What is "dramatis personae"

Dramatis personae \Dram"a*tis per*so"n[ae]\ [L.] The actors in a drama or play.

Latin for "persons of a drama."

n. A list of characters in a play, usually arranged in order of first appearance.

n. the actors in a play [syn: cast, cast of characters]

Dramatis Personae is a poetry collection by Robert Browning. It was published in 1864.

Dramatis personæ ( Latin: "persons of the drama") is a phrase used to refer collectively, in the form of a list, to the main characters in a dramatic work. Such lists are commonly employed in various forms of theater, and also on screen. Typically, off-stage characters are not considered part of the dramatis personæ. It is said to have been recorded in English since 1730, and is also evident in international use.

It is customary to give a cast list, which also has next to each character in a second column the name of the actor or actress playing the part; an alternative version lists the names of the actors who played the parts originally. In order not to give away vital parts of the plot some names may be altered, for example mixed up with another name. Some minor characters may be listed just as the actors who perform the parts.

"Dramatis Personae" is the 18th episode of the first season of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

In this episode, a "telepathic infection" sets the crew into two factions fighting against each other, with Major Kira leading the mutiny.