The performers in a play constitute the

Analyze the question: The question asks for the general term for all the performers in a play, meaning the people who act in it.

Explain the concept: In drama, several terms are easily confused:

• Chorus: a group of performers who comment on the action, as in Greek tragedy. It is only a part of the performers, not all of them.
• Characters: the fictional people in the story. They are the roles, not the real people who perform them.
• Audience: the people who watch the play. They are not performers.
• Cast: the whole group of actors and actresses chosen to perform in a play.

Solution:

1. The question asks about the performers, the real people who act on stage.
2. The chorus is only a section of the performers, so A is too narrow.
3. Characters are the roles in the story, not the performers themselves, so B is wrong.
4. The audience watches the play, so C is wrong.
5. The cast is the collective name for the performers in a play, so D fits.

Answer: D. cast

Tip: Remember that characters are the roles and the cast are the people who play them. When a play is staged, you read the "cast list" to see which actor plays which character.