Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A dramatic genre involving serious themes and the downfall of a protagonist, often evoking catharsis from the audience.
A protagonist whose downfall results from a fatal flaw, central to classical and modern tragedy.
A genre blending elements of tragedy and comedy, often leaving audiences in emotional or thematic tension.
A character or theme denoting impermanence, often used to explore societal change or alienation in drama.
Transliteration is the process of representing the letters or characters of one writing system using the corresponding letters of another. Unlike translation, it focuses on preserving the original pronunciation rather than meaning. In drama, transliteration can be important for scripts, character names, or titles written in different alphabets, helping actors and audiences pronounce them accurately.
The act of shifting music to a different key, important in opera and musical theatre for adapting vocal ranges.
A trap is an opening in the stage floor, often covered by a removable panel or door, used for special entrances, exits, or stage effects. It can allow actors, props, or scenery to appear or disappear suddenly, adding dramatic impact. Traps have been used in theatre for centuries, from ghostly appearances in Shakespearean plays to modern technical illusions.
A circus performer using aerial apparatus, sometimes integrated into physical or experimental theatre.
A type of curtain that opens horizontally from the center or sides of the stage, used to conceal or reveal scenic elements.
A stage configuration where the audience sits on two opposite sides, creating a runway-style performance space.
The betrayal of one’s country, commonly portrayed in political and historical plays as a central conflict involving loyalty and power.
Three-letter combination representing a single sound, used in dialect coaching and language-specific performance work.