ca·tas·ta·sis 
(kə-tăstə-sĭs)
(kə-tăstə-sĭs)n. pl. ca·tas·ta·ses (-sēz′)
1. The intensified part of the action directly preceding the catastrophe in classical tragedy.
2. The climax of a drama.
[Greek katastasis, settled state, from kathistanai, to come into a certain state : kat-, kata-, cata- + histanai, to set; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]