Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A physical movement, often symbolic or intentional, used by actors to communicate character emotion or intention.
A term from Brechtian theatre combining gesture and social commentary to reveal relationships and power dynamics.
A segregated area of a city often associated with poverty and marginalization, used in plays to explore inequality.
Natural talents or learned skills actors bring to their roles, such as vocal ability, timing, empathy, or physicality.
A late 19th-century era marked by wealth and social inequality, often depicted in theatre for its decadence and class tension.
The conditions in which a character exists, including time, place, and situation. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
The iconic London theatre associated with Shakespeare, where many of his plays premiered in the late 1500s and early 1600s.
An Irish phrase meaning 'forever,' often used in poetic or nostalgic contexts within theatre.
What a character strives to achieve during a scene or play, driving their actions and defining their arc.
Metal or glass stencils inserted into lighting instruments to project shapes or patterns. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
An old oath meaning 'God's little body'; used in Shakespearean plays for emphasis or comic effect. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
A period of artistic flourishing, often referring to 1940s-60s Broadway or English Renaissance theatre. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.