Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A man who has lost his spouse, used in plays to portray grief, recovery, and the complexity of love and memory.
Relating to Oscar Wilde’s distinctive wit, satire, and social commentary found in his dramatic and literary works.
In drama, 'will' can refer to a character’s inner drive or determination. Also used in poetic or archaic language as 'shall.'
British monarchs whose reign saw political and cultural shifts that affected Restoration and early 18th-century theatre.
An old second-person singular form of 'will' or 'do,' common in Shakespearean dialogue to express intention or desire.
Areas offstage to the left and right, hidden from the audience, where actors wait and scenery is stored during a performance.
Intellectual humor or cleverness in dialogue, often associated with Shakespearean comedies and Wildean satire.
The craft of building sets and props using wood, a foundational skill in scenic construction for theatre.
A developmental process for a theatrical work involving readings, rehearsals, and informal performances to refine material.
A program allowing students to earn financial aid through campus employment, including theatre production jobs.
A global conflict (1914–1918) often dramatized in plays to explore trauma, nationalism, loss, and societal transformation.
A global conflict often explored in theatre through themes of resistance, loss, trauma, and moral complexity.