| A | B |
|---|
| a series of related events that form the plot | action |
| the person who goes against the main character | antagonist |
| the motions and behaviors that an actor makes | business |
| the turning point of the play; the height of dramatic action | climax |
| type of play meant to entertain | comedy |
| details, events, situations that heighten the suspense & extends the conflict | complication |
| the struggle between opposing characters, forces, ideas | conflict |
| an outside force that creates a struggle/problem | external conflict |
| a struggle that occurs within the mind of the character | internal conflict |
| falling action; events that occur after the climax | denouement |
| conversation between two or more characters | dialogue |
| sets the characters, setting, and background for the play | exposition |
| device that stops action and looks at earlier events in time | flashback |
| hints within the story that give clues to future events | foreshadowing |
| an outcome that is opposite from the expected outcome | irony |
| the audience knows something that a character in the play doesn't | dramatic irony |
| sensational/thrilling action that is exaggerated | melodrama |
| long speech given by an actor | monologue |
| the actor who tells the story & speaks directly to the audience | narrator |
| mimes; charades; body motions, movements, gestures | pantomime |
| properties or the objects used by the actors | props |
| main character; one with a conflict | protagonist |
| how the conflict is solved - may be negative or positive ending | resolution |
| series of events leading to the climax | rising action |
| the created environment of the play | set |
| time, place, mood of the play | setting |
| character steps out of the action and provides the thoughts/feelings of him/her | soliloquy |
| notes in the script to the director, actors, technicians | stage directions |
| message, lesson, idea of the play | theme |
| area toward the back wall of the stage | upstage |
| area nearest the footlights closest to the audience | downstage |
| from the audience's perspective, the far right | stage left |
| from the actor's perspective, the right side of the stage | stage right |
| the mid-section of the stage | center stage |
| behind or to the side of the stage; not in the audience's view | offstage |
| any time the actor is before the audience | onstage |
| area offstage where the actors wait to go onstage | wings |
