Dramatis

Dramatis is primarily encountered as a Latin grammatical form rather than as a stand-alone English word. In Latin, drama (the drama, a play) takes the genitive singular form dramatatis, and this form is most familiar to readers through the phrase dramatis personae.

The expression dramatis personae translates to “the characters of the drama” and is used to designate the list of characters in a play, opera, film, or other dramatic work. It commonly appears at the front matter of a work or in scholarly editions to identify who appears in the piece and sometimes to indicate their roles or relationships.

In English-language editions, the phrase dramatis personae is typically presented as a heading before the cast or character list. The construction reflects sustained influence from Latin on theatrical terminology. Some texts also use the variant dramatis personarum, a closely related form that appears in certain scholarly or historical contexts.

Because dramat- is a Latin inflected form rather than a separate English term, dramatatis by itself is rarely used outside the standard phrase dramatis personae or similar Latinized expressions. When encountered in modern prose, it is usually preserved as part of a proper Latin phrase.

See also: Dramatic arts, Dramaturgy, Cast (theater).