a series of scenes that make up a larger dramatic unit is called a
Act (drama) An act is a division or unit of a theatre work, including a play, film, opera, and musical theatre. The term can either refer to a conscious division placed within a work by a playwright (usually itself made up of multiple scenes)[1] or refer to a unit of analysis for dividing a dramatic work into sequences. The former use of the term may or may not align with the latter.