Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A term meaning 'equal'; may appear in historical or revolutionary-themed plays, especially those with European roots.
Yoruba masquerade tradition involving masked performers who embody ancestral spirits through dance and ritual.
A note worth half a beat in common time, often used for quicker rhythms in theatrical songs and dance sequences.
A numbered overhead lighting position in a theatre from which lighting instruments are hung.
A magical or healing potion used symbolically or literally in theatre, especially in fantasy or mythic stories.
Queen of England whose reign supported the flourishing of English Renaissance theatre and the works of Shakespeare.
Relating to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, marked by flourishing English drama and playwrights like Shakespeare and Marlowe.
To run away secretly to get married; often a plot device in Romantic and English Renaissance plays.
A mythological paradise used in drama to symbolize peace after death, as in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
The loss of traditional masculinity, often a theme in plays exploring power, identity, and societal roles.
A parent whose children have moved out, often a theme in contemporary plays exploring identity and life transitions.
A casting convention where a performer plays a role of the opposite gender, especially common in opera and classical theatre.