Drama Conventions Terms

Prologue

(1) Used to be the things that happened before the first entry chorus in Greek tragedies (2) Now is just some information about the play before its story begins

Epilogue

Something at the end of a story that "comments" on it; events in the epilogue usually take place sometime after the events in the main story (eg. months to years)

Cast

A group of people who have important roles in a book, story, or event

Stock Character

Recognizable characters found in certain genres (eg. the mean girl, the nerd, the jock, etc)

Stage Directions

Comments from the playwright that let actors know how their character should feel/what they should be doing

Aside

Something a character says to the audience or another character that isn't heard by the other characters

Monologue

Speech by an actor/character with no one saying anything afterwards

Soliloquy

Speech for the audience, but not the other characters; kinda like what the character is thinking

Dialogue

Conversation between two characters

Entrances // Exits

How and when characters enter and exit the stage

Gesture

Physical movement of a character; reveals character, usually by facial expressions/physical movement

Tragedy

Tragedy: Play where everyone experiences the worst
Tragic flaw: Something that a hero has that results in their downfall
Tragic hero: A hero that falls due to a tragic flaw

Comedy

Dramatic work where there's a happy ending after the characters overcome "adverse circumstances"

Farce

A play that uses the dumbest and almost unthinkable situations

Satire

Literary work that looks down upon negative human behaviour

Fourth Wall

An imaginary wall between the show's world and the real world; when a character refers to the audience in the real world, it's known as "breaking the fourth wall"

Comic Relief

Something comedic after a tragic event to relieve the audience

Double Entendre

A word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.

Lighting

How the stage is lit; can help set the atmosphere and can change during the play as the atmosphere changes

Sound

Helps create the atmosphere; can be made the by actors, props, or technology

Costume

What the character wears (or doesn't wear). It can help reveal aspects of the character's personality, the setting, etc.

Props (Physical Properties)

Objects that appear on stage during a play. Props can also take on a significant or even symbolic meaning.

Archetype

Also known as "universal symbol," may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting

Foil Character

Character contrasting with another to highlight the other's qualities