Accent
Way of speaking used in local area or country
Articulation
Clear pronunciation of words
Aside
A remark to the audience only
Audience
People watching a drama
Auditorium
The area for the audience, generally filled with seats
Avenue
Audience seated on two sides of the acting area
Backcloth
Canvas cloth which covers the back of the stage: can be painted
Backstage
Non-acting area behind the stage
Balance
Keeping an even distribution of weight
Blackout
The acting area is not lit
Snap To
Blackout is achieved instantly
Blocking
Deciding where and when actors will move on stage
Body Language
Messages given by the position or movement of the body
Centre Stage
The centre area of the stage
Centre Left Stage Left
The left hand centre side of the acting area
Centre Stage Right
The right hand side of the acting area
Character
Specific person in a drama
Characterisation
The process of fully developing a character
Clarity
Clearness of the voice
Comedy
A drama which is funny/comical
Conventions
Alternative ways of presenting a drama
Costume
Clothes worn by actors for their character
Creating
The process of developing a drama's content and roles through practical exploration, experimentation and problem solving
Crossfade
To change from one lighting/sound cue to another with no blackout/silence in between
Cue
A signal for an actor to do or say something, or for a lighting or sound effect to begin or end
Dance Drama
A drama presented through dance moves
Dialogue
A conversation between two or more characters
Dramatic Irony
Actions or remarks whose significance is not realised by all the characters
Dress Rehersal
Final rehearsal of a drama with all the theatre arts
Emphasis
The stress on a word or phrase
End On
Audience seated at one end, acting area at the other
Enter
To come on stage
Evaluate
To judge the strenghts and weaknesses of a drama
Exit
To leave the acting area
Facial Expression
Look on the face which shows emotion
Flashback
Acting out an event in the past
Flashforward
Acting out a future or imagined event
Fluency
Natural, flowing speech
Focus
Key moment, scene, character, relationship, or event in a drama
Form
The overall style of a drama
Forum Theatre
The audience suggest changes to a drama in order to affect outcomes
Freeze Frame
The action is frozen in time
Gesture Movement of the hand or arm which communicates a meaning or emotion
Gobo
Thin metal plate cut out in a pattern and placed in a lantern to project a pattern or shape onto the acting area
Hot-seating
Questioning a character in role
Intonation
Rising and falling of voice in speech
Key
Explanation of symbols on a ground plan
Make-up
Worn by actors to help protray their characters
Masking
One actor unintentionally preventing another from being seen by the audience
Mask
Covering of all or part of the face
Mime
Stylised form of movement which create an illusion of reality
Mixing Desk
Control desk for sound effects being used in a drama
Monologue
A character speaks their thoughts aloud
Movement
Use of the body as a means of communication
Musical
Drama which includes songs and/or music
Narration
Part(s) of the drama are told by a narrator
Pace
Speed of speech or movement
Pantomime
Christmas theatrical entertainment usually based on a fairy tale
Pause
A break in speaking: period of silence
Performance
Presentation of a drama to an audience
Personal Prop
An item carried or worn by a character e.g. glasses, handbag, wallet
Pitch
How high or how low the voice is
Play
Another word for a drama
Playwright
Person who has written the play
Plot
Storyline of a drama
Posture
Position of the body - how it is held
Presenting
The results of the Creating Process, including performance and evaluation
Promenade
Audience follows the action on foot, moving from one location to another
Prompt
To supply forgotten lines to an actor
Prop
short for properties - objects used by an actor
Pyrotechnics
Stage fireworks
Rehearsal Practice or preparation of a drama
Rehearsed Improvisation
Drama devised/created without a script which is rehearsed before presentation
Rhythm
Movements which follow a pattern or beat
Role
Part played by an actor / attitude adopted
Role-play
A means of exploring attitudes and beliefs
Scenario
Outline of the plot of a drama, including changes in time and place
Scene
Section of a drama, set in one place at one time
Scenery
Resources used to create the setting where a drama takes place e.g. backcloth, flats, rostra, furniture
Script
The written words of a drama
Set (1)
Scenery used to show where a drama takes place
Set (2)
To place a drama in a certain time or place
Set Prop
An item placed on set, usually part of it e.g. a lamp, clock, picture
Sight Lines
What the audience sees of the stage from where they are sitting
Slow Motion
Movement performed at a slowed down pace
Soliloquy
A single lengthy speech, made when no other characters are on stage
Special Effects
Used to create a mood or atmosphere on stage e.g. strobe light, mirror ball, smoke machine
Spontaneous Improvisation
Drama created 'on the spot' without a script ot plan
Spot Light
Beam of light created by a lantern for a person or place on the acting area
Stage Directions
Written or spoken advice on how to act a drama
Stage Whisper
A loud whisper intended to be heared by the audience
Staging
The position of the acting area relative to the audience
Stance
Attitude or position of the body
Stereotype
An exaggerated portrayal of a type of person
Stimulus
Anything which suggests ideas which can be developed
Strike
To remove all the set from the acting area
Structure
Way in which time, place and action are sequenced
Tabs
Curtains
Target Audience
A specific group of people at whom the drama is aimed
Tension
Build up of excitment
Theatre Arts
The collective name for lighting, sound, costume, props, make-up and set
Theatre In The Round
Audience seated all around the acting area
Thought Tracking
An aid to characterisation: character speaks their thoughts aloud
Thrust
Audience seated on three sides of the acting area
Timing
Speaking, moving or pausing at exactly the right moment
Tone
Change of voice to express emotion
Tragedy
A drama about unhappy events and with a sad ending
Venue
Place where a drama is presented
Voice-over
Recorded speech played during a drama
