theatre art

soliloquy

A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage

Monologue

(n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person

Ensemble

a group of performers who work together as a unit to tell a story.

Blocking (theatre term)

the planned movement and positioning of actors on the stage during a play,

Cheating out

an actor angles their body slightly toward the audience while still interacting with other characters on stage.

Diaphgram

The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle crucial role in breathing.

project theatre

your body position

Emotion Recall

is an acting technique where an actor remembers a personal emotional experience from their own life and uses that memory to create real emotions in a character on stage.

sense memory

is an acting technique where the actor recalls and recreates physical sensations (touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound) from their own past experiences to bring truth and depth to their character's emotions and actions.

mime

s a form of silent performance in which actors use body movements, facial expressions, and gestures—but no words

visualization

Visualization is a mental technique where actors imagine detailed images, scenes, or actions in their mind. It helps them:

improvisation

is the art of creating and performing without a script. Actors make up dialogue, actions, and characters in the moment, based on prompts, situations, or just their imagination.

Illusion for the first time

Every time you perform a scene, it should feel like it's happening for the first time—fresh, spontaneous, and real—even if you've rehearsed it many times.

emoting

Emoting is the process of expressing emotions clearly and strongly through your:

Voice (tone, volume, pitch)

Facial expressions (smiles, frowns, tears, etc.)

Body language (posture, movement, gestures)

objectives

An Objective is what your character wants in a scene. It's the goal they are trying to achieve.

Motivation is the reason behind your character's actions

Motivation is the reason behind your character's actio

fourth wall

The Fourth Wall is an imaginary wall between the actors and the audience in a play or performance.

subtext

Subtext is the underlying meaning or unspoken thoughts and feelings beneath the actual words a character says.

It's what the character really means or feels, even if they don't say it directly.

The hidden message behind the dialogue.

cues

A Cue is a signal that tells an actor or technician when to do something during a performance.

Catharsis is the emotional release or cleansing that the audience (and sometimes characters) experience after a powerful, intense moment in a play or story.

is the emotional release or cleansing that the audience (and sometimes characters) experience after a powerful, intense moment in a play or story.

down stage

Downstage means the part of the stage closest to the audience.

up stage

Upstage refers to the part of the stage farthest away from the audience, toward the back of the stage.

stage left

Stage Left is the area of the stage to the actor's left side when they are facing the audience.

stage right

Stage Right is the area of the stage to the actor's right side when they are facing the audience.

A Director's Note

i feedback or instructions given by the director to actors or crew during rehearsals or performances.

readers theaher

Reader's Theater is a form of storytelling where actors read a script aloud without memorizing lines, costumes, or sets.

musicals

A Musical is a type of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance to tell a story.

stanislavski method

to help actors create realistic and believable performances.

Focuses on actors understanding their characters deeply.

Encourages actors to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.