Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
Short trousers worn historically by men; also refers to roles in which women dressed as men, common in older theatrical traditions.
A transitional section in music or story structure that connects two themes or scenes, adding emotional or narrative flow.
A type of flat or scenery wall that is built with the framing running horizontally, often covered with muslin and used on proscenium stages.
A brogue is a strong, distinctive regional accent, most commonly referring to the way English is spoken in Ireland. It is characterized as a thick, often lyrical, pronunciation, though it can sometimes refer to a strong Scottish accent.
A character who negotiates deals or exchanges, sometimes used in political or business-themed dramas to represent corruption or ambition.
The financial plan for a production, essential to managing resources, hiring, and staging a play or musical.
A comedic bass singer in opera, often playing a humorous or bumbling character.
A traditional Korean barrel drum used in theatrical music and ritual performance, central to Korean folk and court music.
A fictional persona invented to escape social obligations, coined from Oscar Wilde’s play *The Importance of Being Earnest*.
A traditional Japanese puppet theatre form involving large, intricately operated puppets accompanied by music and narration.
A system of administrative procedures often satirized in theatre to expose inefficiency and impersonality.
A theatrical genre mixing parody, music, and often sensuality, originating in the 19th century as satirical entertainment.