Download Basic Drama Terms

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Drama is the specific mode of fiction
represented in performance.
◦ (DRAMA IS FICTIONAL ACTING)
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The term comes from a Greek word meaning
"action"
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There are two main types of Drama
◦ Comedy
◦ Tragedy
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Drama is often combined with music and
dance:
◦ The drama in opera is sung throughout
◦ Musicals include spoken dialogue and songs
◦ Some forms of drama have regular musical
accompaniment
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Act - A unit or division of a play, made up of
one or more scenes. Plays may be divided
into one, two, three or five acts.
Scene - a division of an act: the setting and
time stays the same
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Protagonist – The main character, usually the
‘good guy’
Antagonist – The anti-protagonist, the one
who causes the problems for the main
characters
Foil – a character who has qualities that are
in sharp contrast to another character, thus
emphasizing the traits of each
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Dialogue - Passages of speech between
characters in a play.
Fourth Wall - The imaginary fourth wall that
is removed from box set to enable the
audience to see the action on stage.
Stage Direction - Indications in a script for
entrances and exits, and for movement in
relation to the set within a particular scene
(Stage Right, Stage Left)
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Aside - Sometimes referred to as breaking
the fourth wall, it refers to a speech or
comment made by an actor directly to the
audience about the action of the play or
another character. The other characters are
unaware of this action.
Cue - The words or actions at which an actor
is expected to deliver a line or a crew
member is expected to perform some task.
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Soliloquy
◦ A longer speech that reveals the innermost
thoughts and feelings of the character who speaks
it – like they are talking to themselves
◦ Usually alone on stage
◦ Or other characters do not hear the character’s
speech
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Monologue
◦ A long speech given by a character to himself,
another character, or to the audience
 Usually important to note main idea or theme because
the playwright included for some reason!
 AUTHOR’S PURPOSE SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON YOUR
MIND!
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Round, Flat, Static, Dynamic
Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling
Action, Resolution
Theme, Plot
Setting, Characters
Foreshadowing
Conflict