Key Theatre Terms Defined

Playwright

A playwright writes the play, presenting the action through dialogue and stage directions.

Dialogue

Verbal exchange between characters, either in verse or prose.

Monologue

The words uttered by a single character on stage, often addressed to themselves.

Aside

A message spoken by a character that is heard by the audience but not by other characters on stage. It's a technique used to advance the plot, maintain audience interest, and sometimes provide humor.

Stage Directions

Indications from the playwright detailing aspects of the representation (performance). They inform the reader and are typically presented in a different font and enclosed in brackets.

Rule of Three Unities

A dramatic rule requiring a single action that occurs within one day and in a single location.

Director

Determines how the actors perform and the overall intent of the representation (performance).

Actor

Must identify with the character and the passions of the character they play.

Set Designer

Deals with the elements used to make the setting of the work convincing and expressive.

Props

Encompasses various resources, both visual and auditory, used in a production.

Acts

Major parts that divide the work, marked by disruptions in the representation (performance). The number of acts typically ranges from 3 to 5.

Tableaux

Continuous portions of the action that are developed in one place.

Scenes

Fragments determined by the entries and exits of characters.

Performance Unit

An important element formed by the combination of the representation (performance) and the dramatic fiction (text).

Fourth Wall

The 'mirror effect' - an imaginary wall through which the events on stage can be seen by the audience.

Tragedy

Features high-ranking figures who face an adverse fate as victims of strong passions. The outcome is typically a catastrophe. Tragedy aims to evoke catharsis in the spectator and its purpose is to move the audience.

Comedy

Deals with issues of daily life involving middle-class people, sometimes presented as caricatures. It develops funny or comic elements, and language characterizes the characters. It has a happy ending and its purpose is to entertain and amuse.

Drama

Generally denotes a mixed theatrical genre, combining tragic and comic aspects. It is set in the world of everyday reality with relatable characters. Its outcome is typically unhappy.