Speech and Drama Vocabulary List
1. Representational style- Plays meant to represent life naturally
2. House- The part of the auditorium where the audience sits.
3. Presentational style- Where actors discuss the events on stage with the audience.
4. Characterization- Bringing Characters to life
5. Subtext- What the lines imply, but never say.
6. Method acting- emotional acting
7. Obstacles- What is keeping someone from their goal.
8. Objectives- What a person wants from a scene.
9. Off-Book-To have lines memorized.
10. Backstage-The area to the sides and behind the curtain
11. Upstaging-When someone who should not have the audience does something to steal it
from another actor.
12. Charisma- Presence
13. Delivery-Manner in which you present a speech or lines in a play.
14. Articulation-Way we physically form a word.
15. Pronunciation-How we state a word in accordance with some accepted standard, such
as a dictionary.
16. Rate- Refers to the speed with which you speak.
17. Inflection- amount of variance in vocalization
18. Critiquing-Evaluating presentations or performances.
19. Renaissance- Rebirth
20. Proscenium Arch-The arched wall above the stage opening.
21. Improvisation- Type of acting done without a script.
22. Flats-Wooden frames with hinged braces on the back to help them stand.
23. Pace-The speed at which a scene progresses.
24. Tempo- The “rhythm” of the scene.
25. Cue-A line or other event on or offstage that tells the actors to do or say something.