Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
Areas offstage to the left and right, hidden from the audience, where actors wait and scenery is stored during a performance.
Wit in theatre refers to the quick, clever use of language to create humor or reveal deeper truths about characters and situations. It often relies on sharp wordplay, irony, or unexpected turns of phrase to keep audiences engaged. Wit is commonly found in comedies and serves both to entertain and to highlight human flaws in a lighthearted way.
The craft of building sets and props using wood, a foundational skill in scenic construction for theatre.
Wordplay is the clever and imaginative use of language to create humor, double meanings, or unexpected associations. It often involves puns, alliteration, rhymes, or twists in phrasing that reveal wit and verbal dexterity. In theatre, wordplay enhances dialogue and lyrics by adding layers of meaning, rhythm, and entertainment value.
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.
The millennium computer bug scare, sometimes used in plays to highlight societal anxiety around technology and the future.
A historical figure referenced in passion plays like Ta'zieh, a form of religious drama in Islamic theatre traditions.
An affirmative word meaning 'yes,' commonly used in early English drama and formal or poetic theatrical dialogue.
A fundamental principle in improvisational theatre where performers accept offers and build upon them to advance the scene.