The following is an incomplete article. Until it is finished, I hope you find the raw definitions of the following terms useful.
Sophocles to Shakespeare: Classical drama
Tetralogy: three tragedies plus a comedy
Chorus: bystanders in a Greek play who narrate and reflect upon the plot action
Structure of Greek drama:
Unities: time, place, and action--according to Aristotle, each play has one
Hamartia: a protagonist's tragic flaw
Peripeteia: sudden reversal from good fortune to bad
Stichomythia: alternating lines of quick-fire dialogue
Chorus: bystanders in a Greek play who narrate and reflect upon the plot action
Structure of Greek drama:
- Invocation: before a Greek play, a prayer to one of the muses for inspiration
- Epitasis: start of a play that develops character, plot, and theme; also called the protasis
- Parabasis: a choral ode where the author expresses his opinion on what the characters should do
- Anagorsis: the moment of epiphany for a character
- Catastasis: the climax of Greek drama
- Catastrophe: the resolution of a Greek drama
- Exodos: the final scene in a Greek play
Unities: time, place, and action--according to Aristotle, each play has one
Hamartia: a protagonist's tragic flaw
Peripeteia: sudden reversal from good fortune to bad
Stichomythia: alternating lines of quick-fire dialogue
Mocking the masters: Farce and Satire
Farce: comedy relying on exaggeration, horseplay, and unrealistic situations; also called low comedy
Commedia dell'arte: early Italian farce notable for establishing stock characters and plots
High Comedy: comedy relying on wit and subtle irony for humor
Comedy of Manners: comedy that ridicules the way of life and social customs of the upper society
Soubrette: a maid or servant girl involved in an intrigue involving the main characters. She has good sense and a quick wit.
Commedia dell'arte: early Italian farce notable for establishing stock characters and plots
High Comedy: comedy relying on wit and subtle irony for humor
Comedy of Manners: comedy that ridicules the way of life and social customs of the upper society
Soubrette: a maid or servant girl involved in an intrigue involving the main characters. She has good sense and a quick wit.
Not to be acted: Closet Drama
Closet drama: a play meant to be read rather than acted
Pantomime: use of body movements to express story--no speech whatsoever
Pantomime: use of body movements to express story--no speech whatsoever
Lyrics and libretto: Musical theatre
Opera: play set to all words where all words are sung
Melodrama: a drama with lyrical songs that uses stereotypical characters and maudlin sentimentality
Melodrama: a drama with lyrical songs that uses stereotypical characters and maudlin sentimentality
Out of left field: Theatre of the absurd
Absurdist drama: play depicting life as meaningless, senseless, and uncertain; the plot ends where it began with nothing being accomplished
Confronting the audience: Theatre of the oppressed
Theatre of the Oppressed: drama where the audience is part of the performance to get them to become agents of social change
Joker: the "facilitator" of a play who guides the audience in their role
Types of TO:
Joker: the "facilitator" of a play who guides the audience in their role
Types of TO:
- Image theatre: the joker, acting as a sculptor, molds actors as if they were statues, using only touch to direct the actor
- Forum theatre: the audience comes on stage as 'spect-actors' to replace the protagonist and act through their conflict
- Invisible theatre: a theatrical performance that is enacted in a place where people would not normally expect to see one, like in an alley or the center of a mall
- Newspaper theatre: the incorporation of contemporary news articles into the performance
- Rainbow of Desire: use of theatre as therapy for the audience
- Legislative theatre: when a play about a legal issue is presented, then the audience has a discussion about what should be done about the actual laws