2. Drama Vocabulary Act- To portray a character on stage.
A large division/portion of a play.

3. Acting Area- Another word for stage
Every stage is an acting area, but not every acting area is a stage.

4. Action- The essential ingredient in any play/scene.
Order to start acting.

5. Ad lib- To improvise or make something up to cover a mistake on stage.
Random talk (like everyone talking at once.)

6. Ambiguity-
Comedy Tactic.
Double meaning or a play on words.

7. Anticipation- Another comedy tactic.
Waiting for the expected to happen.

8. Apron-
The part of the stage between the front curtain and the front edge of the stage.

9. Arena- A stage with seating all the way around it.
Sometimes called theatre-in-the-round.

10. Aside-
A line delivered directly to the audience with the assumption that no other characters on stage heard it.

11. Audition- Trying out for a part in a play.
***You are actually auditioning all of the time.***

12. Auditorium-
The part of the theatre where the audience sits.

14. Drama Vocabulary Backdrop-
Large hanging sheet of muslin painted to look like scenery. Covers the whole back wall of the stage.

15. Backstage-
Any area immediately off stage on either side.

16. Bit Part-
A smaller role in a production.

17. Blocking Rehearsal-
Rehearsal where stage directions are given to the cast by the director.

18. Book-
Another name for the script.

19. Business-
Actions/body language/ mannerisms that you create for the character you are playing.

20. Callbacks-
An audition where the director takes a closer look at those that are still in the running to get a part.

21. Character-
The person or thing that you have created to play on stage.

22. Characterization-
The process you go through to develop a character (research, observation, etc..)

23. Chorus-
A group or ensemble of performers all doing the same thing (singing, dancing, chanting, etc.).

24. Climax-
Part of PLOT.
Turning point of the play.

26. Drama Vocabulary Closet Drama-
A play that’s intended to be read, but not performed.

27. Comedy-
Play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way.

28. Concentration-
Directing all your thoughts, skills and energy toward a given goal. (Staying in character)

29. conclusion-
Part of plot.
The end of the story.

30. Conflict-
Struggle between characters, ideas or any two opposing forces.

31. Cross-
To move from one place to another on stage.

32. Cue-
The last few words, action, or effect, that signal an actor to speak, enter, exit, move, etc..

33. Cut-
Order to stop what is going on, onstage.

34. Dialogue-
Spoken words between two or more characters.

35. Diction-
The selection and pronunciation of words.

36. Director-
The person in charge of all aspects of a production, putting it all together.

38. Drama
Vocabulary
Etiquette-
Proper audience behavior.

39. Farce-
Comedy using clowning, practical jokes, and improbable characters or situations.

40. Foreshadowing-
Emphasized lines, actions, or ideas that give clues to something that will happen later on.

41. Comedy Tragedy Mystery Genre- Drama
A category characterized by a particular style.

42. Gesture-
Movement of any part of the body to help express something.

43. Glib-
Practicing lines, back and forth, as quickly as possible, all for repetition and memorization.

44. Ham-
Overacting.

45. Improvisation-
Acting without any pre-planned action or script.

46. Incongruity-
Comedy Tactic.
Anything out of time, place or character.

47. Inflection-
Making the pitch of your voice vary up and down, to avoid being monotone.

48. Initial Incident- Part of PLOT.
The moment that kicks off the story line of the play.

49. Intent-
The inner force driving a character’s behavior.

51. Drama Vocabulary Laugh Curve-
The upward and downward wave of laughter produced by an audience.

52. Leading Roles-
The main characters in a story’s plot.

53. Melodrama-
Play characterized by keeping an audience involved by any means possible. Hero, Villain, damsel in distress…

54. Memorizing-
Committing lines of dialogue to memory.

55. Milk-
Getting the absolute most reaction, from the audience, out of a line or bit of action.

56. Monologue-
A speech by a single actor.

57. Mood-
The emotional feeling of a play.

58. Moral-
Lesson or principle being taught in a play.

59. Offbook-
All lines are memorized.
No scripts in hands.

60. Pace-
The speed of the play.

62. Drama
Vocabulary
Parody-
Poking fun at a classic work of literature.

63. Pick up the cues-
Cut out the unnecessary pauses between lines, to make the dialogue sound more natural.

64. Pitch-
The upward and/or downward sound of the voice that eliminates monotone.

65. Plot-
A series of related events that move the storyline of a play along.

66. Principals-
The leading roles in a play.

67. Producer-
The person with all the money, who hires and/or fires the entire staff of a production and pays for all expenses of the production.

68. Projection-
The loudness of the voice. Fill the room.

69. Props-
Anything carried on/off stage by one of the actors.

70. Horseplay Quit Screwing Around- Alright, what do you think this means?
Stop goofing off and wasting time.

71. A-ha! Recognition- A comedy tactic.
Where two separate events, are put together, and the two of them together make a comic moment.

73. Drama Vocabulary Relief- Comedy tactic.
Comic moment used to break up a serious moment or to relieve pressure.

74. Scene Stealing-
Taking attention away from the focus of the scene and drawing it to yourself.

75. Script-
The written text of a play.

76. Set-
The scenery for an act or a scene.

77. Situation-
Problem or challenge a character must face.

78. Soliloquy-
Inner thoughts being revealed by one actor, alone on stage. A long speech by one performer.

79. Spontaneity-
Fresh performance.

80. Spoof-
A farce that pokes fun at certain subjects or time periods.

81. Stage Manager-
The person completely in charge backstage during rehearsals and performance.

83. Drama Vocabulary Strike-
To remove an object(s) from the stage; to take down the set.

84. Subtext-
Meaning “between the lines,” that an actor must draw from the script.

85. Supporting Roles-
Characters who act as contrasts to the principal (lead) characters.

86. Theater/Theatre- Performance art.
Building used for presentation of a play.

87. Theme-
The basic idea of a play.

88. Thespian-
An actor, or relating to the theatre. Named after Thespis.

89. Timing-
Delivery of a line or action, at just the right moment, giving it the fullest effect possible.

90. Tragedy-
Play where the protagonist fails to achieve goals or is overcome by opposing forces.

91. Upstaging-
Improperly taking attention from another actor who should have the focus.

92. Volume-
Loudness or Softness of the voice.

93. Whodunit-
Another word for a good ol’ fashioned murder mystery or courtroom drama.