Glossary Flashcards
Ad lib
Spontaneous or extemporised speech or conversation
Antagonist
The opponent or adversary of the main character which is the protagonist of a drama, one who opposes an actively compete with another character in a play, most often with the protagonist. Antagonist can also be the protagonists own in a conflict in opposition to their goals. enemy
Articulation and/or enunciation
The clear precise creation of sounds using the organs of articulation (speakers lips, teeth, tongue, hard and soft palates)
Backdrop
A flat surface with the with of the stage, hung up stage of the acting area, upon which scenery is usually painted
Backstage
The production area set aside from the main performance space where the performer may withdraw from the action or non-actors. Backstage or production members can prepare and support the action
Blocking
The planning, execution and recording of the where and when of actors movement, grouping or positioning on stage and how this happens in relation to the script. Blocking is part of preparation and rehearsal
Business (stage business)
A piece of unscripted action, used to establish a character, for a pause in dialogue, or to establish a scene. And also may simply suggest business to indicate the need for some action at that point in the play
Characterisation
The process of creating a character through inclusion of all character dimensions through thought, feeling or emotion, physical action, dialogue, costuming and make up. Actors make decisions about how their characters will move and speak, what jesters inhabits they might have and what they would wear, based on the style of the play
Climax
The point of highest dramatic intensity in a series or progression of events in a play, often forming a turning point in the action, beyond which the major conflict can proceed no further without a resolution
Collaboration
The act of working together in a joint effort to devise and create theatre. Linked to ensemble playing and the process of workshopping
Conflict
The internal or external struggle between opposing forces (persons, ideas or interest) that creates dramatic tension
Context
- The specific circumstances of a moment in a play
- The overall socio political milieu of the play
- Context is affected by the time in which and to whom the play is presented
Convention
Establish ways of working in drama
Critique
Opinions and comments based on predetermined criteria that maybe use for South valuation all the evaluation of the actors or the production itself. This is not a value free exercise. Critique is influenced by values arising from worldwide view, culture gender, race and class
Cues
A signal that something is about to happen. For actors, there are queues for a particular line or an entrance or exit is either a line or action from another actor, or another signal. A stage managers prompt copy will include lighting cues which are the signals to tell the lighting operator to make a planned lighting change
Culture
Understanding, shared patterns of behaviour, practices, values and symbol systems that are required, preserved and transmitted by a group of people and that can be embodied in artwork. Understanding culture in the South African context to meaning ring it as the world results rather than an ethnocentric a line of defence or exclusive property of specific person. A group of peoples culture is a shared World wide view, often expressed in excepted lifestyles and traditions.
Culture fair
Promoting and valuing respect for diverse cultures and an inside view of those coaches. A culture fair approach means that every person has the right to be free from discrimination on the grounds of race, ancestry, colour, religion, ethnic origin, citizenship, place of origin
Devised theatre
Theatre or plates that are developed for performance without originating from a script, although a script maybe developed as part of the process of improvisation and work shopping. Devise drama is created through collaborative exercises when the participants collaborate improvise and then refine their work to create a final performance
Dialogue
Spoken conversation used by characters to express thoughts, feelings and actions
Drama
A representation of life in a space by actors before an audience. A piece of writing Internet for stage presentation. Conflict, tension, emotional intensity
Ensemble
The dynamic interaction and harmonious blending of the effort of the many artists involved in the dramatic activity of theatrical productions
Focus
The imagery or real point in the performance space where the audiences attention is to be directed. Focus also refers to the acting technique of concentrating gays and body in a particular manner to direct audience attention. And act is ability to concentrate and remain in character is also called focus
Freeze frame image
A convention in which the members of a group use their bodies to make an image or tableau capturing an idea, theme or moment in time
Genre
A category of literary or dramatic composition, drama is literary genre. Drama is further divided into tragedy, comedy, fast and melodrama and these genres in turn can be subdivided. The term can also refer to forms that are more specific to a given historical era
Gesture
Any movement of the actors head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg or foot to convey meaning
Improvisation
Be spontaneous use of body, voice and mind to explore, create or present a character, roll, object, situation or seen without benefit of a script and with little or no preparation
Inflection
Change in pitch or loudness of the voice
Levels
Levels refer to the horizontal spaces of the performance above the floor or stage. This term may also refer to the way the body is placed or moved into position on different height within the performance space
Masks
Covering worn over the face or part of the face of an actor to emphasise or neutralise a facial characteristics
Mime
A form of theatre performance in which action and character I suggested using gesture, movements and facial expression without words or sounds
Monologue
A play or part of it the plane that involves one person speaking. Play might may give one character a lengthy speech so that they can explore and work towards the resolution of a key issue or problem. It may offer the character an opportunity to discover information important to themselves and dramatic action. Appropriate monologues provide the actor with an opportunity to show the characters journey. There are three styles of monologue
Three styles of monologue
- Soliloquy (interior monologue) where are the characters speak aloud their thoughts without directly acknowledging the audience
- Character directed where the character speaks to another person on stage, seen or aren’t seen by the audience
- Direct address where the monologue is spoken directly to the audience as a shared thought, accounts, reflection or relevation
Mood
The tone of feeling of the play, often endangered by the music, setting or lighting
Movement
And expression of ideas or thoughts through gesture, transfer of weight, physical effectiveness or travelling through space
Narrative
A sequence of connected events, whether real or fictional. The definition is the same as that of a story. They play may feature of several narrative threads and some narratives may overlap and interact with one another in the course of the way.
Pace
Rate of movement or speed of action
Physical theatre and movement
Movement based drama such as mine, slapstick, Commedia Deli’Arte circus, clowning and drama that uses movement, gesture and physical interaction to advance and create meaning dramatic action
Pitch
The highness or lowness of the voice
Play making
A term used to describe dramatic activities that lead to improvise drama with a beginning, middle and end employing the general form and some of the elements of theatre
Plot/dramatic action
Storyline or narrative. The sequence of interconnected events within a play, novel, film or other narrative literary work. Reveals the cause and effect relationships between the events that occur. It is arranged in a narrative structure
posture
Physical alignment of a performance body or physical stance taken by a performer. Which conveys information about the character being played. Affects the ability to move freely and use a voice effectively
Projection/vocal
The placement and delivery of vocal volume, clarity and direction. Directing the boys out of the body to be heard clearly at a distance
Prompt
To give actors their lines as a reminder, the printer is the one who assist actors in remembering their lines
Props
Shorts for properties. Any decorative or functional, movable object used on stage by the characters such as furniture, utensils, ornaments and personal possessions. Personal props are small props that are usually carried in an active costume such as money or pen
Protagonist
The character around whom the play revolves, the character who struggles or experiences drive the action forward
Puppetry
The animation of objects, ranging from hands in paper bags to doze while creating characters in dramatic situations
Rehearsal
Practice session in which a cast prepares for performance through exploration and reputation
Relevance
The quality of theatre of being directly connected with and important to our lives. The meaning and purpose at theatre has now lives and in society. The ways in which theatre connects us to perspective is different to our own and opens the world to us
Rhythm
Measured flow of words or phrases in versus forming patterns of sound. Regularly in time or space of an action, process or feature
Ritual
A prescribed form or ceremony, drama grew out of religious ritual
Ritual celebration
Historically, most societies have examples of using drama as part of a ritual or celebration
Run through
A rehearsal moving from start to finish without stopping for corrections or notes
Script
The written text of the play, including the dialogue, descriptions and directions provided by the playwright
Set
The visible scenery that collectively depict the setting of the play. The different stage title dictate particular types of set designs
Stage directions
The instructions in a script that describes where, what, when and how something is to occur and who is going to do it
Stage left
The left side of the stage from the perspective of an actor facing the audience
Stage presence
The level of comfort, commitment and energy and act appears to have on stage
Stage right
The right side of the stage from the perspective of an actor facing the audience
Storyline
The plot or plan of action
Tableau
A technique in creating drama in which actors create a silence and motion this picture, as if the action with pause. Not to be confused with FreezeFrame, a term used in film and video production. Tableaux
Theatre games
Spontaneous, improving stational group activities and non-competitive games, limited by rules and group agreement, frequently used for warmup motivation and exploration of subjects. Structured by a director or teacher to achieve a specific objective. Such as breaking down inhibitions or establishing trust
Timbre/residence
The distinctive character of a musical or vocal sound apart from its pitch or intensity such as in a nasal voice quality
Upstage (noun)
Used as a noun, the stage area away from the audience.
Upstage (verb)
To let deliberately draw the audience attention away from another actor or actors by overacting, using flashy bit of business, or other means. Originated from an actor purposely positioning himself up stage of the other actors so that they must turn their backs from the audience to deliver their lines to him
Vocal characterisation
How an actor uses his or her voice to create and convey a character
Vocal qualities
Characteristics of the voice that produce a distinctive sound including pitch, range, residence, volume, rate and pause
Vocal quality
The characteristic of a voice which distinguishes its tone, quality and expression of mood or feeling. For example nasal, raspy, breathy, musical
Warm up
And activity in which students limber up the body and the voice and prepared to focus on the task at hand
