theatre final vocab 2025

Theatre

1: a place especially a building, where plays, opera, musicals, and film is presented

2: the dramatic art

Arena theatre

A theatre having a central stage surrounded by an audience. Ex. The arena stage in Washington D.C

Proscenium stage

The frame that defines the physical stage, the opening through which the audience views the stage

Thrust stage

A theatre where the audience is surrounding 3 sides of the stage

Call board

Where an actor would go to look for audition sign ups, call backs, role assignments, and information about the production

Lobby

Where the audience waits prior to the opening of the house before a show

House

Where the audience sits

Apron

The part in the front of the proscenium arch

Wings

The left or right of the stage

Aisle

The entrance and exit row for the audience from the house to the lobby

Backstage

Behind and off the stage, where the audience can not see the performers

Antagonists

Adversary, opponent, villain

Protagonist

Main character- hero

Genre

Type of play- comedy, drama, musicals, farce,melodrama

Objective

Direct or indirect object of verb or a goal to attain

Obstacle

Where characters, prop, or set pieces gets in the way of the other characters objective

Given circumstances

The environment at the opening of the play “ the special world” of the play. Who ,what ,when ,where, and why

Levels

Not playing at the same action/choice/verb continuously but changing to a different degree of energy

Stage directions

Denouement

The solution to the conflict in a play; the wrapping up of events

Intention

The actors real reason for performing and action

Emotional life

The characters emotion development that leads to their ultimate transformation. This allows the audience to connect on a personal level with the choice of the characters making.

Super objective

Can direct and connect an actors choice of objectives from the scene to scene. Serves as the final goal that the character wishes to achieve within the script.

Dramatists

The person who writes the play

Central dramatic question

The line that drives the play

Pacing

Rate of performance. Speed is not the only fact of pacing equally important or intensity, precision,clarity, and frequency of new impressions.

6 elements of drama by Aristotle

Plot, dictation/language, melody/music, character, thoughts and spectacles

Aside

An observation or remark made by a character to the audience that is not being heard by other actors

Slate

And introduction of the actor typically for auditions, including name of actor, name of character, portraying, title of play/musical and playwright

Commedia Del’ Arte

Comedy skills. An improvisational style of theater, which began in the 16th century. Uses stock characters Sasha Pantalone, Il Dottore, Il capitano, Arecibo,Brighella, and columbina

Improvise

1: to compose and perform or deliver without previous preparation extemporize

2: to compose play, recite, or sing on the spur of the moment

Tilt

Interesting twitch to advance a scene or cause status exchange. Example wife at breakfast announces out of the blue she’s pregnant.

Viola spolin

a recognized originator of improvisational theater

Mugging

Making silly faces instead of acting truthfully. Usually found upon.

Short form

Style of improvise theater in which short and typically unrelated scenes are played. Short form improv is often more grammatically and more based on silly games or handles