Exposition
Usually occurs in the first scenes or pages of the script and answers at least some of the following questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Tragedy
Play with an unhappy ending; often the protagonist faces both a kind of defeat and a kind of enlightenment.
Protagonist
Main character.
Comic Relief
Sometimes included in plays that are primarily serious or tragic; words, actions, or characters may be introduced to provide a lightening of the mood or circumstances
Realism
An attempt to show "life as it is really lived", realism presents problems both for the playwright and for the audience
Satire
The highlighting or exposing of human failings or foolishness within a society through ridiculing them; satire can range from being gentle and light to being extremely biting and bitter in tone
Dialogue
Includes all the words from the play designed to be spoken by actors, compromising the bulk of the script.
Monologue
A long speech spoken by a single character addressed to a second character.
Verbal Irony
Involves saying one thing and intending or implying another or additional meaning
Double Entendre
A statement that has two meanings, one of which is dirty or vulgar.
Aside
Allows the actor an opportunity to add something 'under their breath' for the benefit of other characters and also, especially for the audience.
Antagonist
Rival to the protagonist.
Anti-Hero
A protagonist whose character includes some features that are the opposite of what is expected of a hero or heroine in a play.
Gestures/ Repetitive Actions
Used to delineate characters and create expectations about them.
Curtain Lines
Lines delivered at the end of an act or scene; may also be used quite effectively by playwrights.
Dramatic Irony
Audience is provided with information that characters on the stage do not process.
Set
The arrangement of the stage to represent the setting of the action.
Lighting
Important atmospheric elements of plays. Used to direct the audience's attention. Colour of lighting may be particularly important and symbolic.
Sound
Important atmospheric elements of plays. Music can often be associated with characters. Eg. the flute music for Willy Loman. Varsouviana for Blanche Dubois.
Stage Business
Refers to actions that are incidental to the immediate action, such as an actor playing with some article of clothing or the use of other props.
Stage Directions
An instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting.
Act
An act is a part of a play defined by elements such as rising action, climax and resolution.
Scene
A scene is a part of an act defined with the changing of characters.
Entrance
Characters entering the stage area either at the beginning or during a scene.
Exit
Characters leaving the stage area during or at the end of a scene.
Costume
Clothing worn by an actor on stage during a performance often indicative of social status.
Props
Articles or objects that appear on stage during a play.
Stagecraft
Stagecraft is the term used to describe areas of production: costumes, set, direction, props and sound.
SFX
Abbreviation for "special effects" or sometimes "sound effects
Symbolism
Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually it is something concrete - such as an object, action, character, or scene - that represents something more abstract. Consider the symbolism behind the trophy or the stockings in DOAS.
Denouement
Conclusion; resolution; the falling action of a story after its climax.
Falling Action
Events after the climax, leading to the resolution.
Climax
That point in a plot that creates the greatest intensity, suspense, or interest.
Rising Action
Events leading up to the climax.
Diagetic sound
Actual sound from within the world of the play. Authentic sounds. Voices of characters. On or off stage.
Non-diegetic sound
Extra sounds: SFX, music, added for dramatic effect. Exists outside the world of the play.
Mimetic
Copying the behaviour or appearance of someone or something else.
Peripeteia
The reversal of fortune.
Catharsis
In a comedy, the process of clarification.
Mimesis
An artistic imitation or representation of reality.
Time Expansion
Speeding up the apparent rate of time.
Time compression
Slowing down the apparent rate of time.
Modernism
Artistic and literary movement sparked by a break with past conventions.
Didacticism
A philosophy in art and literature that emphasizes the idea that different forms of art and literature ought to convey information and instructions, along with pleasure and entertainment.
Style
A distinctive mode of expression or method of presentation. Here, comedy and realism is relevant.
Comedy
According to Aristotle, an imitation of men worse than average. Somewhat ridiculous.
Tragicomedy
A drama combining elements of tragedy and comedy.
Fourth wall
The imaginary wall through which the audience views the play.
Social Problem Play
Type of drama that deals with controversial social issues in a realistic manner.