IMPORTANT DRAMA TERMS AND THEIR MEANINGS

1. Terms to refer to physical theatre spaces:

Theatre Term Meaning

Box Office A section in front of the theatre where tickets are sold

Proscenium or an arch that frames a box set and holds the curtain,
proscenium stage thus creating the invisible fourth wall through which the
audience sees the action of the play

Thrust or apron stage A stage that projects into the auditorium area, thus
increasing the space for action; a characteristic feature
of Elizabethan theatres and many recent ones.

Aisle A passage through seating.

Arena Form of stage where the audience are seated on at

least two (normally three, or all four) sides of the whole
acting area.
See END ON, THRUST, IN THE ROUND.

AUDITORIUM The part of the theatre accommodating the audience

during the performance. Sometimes known as the
"house". From the Latin Audio - "I hear".
German: Zuschauerraum

BACKSTAGE The part of the stage and theatre which is out of the
sight of the audience. The service areas of the theatre,
behind, beside or underneath the stage. Also refers to
the personnel who work in the technical departments
that work to create the performance, alongside the
actors and musicians.
German: Hinterbühne

BLACK BOX A kind of flexible small studio theatre where the

audience and actors are in the same room, surrounded
by black tabs (curtains). Doesn't necessarily describe
the audience layout, which can be easily
reconfigured.The stage can be defined by a change of
flooring (e.g. black dance floor), or a raised platform. If
actors leave the stage, they do so through gaps in the
curtains.
A black box type of venue is easy to set up in
non-theatre spaces, and can be found occupying
hundreds of spaces around cities such as Edinburgh
during their Fringe Festivals.
 2. Terms to refer to the people involved with Drama:

Theatre Term Meaning

Actor a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in films, or

on television.

3. Terms to refer to things and items used in Drama:

Theatre Term Meaning

Costume Costume is what the actors wear when performing. Costume

can denote character, historical era and the style of the
production, eg naturalistic or abstract
 4. Terms to refer to Drama skills, elements and techniques (actions in Drama):

Theatre Term Meaning

Improvisation improvisation, in theatre, the playing of dramatic scenes

without written dialogue and with minimal or no
predetermined dramatic activity.