Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

ACTivity: An exercise using drama based theories to teach a variety of academic subject matter.

Actor/Actress: one who represents a character in a theatrical production. The term “actor” is gender neutral in theatre. Professional women in theatre usually refer to themselves as “actors” while their colleagues in film prefer, “actress.”

Blocking: the coordination of the actors’ movement on stage

Choral work: choral work can be done with or without movement but the focus of choral work is placed on how words sound, how words are combined, and how various voices can be orchestrated to bring language alive.

Circumstances: also known as the W’s: who, where, what, and why.

Communication: connecting with another actor (verbally and intellectually) or connecting with the text. Communication in theatre is based on exploring circumstances. See Intention.

Ensemble: working together as a team.

Focus: the intended point of interest on stage

Foot: a unit of poetic meter consisting of stressed and unstressed syllables in various combinations.

Gibberish: using nonsensical sounds to convey meaning.

Grid: An imaginary set of lines on the floor that create a “grid”. Used for many ACTivities, a grid can help with explorative movement work in small spaces, give order to chaos and create a mental pattern that can be helpful in playing.

Guided inquiry: questions or statements that lead toward observation and/or critique.

Iamb: a metrical foot (two syllables) in which a stressed syllable follows an unstressed syllable.

Iambic pentameter: a form of verse written in a combination of five stressed and five unstressed syllables. Shakespeare used iambic pentameter but also expanded upon the form in the writing of his plays.

Improv or Improvisation: Activities that are unscripted or unrehearsed. Helps players go with their first instincts, develop listening skills and in the moment problem solving. In role-play, an entire skit may be improvised without any rehearsal. You create as you go along using the bare bones of information.

Intention: the combination of connecting with another actor and connecting with the words of a text. See Communication.

Monologue: a theatrical term indicating that one character is speaking. Monologues can be found in the form of speeches, asides (a character talking to the audience, another character, or him/herself) or any other time a character is alone or presenting detailed information to another.

Movement piece: freeform non-verbal physically story telling.

Notes: important, vital, and constructive observations taken by a director and shared with actors.

Physical Gesture: a non-verbal communication with the body: waving, nodding of the head, etc.

Power: able to have control, authority or influence over others.

Projection: making your voice fill the performing space without shouting, yelling or screaming

Pseudo-Elizabethan: mimicking Shakespearean style dialogue by adding or substituting “thou’s”, “thee’s”, “my Lady”, “my Lord”, “betwixt”, “alas”, etc.

Rehearsal: a schedule specific to theatre that cumulates in a performance.

Scansion: the process of reading/deciphering iambic pentameter for meaning. Scansion is the key to unlocking Shakespeare’s text.

Scene: a theatrical term indicating that two or more characters are engaged in speaking or interacting with one another.

Sonnet: a form of verse written in fourteen lines. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets.

Status: position or rank in relation to others.

Theatre vs. Drama: Theatre: A company, group or organization producing plays for an audience. Drama: To do or to act. Drama does not always include a performance for an audience, but instead is more focused on the experiences of the participants.

Theatre vs. Theater: Theatre: A company, group or organization producing plays. Theater: The physical building in which plays are produced

Venue: the place of performance.

Warm Up: ACTivity used to get a group motivated towards their work for the day. Warm-ups are also important as bridging/transitioning tools as participants move from their role as student to their role as actors.

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