Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A quick sketch used in costume design to visualize clothing concepts on the human figure.
Casting performers in roles not matching their gender identity, used for artistic effect or inclusivity.
A financial aid application used by some colleges and conservatories to assess student need beyond the FAFSA.
A term for a man whose partner is unfaithful, often used in comedic and tragic theatre to portray shame and jealousy.
A technical rehearsal where only the parts of the script involving lighting, sound, and scene changes are run.
A passionate, niche audience devoted to a specific play or performance style, often regardless of mainstream popularity.
The traditions, practices, and expressions of a culture that influence theatre, often preserved through performance.
A spoken or symbolic expression of ill will, often used in drama to introduce supernatural or emotional conflict.
Legal guardianship over a child or dependent, often used in family dramas to depict emotional or moral conflict.
A costume team member responsible for translating designs into patterns and fabric cuts for garment construction.
A large, usually white, curtain that is lit to create setting and masks the back of the stage behind the set.
“from the head”; an aria in which the first part is repeated, the singer being expected to add ornamentation in the repeated section.