Scholars 3310 - Creative Arts I University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Theatre Terminology

terms applied to audience experience:
aesthetic distance
empathy
suspension of disbelief
catharsis


terms applied to dramatic structure:
plot
subplot
prologue
inciting incident/inciting action
rising action
obstacle
conflict
complication
reversal
crisis
climax
denouement
exposition
point of attack
discovery
scene
french scene
beat
moment
act
spine
action
epilogue
well made play
episodic structure
climactic structure
deus ex machina


terms applied to characters:
protagonist
antagonist
strongly opposed forces
expository devices
extraordinary characters
prototypical characters
stock characters
characters with a dominant trait
minor characters
non human characters
chorus
tragic hero


terms applied to how characters communicate:
subtext
non sequitur
soliloquy
pantomime
monologue
dialogue
aside
direct address
scansion
ad lib
business


Terms applied to how story might be communicated:
concept
theme
symbol
metaphor
allegory
universality
comic relief