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Elements Of Drama/Theatre
Greek Drama
• Comes from the Greek word “Dran”
• Means to do or to act
• Is a story told in front of an audience
Early DramaThe earliest known
plays . . . were written
around the fifth century B.C.
produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility
– were written around the fifth century B.C.
– produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility
Elements of Drama: The elements of drama, by which dramatic works can be analyzed and evaluated, can be categorized into three major areas: literary elements, technical elements, and performance elements.
literary elements
technical elements
performance elements
The Elements of Drama
Literary ElementsPlot: the series of events that takeplace in a play. There are 6 stagesin a plot structure:
Initial incident- the event that “gets the story going”
Preliminary event whatever takes place BEFORE the action of the play that is directly related to thePlay
Rising action: a series of events following the initial incident and leading up to thedramatic climax.
Climax: the turning point or high point of a story, when events can go either way
Falling action: the series of events following the climax.
Denouement or Conclusion : another term for the ending-it is the French word for “unraveling”).
Literary Elements
Character: a person portrayed in a drama, novel, or other artistic
piece.
Exposition is the “who, when, where and what” part of the play.
Story organization: beginning, middle, end
Conflict: the internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic tension.
Suspense: a feeling of uncertainty as to the outcome, used to build interest and excitement on the part of the audience.
Theme: the basic idea of a play; the idea, point of view, or perception that binds together a work of art.
Language: in drama, the particular manner of verbal expression, the
diction or style of writing, or the speech or phrasing that
suggests a class or profession or type of character.
Style: the shaping of dramatic material, settings, or costumes in a deliberately nonrealistic manner.
Literary Elements
Soliloquy: a speech by a single actor who is ALONE on stage
Monologue: a long speech made by one actor; a monologue may be delivered alone or in the presence of others.
Literary Elements
Technical ElementsScenery (set): the theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, or platforms, used in adramatic production to communicate environment
Costumes: clothing and accessories worn by actors to portray character and period.
Props: short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery, used as part of a dramatic
production; any moveable object that appears on stage during a performance, from a telephone to a train.
is a play A tragedy is a play that ends unhappily.
that ends unhappily.
• Tragedies pit human limitations against the larger forces of destiny.
right and wrong
justice and injustice
life and death
Tragedy
• Most classic Greek tragedies deal with serious, universal themes such as:
The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero. This hero
• is noble and in many ways admirable
• has a tragic flaw, a personal failing that leads to a tragic end
rebelliousness
jealousy
pride
Tragedy
A comedy is a play that ends happily. The plot usually centers on a romantic conflict.
boy meets girl boy loses girl boy wins girl
Comedy
The main characters in a comedy could be anyone:
nobility servantstownspeople
Comedy
• Comic complications always occur before the conflict is resolved.
• In most cases, the play ends with a wedding.
Comedy
Stage Directions
• Found in brackets [ ]• Describe scenery and how characters
speak• C, Center Stage• L, Stage Left• R, Stage Right• U, Upstage or Rear • D, Downstage or Front
Technical ElementsLights: the placement, intensity, and color of lights to
Help communicate environment, mood, or feeling
Sound: the effects an audience hears during
performance to communicate character,
context, or environment
Makeup: costumes, wigs, and body
paint used to transform an actor
into a character.
Function of the Scene Design
• The scene design allows the author of the play to create a sense of Setting
Scene Design
• A subdivision of an act in a play. Each scene usually takes place in a specific setting and time.
Performance ElementsActing use of face, body, and voice to portray character
Character motivation: the reason or reasons for a character’s behavior; an incentive or inducement for further action for a character
Character analysis: in responding to dramatic art, the process of examining how the elements of drama—literary, technical, and performance—are used
empathy: the capacity to relate to the feelings of another.
Performance ElementsSpeaking: the mode of expression or delivery of lines
Breath control: proper use of the lungs and diaphragm muscle for maximum capacity and efficiency of breath for speaking
Vocal expression: how an actor uses his or her voice to convey character
Inflection: change in pitch or loudness of the voice.
Projection: how well the voice carries to the audience
Speaking style: the mode of expression or delivery of lines
Diction: selection and pronunciation of words; clarity of speech.
Nonverbal expression:
Gestures any movement of the actor’s head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning
Body alignment physiologically correct posture and use of the body to ensure the maximum capacity and efficiency of breathing and movement
Facial expression physical and vocal aspects used by an actor to convey mood, feeling, or personality
Character blocking the path formed by the actor’s movement on stage, usually determined by the director with assistance from the actor and often written down in a script using commonly accepted theatrical symbols
Movement stage blocking or the movements of the actors onstage during performance; also refers to the action of the play as it moves from event to event.
Performance Elements
Props (short for properties) are items that the characters carry or handle onstage.
• The person in charge of props must make sure that the right props are available to the actors at the right moments.
Setting the Stage
When you read a play, remember that it is meant to be performed for an audience.
Stage DirectionsStage Directions
Playwright describes setting Playwright describes setting and characters’ actions and and characters’ actions and manner.manner.
[Wyona is sitting on the [Wyona is sitting on the couch. She sees Paul and couch. She sees Paul and jumps to her feet.]jumps to her feet.]
Wyona.Wyona. [Angrily.] What do [Angrily.] What do you want?you want?
Performance of a Play
PerformancePerformance Theater artists bring the Theater artists bring the
playwright’s vision to life playwright’s vision to life on the stage.on the stage.
The audience responds to The audience responds to the play and shares the the play and shares the experience.experience.
Modern playwrights often experiment with unconventional plot structures.
Modern Drama
long flashbacksmusic
visual projections of a character’s private
thoughts
Performance of a Play
Theater artists include
Actors
Directors
Lighting technicians
Stage crew
Stages can have many different sizes and layouts.
“Thrust” stage
Setting the Stage
• The stage extends into the viewing area.
• The audience surrounds the stage on three sides.
“In the round” stage is surrounded by an audience on all sides.
Setting the Stage
Proscenium stage
Setting the Stage
• The playing area extends behind an opening called a “proscenium arch.”
• The audience sits on one side looking into the action.
upstage
downstage
stage leftstage right
Setting the Stage
Stages in Shakespeare’s time were thrust stages.
Globe Theater
• Globe Theater
A stage’s set might be
realistic and detailed
Setting the Stage
abstract and minimal
The costume director works with the director to design the actors’ costumes.
• Like sets, costumes can be
detailed minimal
Setting the Stage
The characters’ speech may take any of the following forms.
Dialogue:Dialogue: conversations of characters onstage conversations of characters onstage
Monologue:Monologue: long speech given by one character to otherslong speech given by one character to others
Soliloquy: Soliloquy: speech by a character alone onstage to himself or herself or speech by a character alone onstage to himself or herself or to the audienceto the audience
Asides: Asides: remarks made to the audience or to one character; the other remarks made to the audience or to one character; the other characters onstage do not hear an asidecharacters onstage do not hear an aside
The Characters
The End