Theatre Flashcards
plot
Series of closely related events
live actor
live actor in same space as audience
theatrical space
formal theatre space or informal such as garage, basement, street corner
theatrical event
actors and audience react to each other
suspension of disbelief
audience is able to fully immerse themselves in the story taking place on stage; accepting improbability within the framework of the work of art
plot
series of closely related events; story structure
character
people of the play, vehicle thru which the story is told
thought
theme, message, moral, central idea playwright is trying to get across
diction
language of the playimagery, tone, and articulation
music
all sound; rhythm of sounds and vocal tones, music
spectacle
all visual aspects of the production
proscenium
a stage framed by a large rectangular arch that divides playing space from audience (house)
thrust
stage that thrusts into audience area and is surrounded on three sides by seats.
arena
stage is surrounded on all sides by seats
black box
flexible space that can be configured for requirements of the production
tragedy
Oldest form of recorded drama; serious play with protagonist of high social stature who has a tragic flaw
drama
a play with a serious intent, but not the universal significance of tragedy; usually people of everyday type, but ending is often unhappy or at least serious
comedy
a funny play often about serious human conflict
melodrama
stereotypical and sentimental drama
farce
play written purely for entertainment
musical
play combining dialogue, music, and often, dance
dramatic structure
how a play is organized
exposition
background information; introduces the characters, situation and problem
conflict or complication
drama requires conflict; mechanism by which a situation becomes dramatic; this begins with an inciting incident.
climax
the moment of maximum tension in the play when the primary conflict is resolved
denouement
(DAY noo mah) resolution of the conflict; new harmony or understanding has been reached
dramatic time
things happen on stage faster than they do in life and audience accepts this
protagonist
principal character in a dramatic action
antagonist
the character who opposes the action
director
is responsible for the casting, rehearsal process, and mounting of the play; communicates their vision or approach to the play to actors and designers
designers
provide the visual elements for a production including, setting, costumes, lighting, props, sound
actors
people who bring the characters to life
playwright
the author of the script
concept or production approach
vision of the entire production formulated and shared by the director
representational
plays that present life in a realistic manner; characters talk to each other without regard for the audience
presentational
characters deliver the material out to the audience in a less than realistic manner
theatricality
style of theatre in which design and approach to the play is heightened and not necessarily a historical representation; style is removed from observable reality
acting
To behave truthfully under an imaginary set of circumstances.
blocking
Major movement on stage, usually predetermined and set by the director.
stage business
Small actions performed by each character, necessary for specifically defining each character and for creating reality on stage.
monologue
A long speech, delivered by one character, which may be heard but not interrupted by others in his/her presence.
soliloquy
A speech wherein a character verbalizes his/her thoughts aloud while alone.
direct performance
presentational in intent, meaning that the character(s) acknowledge the presence of the audience by speaking directly to them
aside
A speech wherein a character expresses his/her thoughts in words audible to the audience but supposedly unheard by the other characters on stage.
fourth wall
The imaginary wall between the actors and the audience.
theater
the building in which theatre takes place
theatre
the production of drama
drama
the literature of theatre; scripts
orchestra
a round dancing place before the stage. The chorus performed there.
skene (SKEE-nee)
a winged building behind the stage and in front of the actors. It may have had a painted backdrop. It is the origin of our word scene.
buskin
also called cothurnus, a high-soled shoe used to elevate characters in Greek tragedy. The less dignified characters in comedy wore socks. In both genres actors wore masks.
episode
a scene. The term is now used for any scene in a novel or an installment of a TV series. The first episode (providing exposition) was the prologue, the final episode the epilogue.
ode
one of the songs which the chorus performed between episodes. The opening ode, sung as the chorus entered the stage, was called the parodos; its final ode, sung upon exiting, was the exodos. Parts of an ode were called strophe (STRO-fee) and antistrophe (an-TISS-tro-fee). The strophe was probably sung while the chorus danced from stage right to stage left; the antistrophe was the opposite.
chorus
a group of twelve or fifteen performers who sang and danced the odes; they represented elders (leading citizens). Their spokesman, the choragos, had speaking parts during the scenes.
stichomythia (stick‑uh‑MYTH‑ee‑uh)
dialogue consisting of alternating single lines spoken by two characters. It was used in Greek tragedy to show tenses disputes. Modern writers like Shakespeare use versions of it. It is similar to repartee (rep-ar-TAY), a fast-paced exchange of witty retorts in modern comedy.
dramatic irony
irony that results when characters say or do something of greater significance than they realize. The audience’s knowledge is superior to that of the character(s)..
deus ex machina (DAY-us ex MOCK-ee-na)
a convention used in Greek tragedy after Sophocles for lowering or lifting actors playing gods by means of a crane on the skene. The Latin phrase deus ex machina (“a god from a machine”) is now used for any quick means of resolving a plot, like the sudden revelation at the end of Huck Finn that Jim is free and Huck has a fortune.
dithyramb
a choral ode honoring the god Dionysus. A chorus of singers dressed as satyrs performed episodes from myths. The dithyramb evolved into tragedy.
tetralogy and trilogy
respectively, a group of four and three plays. In Athens during the age of Sophocles (the fifth century B.C.), competitions were held in the spring during rituals honoring Dionysus. The first three plays were a trilogy of tragedies.
satyr play
a parody of a myth. The final part of the tetralogy in Athenian dramatic competitions.
hamartia (hahm-mar-TEE-uh)
according to Aristotle, an error of judgment that causes the downfall of a tragic protagonist. The concept is often identified with the tragic flaw or fatal weakness in character, such as the jealousy of Othello or the pride of Oedipus.
hubris (HEW-bris)
extreme (or “overweening”) pride, especially when considered a tragic flaw.
catastrophe
the resolution of the plot of a tragedy, depicting the final downfall of the protagonist.
catharsis
according to Aristotle, the purging of pity and fear that tragedy causes in viewers.
downstage
toward the audience. So called because stages used to be slightly sloped.
upstage
away from the audience. Used as a verb, it means to force an actor to turn away from the audience. Thus it has come to mean “to draw attention from.”
stage left and stage right
these terms refer to the point of view of someone facing the stage. To the actor facing the audience, thus, stage left means right and stage right means left.
stage directions
instructions in a script or play text. Early editions of Shakespeare include some stage directions but omit some that must have been intended. Modern editors include conjectures (i.e., guesses) of stage directions, sometimes enclosing them in brackets.
exeunt
a Latin stage direction meaning “exit” but referring to two or more characters. Exeunt omnes means “all exit.”
convention
necessary or convenient features of literature which audiences unquestioningly accept. An example from drama is the “fourth wall”the audience’s understanding that a scene showing characters indoors has an invisible wall between the audience and the stage.
aside
a dramatic conventiona speech to the audience, understood to be the speaker’s thoughts.
