Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A Commanding Officer is a commissioned military officer tasked with absolute responsibility, authority, and accountability for a specific military unit or naval station. Within the chain of command, this officer must balance operational duties with maintaining morale and discipline among the troops under their charge.
An Italian theatrical form featuring masked stock characters, improvisation, and physical comedy, influential in modern comedy and clowning.
Theatre produced with the primary goal of making a profit, typically found in Broadway or West End contexts.
A request or contract for a playwright or composer to create a new work, usually accompanied by payment.
The core of performance, involving verbal and nonverbal methods actors use to convey character, intention, and emotion.
A political ideology often depicted or explored in 20th-century epic or protest theatre for social critique.
In theatre, refers to the collective of artists, audience, and supporters, or to a type of amateur or local theatre.
Events in a plot that introduce new conflict or obstacles for the protagonist, driving the narrative forward.
A person who writes original music for a production, including scores for musicals, operas, or incidental music for plays.
A person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true.
Conceit in drama refers to an extended or elaborate idea, device, or metaphor that drives the structure, theme, or presentation of a play. It often highlights the playwright’s imaginative framework, such as using a single location, repeated situation, or symbolic image to unify the story. While sometimes seen as artificial, a conceit can create depth, cohesion, and stylistic distinction in a theatrical work.
The actor’s ability to maintain focus and remain immersed in the world of the play, essential for truthful performance.