Roget's Thesaurus: Entry 599 (The Drama)

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#599. The Drama. -- N. the drama, the stage, the theater, the play; film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography; theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus[obs], Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis.

play, drama, stage play, piece[Fr], five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta[obs], lever de rideau[Fr], interlude, afterpiece[obs], exode[obs], farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta[obs], harlequinade[obs], pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe[Fr], ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame[Fr]; melodrama, melodrame[obs]; comidie larmoyante[Fr], sensation drama; tragicomedy, farcical-comedy; monodrame monologue[obs];duologue trilogy; charade, proverbs; mystery, miracle play; musical, musical comedy.

[movies] western, horse opera; flick [coll.]; spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film; pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film.

act, scene, tableau; induction, introduction; prologue, epilogue; libretto.

performance, representation, mise en scene[French], stagery[obs], jeu de theatre[French]; acting; gesture &c. 550; impersonation &c. 554; stage business, gag, buffoonery.

light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy.

theater; playhouse, opera house; house; music hall; amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round; puppet show, fantoccini[obs]; marionettes, Punch and Judy.

auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet; greenroom, coulisses[Fr].

flat; drop, drop scene; wing, screen, side scene; transformation scene, curtain, act drop; proscenium.

stage, scene, scenery, the boards; trap, mezzanine floor; flies; floats, footlights; offstage; orchestra.

theatrical costume, theatrical properties.

movie studio, back lot, on location.

part, role, character, dramatis personae[Lat]; repertoire.

actor, thespian, player; method actor; stage player, strolling player; stager, performer; mime, mimer[obs]; artists; comedian, tragedian; tragedienne, Roscius; star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol; supporting actor, supporting cast; ham, hamfatter *[obs]; masker[obs]. pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo[obs], buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine; punchinello[obs]; pulcinello[obs], pulcinella[obs]; extra, bit-player, walk-on role, cameo appearance; mute, figurante[obs], general utility; super, supernumerary.

company; first tragedian, prima donna[Sp], protagonist; jeune premier[French]; debutant, debutante[French]; light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian; walking gentleman, amoroso[obs], heavy father, ingenue[French], jeune veuve[French].

mummer, guiser[obs], guisard[obs], gysart |, masque.

mountebank, Jack Pudding; tumbler, posture master, acrobat; contortionist; ballet dancer, ballet girl; chorus singer; coryphee danseuse[Fr].

property man, costumier, machinist; prompter, call boy; manager; director, stage manager, acting manager.

producer, entrepreneur, impresario; backer, investor, angel[fig].

dramatic author, dramatic writer; play writer, playwright; dramatist, mimographer[obs].

V. act, play, perform; put on the stage; personate &c. 554; mimic &c. (imitate) 19; enact; play a part, act a part, go through a part, perform a part; rehearse, spout, gag, rant; "strut and fret one's hour upon a stage"; tread the boards, tread the stage; come out; star it.

Adj. dramatic; theatric, theatrical; scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined[obs], farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic; stagy.

Adv. on the stage, on the boards; on film; before the floats, before an audience; behind the scenes.

Phr. fere totus mundus exercet histrionem [Lat][Petronius Arbiter]; "suit the action to the word, the word to the action" [Hamlet]; "the play's the thing" [Hamlet]; "to wake the soul by tender strokes of art" [Pope].