Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
An archaic form of 'your,' often seen in English Renaissance theatre, used to convey familiarity or poetic style.
The quality or color of a sound that distinguishes voices and instruments, crucial to vocal performance and design.
A key element in dramatic structure, referring to pacing, chronology, or the period in which the play is set.
A time jump is a narrative device in which the story skips forward, sometimes years or decades, between scenes or acts. It highlights the passage of time and allows audiences to see characters at different stages of life without depicting every moment in between. This technique can create dramatic contrasts, reveal change, or intensify tension.
A break in rehearsal or performance, used by actors to reset emotionally or physically; also refers to a pause in action.
A musical notation indicating the number of beats in each measure and which note value receives the beat; essential in musical theatre.
The precise execution of actions or lines to achieve the desired comedic, dramatic, or rhythmic effect.
A collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who shaped American popular music and early musicals.
A theatrical superstition or vocalized wish for good luck, especially used in opera and European performance tradition.
An era of Japanese history (1603–1868) that saw the rise of Kabuki and Bunraku as dominant theatrical forms.
The emotional quality or attitude conveyed in speech, text, or music, helping shape audience response and character mood.
A tone of ironic or playful humor used in plays to mock conventions or critique societal norms with subtle sarcasm.