| A | B |
|---|
| actor | a do-er |
| AD-lib | an unwritten line made up by an actor |
| apron | the part of the stage that projects beyond the proscenium arch into the auditorium |
| arena stage | a stage surrounded on four sides by the audience, also called "theater in the round" |
| aside | aline spoken directly to the audience; the other characters on stage do not hear it |
| audience | a listener |
| audition | a tryout for a part in a play |
| backstage | the areas behind the stage are not visible to the audience |
| blackout | to make the stage completely dark |
| body language | social messages that the body communicates |
| cast | all the actors playing parts in the play |
| character | the specific external and internal traits of an individual. An actor works to bring these to life |
| cross | to move from one place to another on stage |
| dialogue | the words spoken in a play |
| drama | a literary composition performed on stage |
| exaggeration | an enlargerment of the truth |
| house | the auditorioum, lobby, box office, and other spaces in front of the stage; this is the opposite of backstage |
| lines | the actor's speeches |
| proscenium stage | a "picture frame" theater, in which the audience is situated at one end of the room and the actors are on the other side |
| script | the written version of a play |
| stage fright | the nervous anticipation of going on stage to perform |
| strike | to remove a setting, props or furniture from an on stage position |
| theater | a seeing place where one comes to new knowledge |
| thrust | a stage surrrounded on three sides by the audience |
| wings | left and right offstage areas |
| amateur | someone who does a job, for little or no pay because they love doing it |
| character actors | actors that tend to play the same types of roles over and over |
| cliches | stereotypes of personality or movement actors should avoid |
| cold reading | an unprepared audition |
| comedy | a humorous play with a happy ending |
| concentration | the ability to direct all your thoughts, energies, and skills into the task at hand |
| control | the self-discipline that shapes energy |
| cooperation | the ability to work successfully with other people |
| critique | a positive or negative evaluation |
| deadpan | a comic blank "take" |
| energy | the fuel that drives acting |
| ensemble | an effective theatrical team |
| freeze | absolutely still, quiet physical posture |
| ingenue | the young, attractive love interest of a play |
| monologue | an actor's solo speech, often used for auditions |
| pantomime | communicative movement and gesture without words |
| plot | a series of related events that take place in a play |
| professional | someone who is paid a living wage for their work |
| relaxation | the release of tension |
| sense memory | the ability to remember a smell, taste, sound, sight, or sensation at will |
| situation | the problems or challenges that face the character of a play |
| status | tank or imortance |
| stereotype | a trite, conventional characterization |
| tableau | a critical moment illustrated by the "frozen" positions of the actors |
| take | a comic facial response-- can be single, double, triple |
| tragedy | a serious play with an unhappy or disastrous ending |
| trust | the belief that another person or persons can be relied on |
