads to the death of the tragic hero
fourth wall	the space that separates the character's life occuring on statge with the audience observing the events
gallows humor	another term for dark comedy
hamartia	another word for fatal flaw
hand puppets	a puppet made with a cloth tube into which the puppeteer puts his/her hand
high comedy	humor that appeals to the mind
improvisation	a form of theatre where plot, character, and dialogue are made up in the moment
incongruity	anything that seems out of place; a characteristic of comedy
inevitable end	a characteristic of tragedy where there is no way to change the outcome
leads	the main characters in a musical
libretto	the text of an opera
low comedy	physical and vulgar comedy
maestro	the leader of an orchestra who is responsible for the music now overpowering the singers
marionettes	puppets operated from above by strings connected to various parts of the puppet and operated by manipulating a wooden control bar connect to the nylon or clear string
middle comedy	humor that demonstrates a range of human emotions
musical theatre	a genre of theatre where singing and dancing play an essential part of the performance; combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
opera	a dramatic work in one or more acts that is set to music
personality flaws	flaws in a character such as limitations, imperfections, phobias, or deficiencies which will affect their actions, abilities, or decisions
personality of the protagonist	an important charateristic of a tragedy where the protagonist is a tragic hero
presentational theatre	a style of theatre where the performers acknowledge the audience and ask themto play a more active role
principals	the main characters in an opera; during a show, their actions move the story forward
problem play	another way to refer to a social drama
protection	knowing that dangerous or cruel events aren't really happening or that the person is okay; a characteristic of comedy
psychological drama	a play that focuses on the human psyche and relationships
puppet theatre	a form of theatre that involves manipulation of puppets, which are frequently depictions of humans or animals
puppeteer	a person who makes a puppet talk and move
realism	plays that portray life as it really is
recitative	words being spoken in a musical rythim on one repeated note
recognition	discovering a hidden meaning; a characteristic of comedy
relief	occurs when pent up emotion is allowed to explode into laughter; a characteristic of comedy
representational theatre	a style of theatre where the play attempts to convinve the audience the world on stage is real
revived	when a musical is brought back to stage after not being performed for a period of time
rod puppets	puppets controlled from below by wire or wood; they usually have a network of wires to support the main weight of the puppet and smaller wires to control body parts
romantic comedy	a comedy that focuses on how we wish life could be
romanticism / romantic plays	plays that have love as a central theme
satire	comedy that attacks accepted society
score	music and lyrics of a musical theatre show
screen scene	when a character hides behind something onstage and overhears a conversation on stage; common in farces
sentimental comedy	a comedy that focuses on personal relationships
silent films	films that didn't have dialogue or sound; most were made between the 1890s and 1930s
slapstick	comedy with very exaggerated physical activity
social drama	a play that offers solutions to societal problems; often focuses on any aspect of life that people deal with on a day-to-day basis
stimulus	an idea to kick start an improv discussion
supporting roles	the next largest roles in a musical besides the leads
symbolism	when one element represents something else
theatre for young audiences	any performance taking place in the presence of young audiences ages 2-17, including theatre, dance, circus, and puppetry; sometimes referred to as TYA; it can include theatre created by youth under age 18
theatre of involvement	plays that rely on audience participation
theatre of the absurd	plays that illustrate that everything happens for no reason at all
theatricalism	plays that show the audience that they are watching a play
total theatre	theatre that employs all of the performing arts
tragedy	a play in which the protagonist fails to achieve desired goals or is overcome by opposing forces
tragic hero	a virtuous character in a tragedy who is a destined for a downfall or suffering
travesty	a play that mocks people and society
triple threats	performers who can act, sing, and dance
universal appeal	a story that has universal appeal is one that everyone can relate to
vocal ranges	the span from the lowest note to the highest note that a singer can hit
walk-ons	roles with no lines and little stage time

Unit #5

Term	Definition
Aeschylus	a prolific playwright in ancient Greece best known for his tragedy trilogy, Orestia
Ai	an interlude actor in a Noh play; often a local person who gives further background to the waki (and thus to the audience) in order to understand the situation of the shite; also called an Ai-kyogen
Ai-kyogen	See Ai
American Theatre Wing	An American organization dedicated to excellence in theatre
amphitheaters	large, circular arenas with raised seating built throughout the Roman empire
Aphra Behn	First British female actor and writer of comedy of intrigue
apprentices	young boys who were often cast as women in Elizabethan theatre
archon	the governor of the theatre festival honoring Dionysis in ancient Greece
Aristophanes	a playwright in ancient Greek theatre who wrote many comedies that satirized real-life people; he is well-known for The Frogs
Arlechino	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; also known as Zanni; common characteristics: acrobatic servant, foolish, interacts with the audience, trickster, always hungry, sleeps in strange locations
Ben Jonson	English playwright who developed 'comedy of humor' plays; his first success was Everyman in His Humor
blank verse	unrhyming lines
burlesque theatre	variety show featuring stripteases and vulgar comedy
Capitano	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; common characteristics: seems powerful but an arrogant coward, unsuccessful in love, foreigner
caricatures	characters that are exaggeration rather than real people
chariot racing	a competition between small, two-wheeled vehicles drawn by horses
choregoi	a wealthy citizen responsible for financing the preparations for the chorus in Greek theatre, including paying for props, costumes, scenery, and the salary of the chorus members
chorus	group of chanters in a Greek theatre used to explain a situation in a play; also referred to as goat singers
Christopher Marlowe	English playwright who wrote four plays in his short life and was the first writer to use blank verse; Dr. Faustus is one of his most famous works
circus	a large open-air venue used for public events in ancient Rome
closet dramas	plays meant to be read and not performed
collegium poetarum	guild of writers in ancient Rome
Colombina	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; common characteristics: gossipy servant to female innamorati, sees situation for what it is, flirtatious, smart
comedy of humors	comedy based on a character's behavior being controlled by one of the four humors
comedy of intrigue	style of comedy with little character development and a focus on strategy, conspiracy, and humor
comedy of manners	comedy that satirizes a social group
Commedia dell'Arte	comedy of artists; a combination of improvisation and stock characters common during the Renaissance
concert saloons	American variety shows similar to English musical halls where alcohol was also served
cycle	series of short plays, common during the Middle Ages
Dark Ages	the first few decades following the fall of Rome; also known as the Middle Ages or Medieval Period
Deus ex machina	literally translates to "god from machine"; an ancient Greek theatre practice where a god would leave Mount Olympus (from the top of the skene) and come to Earth to resolve a problem or difficulty in the play; still used in plays today where an unexpected, outside force is used to resolve a problem in the play
Dionysian Festival	the annual ancient Greek festival honoring the Greek god, Dionysis; lasted five or six days and involved contests for playwrights and theatrical performances. Also called City Dionysia or Great Dionysia.
Dionysus	Greek god of wine and the grape harvest
dominus	master; leader of the greges in ancient Roman theatre
Dottore	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; common characteristics: old, obstacle to lovers, teacher, likes alcohol and chocolate, cheate, unfaithful
Elizabethan period	reign of Queen Elizabeth I in England from 1558-1603
English Royal Patents	government license giving theatres the right to perform; awarded to theatres after Charles II was restored on the British throne
episodes	third part of a play in ancient Greek theatre; the events that are part of the dramatic sequence occur to advance the plot; similar to scenes in today's plays
Euripides	a playwright in ancient Greece; while many of this plays survived, his best known work is Medea which features one of the first strong female main characters in a play
Everyman	the most famous morality play from the Middle Ages
exodus	the final song sung by the chorus upon exiting in a Greek play; song provides a framework to the audience of what they should have learned in the play
fabula palliate	comedy based on Greek subjects, written and performed during Roman times
flats	piece of material stretched over a frame; anything could be painted on it to create any setting needed for the play
folly	foolish action or idea
foot	a beat made up of two long syllables or one long and two short syllables
gait	how a character moves
galleries	one of the three tiers of cushioned seating in The Globe theatre where wealthier, high status people sat
greges	troupe of slave actors in ancient Roman theatre
groundlings	commoners in attendance at a play who paid a penny to stand in the pit and watch the play
guilds	medieval trade unions
Ha	the development of a Noh play
Hayashi	the instrumentalists who sit at the back of the stage in a Noh play
heroic plays	plays written in rhyming pentameter and styled after French neoclassicism
hexameter	written lines made up of 6 feet
hirelings	actors who received a weekly wage; they had no share or stake in the theatre's profits
histories	Shakespearean plays that primarily focused on English history
Hrosvitha	first female playwright since ancient times; she lived during the Middle Ages
humors	an ancient belief that a person's physical qualities are determined by the four humors, which are black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, or blood; this idea was believed for centuries
iambic pentameter	a line of verse made up of 5 metrical feet
Innamorati	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; common characteristics: the lovers, extremely emotional, educated but inexperienced, focus of play
Interregnum	period between legitimate rule; the British Interregnum (1649–1660) was the time that the Commonwealth and Oliver Cromwell ruled between King Charles I and King Charles II
Jiutai	the chorus in a Noh play that usually consists of eight people; they sit at the side of the stage and narrate the background and the story itself
Jo	the introduction of a Noh play
Kami	one of the five types of Noh plays; the god play; congratulatory piece praising the gods in a quiet, dignified tone
Katsura	one of the five types of Noh plays; the woman play; an elegant, stylish woman is the protagonist
Kiri	one of the five types of Noh plays; the supernatural play or the demon play; a battle between a demon or other supernatural figure and a hero in which the demon is usually subdued
Kyogen	comic Japanese plays that are irreverent and feature slapstick
Kyu	the climax of a Noh play
laurel wreath	a wreath made of interlocking branches of bay laurel that was placed on the head of the winning playwright of the Dionysian Festival in ancient Greece
lazzi	stock comic routines used in Commedia dell'Arte
legitimate theatres	theatres able to perform serious plays and authors; also called royal theatres
liturgical drama	plays performed in or near a church during the Middle Ages
Ludi Romani	a celebration held in honor of the god Jupiter in ancient Rome
mad woman play	one of the five types of Noh plays; a realistic play; also called a madness play
Maejite	the shite who appears in the first part of the Noh play as an ordinary person
magistrates	the elected official responsible for the organization of munera events
managers	lead actor and operator of legitimate theatres
mansions	backdrops used to help communicate biblical locations during medieval plays
melodrama	a play of sensational events and exaggerated characters
mime	short spoken improv theatre that focused on daily life
minor theatres	legal theatres in London that could not perform serious plays
minstrel shows	shows filled with comic skits, variety acts, and musical performances
minstrels	men who made a living through the arts
miracle play	medieval play that focuses on the life, miracle, or martyrdom of a saint
Molière	a French actor, director, and playwright who is best known for the creation of French comedy
morality play	medieval play where characters represent moral traits and moral lessons are taught
munera	blood sports provided for the benefit of the people, including gladiator fights
mystery play	medieval play about biblical subjects
naumachiae	a simulated sea battle; Roman production staged in an amphitheatre
neoclassicism	new creations inspired by the Greek and Roman classics; an idea that arose during the Renaissance
Nochijite	in a Noh play, the Maejite shite disappears and then returns in the second part of the play in his true form (the Nochijite) as the ghost of a famous person of long ago
Noh	oldest surviving Japanese dramatic form dating back to the 11th century; combines elements of drama, dance, music, and poetry to retell a well-known story from Japanese literature; Noh plays deal with serious themes
Old American Company	the first travelling theatre company in America
orchestra	part of a Greek theatre where the action of the play takes place
pageant wagon	a stage on wheels used during performances of medieval plays
Pantalone	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; common characteristics: wealthy merchant obstacle to love always form Venice, old, loves money, inhumane
pantomime	storytelling with dance and music that developed from mime; no words are used, so the story is told through movement only
parabas	occurs in between the episodes of a comedy in ancient Greek theatre; actors leave the stage and the chorus addresses the audience directly
parados	where the chorus in Greek theatre enters and exits; also the name for the song the chorus sings when they enter after the play is introduced, which is the second part of a Greek play
passion play	dramatic retelling of the last week of Jesus's life
pastoral drama	plays that celebrate the simple lives of those who live in the country
pathos	pity; emotion that the exodus of a play tries to invoke in the audience of a Greek play
patronage	support of artists by the wealthy
periaktoi	triangular prisms used for scenery; each side is painted with a different scene, and the shape can be turned to show three different scenes; common in ancient Greek theatre and today
person of the place	in Noh drama, it is the person that a priest meets in a province
pinakes	painted panels used for scenery in Greek theatre; placed in the openings of the skene and could be moved as the play changed locations in the story
pit	area just below the stage; where groundlings stood to watch the play
platea	neutral acting area of a stage
Plautus	Roman comedy playwright
pompa	a solemn procession at the start of the Ludi Romani
privy council	body that advises a head of state, such as Queen Elizabeth I of England
prologue	the introduction of a play that provides any background necessary for the audience to understand the play; first part of a play in ancient Greece
raked stage	a stage built on an angle that slopes away from the audience
repertory	theatre company that has multiple plays ready for production on any given day
Restoration	period of theatre in Great Britain from 1660-1700; refers to the restoration in 1660 of Charles II to the British throne and the flourishing of theatre that occurred
rogues	actors performing without permission during the Interregum period in England
satyr play	an ancient Greek play that is a combination of tragedy and comedy; rude and vulgar in nature
scenarios	series of events
Seneca	best known writer of Roman tragedy
sharers	part owners of the theatres who could profit from a theatre's success; sometimes actors were also sharers
Shite	the main character in a Noh play; the "doer" of the play
Shura	one of the five types of Noh plays; the warrior play; a slain warrior comes back as a ghost and relieves his suffering
sideshows	exhibition of humans with unusual physical appearances; also called freak shows
skene	the dressing room in Greek theatre; originally was a tent but later a stone building was used and scenery was painted on its front; used to enact 'deus ex machina' scenes
Sophocles	a Greek theatre actor turned poet; his plays won many festivals, and his most famous for his tragedies, Antigone, Electra, and Oedipus Rex.
stance	how a character stands
stasimon	ode used to reflect on what occurred in the prior episode in Greek theatre; specifically used in tragedies
stock character	a stereotypical, fictional character in literature
stock company	a group of actors performing regularly in a particular theatre
tableau	living picture
Terence	Roman comedy playwright
The Globe	theatre in London associated with Shakespeare
theatron	means "the seeing place"; located on either side of the orchestra in Greek theatre, and where the audience would sit to watch the action of the play
Thespis	the first actor
thymele	altar to Dionysus in the middle of the orchestra in a Greek theatre
tragos	songs sung by the chorus in Greek theatre; their songs are called goat-songs; the word 'tragos' is one of the Greek words that developed into the word 'tragedy'
trilogy	three plays related by theme, myth, or characters
tropes	new music added to pre-existing chants in the Middle Ages
Tsure	the companion of the shite in a Noh play
turns	very short, unrelated acts in a vaudeville show
vaudeville	type of American entertainment featuring burlesque, song, and dance
Waki	secondary or "sideline" character in a Noh play; often a traveling priest whose questioning of the main character is important in developing the story
Waki-tsure	the companion of the waki
William Congreve	Best known for comedy of manners plays; his controversial The Way of the World contains many comedy of manners characteristics
William Shakespeare	English actor and playwright who wrote 38 plays in iambic pentameter, including histories, tragedies, and comedies
Zanni	a Commedia dell'Arte stock character; also known as Arlechino; common characteristics: acrobatic servant, foolish; interacts with the audience, trickster, always hungry, sleeps in strange locations
Zeami	a Japanese playwright who developed Noh plays during the Middle Ages

Unit #6

Term	Definition
action	what a character does to achieve an objective
ambiguous scenes	another term for 'open scenes'
character	a person in the play, who is communicated through an actor's performance of a scene
characterization	developing and portraying a personality
confidant	the person the protagonist trusts and confides in; he or she listens to and advises the protagonist
conflict	struggle between opposing forces
contentless scenes	another term for 'open scenes'
dynamic character	a character who changes over time; central to the story and changes because of the conflict
emotional characterizations	internal characterizations of a character's emotions and their affect on his/her personality
external traits	traits that can be seen, such as a character's posture, movement gestures, voice, and mode of dress
flat character	a character with one type of personality trait; often a stereotype
foil	the character that shows traits opposite of another character; their role is to highlight the personality traits of the protagonist
internal traits	personality traits that cannot be seen
line delivery	how an actor says a line of dialogue in a play
mental characterizations	internal characterizations of how smart or dumb a character is
motivation	the reason a character pursues the objective
objective	what a character wants
obstacle	the thing that stands in the way of accomplishing an objective
open scenes	scenes with dialogue open to interpretation
pause and rate	the speed at which someone speaks
pitch	the highness or lowness of a voice
round character	a character with a complex, conflicted, or varied personality
setting	locale or period in which the play takes place
spiritual qualities	internal characterizations of a character's ethical code, spiritual values, beliefs
stakes	what the character can win or lose in a situation
static character	a character that does not change over time; is no evolution in this character's personality
story	the plot of the play; must have a beginning, a middle, and an end
subtext	the meaning of the words that are said and what's going on beneath the lines
tone	how words are delivered, or said, to create emotional color
volume	the strength of the voice

Unit #7

Term	Definition
Alexander Technique	a process developed by Frederick Matthias Alexander that teaches you how to properly coordinate body and mind; focuses on the actor so that the actor can then focus on the character
blocking rehearsal	rehearsal where the actors and director work out the movement of each scene of the show
breaths	where to take a breath in a line; marked with a plus sign + when scoring a script
character	component of pantomime that involves facial expressions and hand / arm movement
character lines	when scoring a script, marked by a box drawn around the words that need to be delivered in a character, or special, voice; this can be used when there's a quote within a line
cheat out	the actor adjusts his or her body with the audience in mind
composition	on stage, the arrangement of the individual parts to the whole
consistency	in pantomime, objects that are mimed must remain the same size
context	something's relationship to the story
cross	when an actor moves from stage right to stage left
curtain call	the final bow; actors return to stage once the show is over to accept the applause of the audience
dab	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with flick; shows a movement bouncing off of something, like you are bouncing a ball
direction	one of the four component parts of human movement, according to Laban; the direction of movement can be direct or indirect
downstage	the part of the stage that's closest to the audience
dress rehearsal	a rehearsal when the show is run as if there is a paying audience; actors wear full costume and make-up, and all tech elements are performed
exaggerated expression and gesture	in pantomime, all emotions expressed on your face and actions done by your body must be exaggerated and made bigger than in real life
exaggerated resistance	in pantomime, resistance must be exaggerated and made bigger than in real life; everything is played like it's harder to do, so movement (such as pulling on a door to open it) should be exaggerated in the mime; resistance occurs when an object pushes back against the force of the actor
facial expressions	a form of nonverbal communication where one or move muscles (voluntarily or involuntarily) in the face move in order to convey emotion
flick	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with dab; movement is crisp, light, and very brief, like you are flicking a bug away
float	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with glide; movement demonstrated through weightlessness, like you are floating in space
flow	one of the four component parts of human movement, according to Laban; the flow of movement can be bound or free
full back	when an actor turns to face upstage (completely away from the audience)
full front	direction where an actor stands directly facing the audience
gesture	movement of any part of your body to help express an idea or an emotion
glide	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with float; movement is slow and controlled, like you are ice skating
hand or arm movements	a form of nonverbal communication in which hands and/or arms are moved to convey emotion
Laban Effort	a method developed by Rudolf Laban for describing and performing human movement
memorization	committing something to memory
method acting	a technique developed by Konstantin Stanislavski where an actor attempts to connect with the character emotionally
movement	component of pantomime that deals with relaxation, posture, and crossing
no breath phrases	words in the script that need to be delivered without a breath; when scoring a script, it's marked by a curved line
nonverbal communication	communication without words; instead uses facial expressions and hand gestures
off book	an actor can perform off book when he or she has memorized all their lines and movements and doesn't need to rely on the script
pantomime	dramatic entertainment in which actors tells stories with gestures
pauses	when to pause in a line; when scoring a script, it's marked with a slash, like this / for a short pause and with two slashes like this // for a long pause
picturization	the storytelling aspect of blocking
pitch	word(s) that need a change in pitch when said are marked by an arrow when scoring a script; an upward arrow for raising pitch or a downward arrow for lowering pitch on a word or phrase
polishing rehearsal	rehearsal where movement and line delivery are perfected
posture	how you hold your body when sitting or standing
press	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with wring; movement shown by pushing, crushing, or squeezing from both directions, like you are crushing a can
primary control	the Alexander Technique focuses on improving this control of the head, neck, and back, which are responsible for coordination of entire body
profile	a move where actors turn towards each other
punch	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with slash; violent and intentional movement, like you are punching a punching bag
quarter turn	a move used when two actors share a scene; the most used move in blocking; actors cheat out and angle their bodies so that the audience can see more of them
read-through	rehearsal where the entire cast meets for first time to read through script
scoring the script	adding notations to the script to indicate blocking, beats, and vocal elements
script work	marking how to deliver lines
sense memory	remembering the feeling of anything you have heard, seen, smelled, tasted, or touched; what you use when you relive sensations that were experienced through the five senses
slash	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with punch; smooth motion that is stopped quickly, like you are slashing a sword
speed	one of the four component parts of human movement, according to Laban; the speed of movement can be quick or sustained
stage balance	keeping the action balanced across the stage
stage left	the part of the stage that is on the actor's left (when an actor is looking at the audience); it's the right side of the stage from the audience's perspective
stage right	the part of the stage that is on the actor's right (when an actor is looking at the audience); it's the left side of the stage from the audience's perspective
Stanislavski method	another term for 'method acting' that was developed by Konstantin Stanislavski
story	component of pantomime that says a simple story must have a beginning, middle, and end
table read	another term for 'read-through'
tech rehearsal	a rehearsal that focuses on the technical elements of the show, including lighting, sound, set, etc.
the conflict	an elemental structure of pantomime; it is the conflict (the struggle between opposing forces) that occurs during the pantomime; it is the tool that sharpens the story
the event	an elemental structure of pantomime; the movements that make up the situation of the pantomime
the situation	an elemental structure of pantomime; it is the structure of the story; how the characters put the events together to tell the story
theatre rehearsal etiquette	the agreed-upon accepted behaviors in a rehearsal setting
three quarter	a move where the actor turns quarter back to audience so that most of his/her back is to the audience
upstage	the part of the stage that's furthest away from the audience
upstage foot	the foot closest to the back of the stage
upstaging	drawing the attention of the audience
weight	one of the four component parts of human movement, according to Laban; the weight of movement can be heavy or light
word / line stresses	words to be emphasized; when scoring a script, it's marked by an underline
working rehearsal	rehearsal where the focus is on both movement and line delivery
wring	one of Laban's Eight Efforts; paired with press; shown through movement in opposite direction, like you are wringing out a towel

Unit #8

Term	Definition
audience survey	a questionnaire provided to an audience at the conclusion of a production where they evaluate what their personal experiences were at the show
conclusion	the fourth part of a theatre review; a statement of why the reviewer feels the way he or she does about a production
curtain time	the beginning of a stage performance
freelance	work performed for different companies at different times; freelance workers are paid per piece of writing instead of with a steady paycheck
Goethe's Three Questions	Three questions that a critic should ask and answer when reviewing a performance, developed by Goethe; thre three questions are: What was the artist attempting to do? Was it well done? Was it worth doing?
hold	when an actor pauses while an audience responds with applause
introduction	the first part of the theatre review; includes the title of the play, name of the playwright, name of the director, date of the performance, and location
objective	not influenced by emotions or personal feelings
ovation	a period of prolonged applause where the audience stands
pan	a negative review
playbill	the theatre program that gives you important information about the performance, including the scenes and actor bios
plot and theme	the second part of a theatre review; contains a brief synopsis of the story of the play
portfolio	a collection of a theatre critic's writing to demonstrate his/her ability
previews	public performances that precede the opening of a show
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.	acronym for how to be a good audience member; it stands for: Recording (no recording allowed), Early Arrival (arrive 30 min prior to curtain time), Silence Your Cell, Photography Rules (no flash photography; check whether you can take photos or not), Exit Before Criticizing (keep any critical or negative comments about the show to yourself until you have left the theatre), Correct Time for Applause (applaud at scene breaks, intermission, and at the end), Talking Rules (no talking during a show)
rave review	a theatre critique that praises a performance
review	the third part of a theatre review; includes a description and interpretation of what was seen in a production
subjective	influenced by personal feelings and emotions
subjective review	can occur when a critic immediately answers the final question of Goethe's 3 (Was it worth doing?) without considering the first question (What was the artist attempting to do?)
suspend disbelief	idea that the audience knows what they are seeing on stage isn't real but they are willing to pretend that they do not know that
theatre critic	a person who professionally evaluates a theatrical production
theatre criticism	an analytical evaluation of a production with respect to the role of the play in the world of theatre
theatre review	a short evaluation of a play and the performers
thesis	a statement to be proved during your review