first act
Initial theatrical portion
The first act is the opening section of a play, opera, or other dramatic work, typically establishing characters, setting, and conflict.
By extension, it describes the early phase of any unfolding situation: The trade war is only in its first act.
The term implies more drama to come.
- openingGap or start
- opening nightFirst staged performance
- beginningInitial stage of something
- curtainFabric hung for privacy
- prologueIntroductory literary section
introduction · exposition · dramatic structure · stage play · scene · stage · premiere · debut · overture · rising · playwright · drama · theater · intermission · setup · inciting · entrance · protagonist
- openingsopening, aperture, gap, hole, slit
- ACT typesscene, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, curtain call
- firstsinitial, beginning, start, opening, original
- show openersoverture, curtain raiser, preshow, opening number, opener
- story openersopening line, opening lines, chapter one, prologue, beginning
- story structureclimax, exposition, denouement, prologue, epilogue
first actfinal act
Concluding portion of drama
last act · third act · closing act · act three · epilogue
first actclimax
Point of greatest intensity
dénouement · resolution · conclusion · finale · crisis
first actfinal act
Concluding portion of drama
closing number · finale · final curtain · ending · encore
first, act, firsts, firstly, acts, acted, acting, actor, actors