Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A trickster spider character from West African folklore who appears in theatrical storytelling and educational plays.
A lion-like creature in Balinese performance symbolizing good, featured in ceremonial dance dramas.
A Muslim ruler figure featured in historical or mythological plays set in Islamic cultures or inspired by Arabian tales.
A child believed to be swapped by fairies; in drama, symbolizes identity and transformation.
The Greek god of wine and theatre, often invoked in plays and festivals as a symbol of chaos, passion, and creativity.
A foundational spiritual and storytelling concept in Indigenous Australian cultures, informing ritual and performance.
Yoruba masquerade tradition involving masked performers who embody ancestral spirits through dance and ritual.
A magical or healing potion used symbolically or literally in theatre, especially in fantasy or mythic stories.
A mythological paradise used in drama to symbolize peace after death, as in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
A genre of story involving magical and fantastical elements, sometimes adapted for theatrical performance.
A Faustian bargain is a deal in which a person sacrifices moral integrity, values, or even their soul in exchange for power, knowledge, success, or another form of personal gain. The term comes from the German legend of Faust, who sold his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge and pleasure. In theatre and literature, this concept often explores themes of temptation, ambition, and the consequences of greed. An example is Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, who agrees to feed Audrey II in exchange for fame and love.