Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A master script maintained by the stage manager, containing all blocking, cues, and notes. It serves as the definitive record for running the show during performances.
A person who assists actors by feeding forgotten lines during rehearsal or performance. Prompters are more common in traditional European theatres than in modern U.S. productions.
The use of performance or storytelling to promote political or ideological messages, especially in epic theatre.
A Prophecy is a prediction or foretelling of future events, usually delivered by a character with divine insight or supernatural authority. In drama, prophecies often create dramatic tension by revealing the outcome before it happens. Characters may try to avoid the prophecy, but their actions usually bring it about, underscoring themes of fate and inevitability.
A character who delivers foresight or divine revelations, often appearing in religious or mythological theatre. Prophets guide plot development and moral themes.
Short for 'properties,' these are the physical objects used by actors during a performance. Props help establish time period, character, and action.
The arch or frame that separates the stage from the audience in traditional Western theatre. It defines the visible performance space in proscenium stages.
A theatre configuration where the audience faces one side of the stage, framed by a proscenium arch. This format emphasizes frontal staging and scenic design.
Ordinary written or spoken language without structured meter, often used in contrast to verse in theatrical texts.
A makeup appliance used to create realistic physical changes to an actor’s appearance, such as wounds, age effects, or fantastical features.
The main character of a play or story, typically the one whose journey or conflict drives the plot. The protagonist often experiences growth or change.
Describes regional or rural theatres or characters, sometimes suggesting unsophisticated or localized traits.