Drama By Derick Miller

What Is Drama? A drama is a story enacted onstage for a live audience.

Origins of Drama The word drama comes from the Greek verb dran, which means “to do.” The earliest known plays . . . were written around the fifth century B.C. produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility

Dramatic Structure Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters who face a problem or conflict. Climax point of highest tension; action determines how the conflict will be resolved Plot: Sequence of events that develop the drama Resolution conflict is resolved; play ends Exposition characters and conflict are introduced

Elements of Drama

There are three types of Drama Elements. Literary Technical Performance

Literary Elements (What is needed to write a script or story?) Plot Character Story Organization Setting Dialogue Monologue /soliloquy/aside Conflict

Technical Elements (What is needed to produce a play?) Scenery Costumes Props Sound and Music Make-up

Performance Elements (What do the actors do on stage to make a character come alive?) Acting Speaking Non-verbal Expression

But…what do all these words mean?

All the elements of drama combine to make a good production All the elements of drama combine to make a good production. They are all important. Some demonstrate more of one element than others.

Literary Elements Script? A script is the written words and directions of a play.

Literary Elements Plot? The plot is the storyline or arrangement of action.

Literary Elements Character? A character is a person portrayed in a drama.

Literary Elements Story Organization? The story organization is how a story is told – the beginning, middle and end.

Literary Elements Setting? The setting is where the action takes place.

Literary Elements Dialogue? A dialogue is a spoken conversation between two characters.

Literary Elements Monologue? A monologue is a long speech made by one person. Soliloquy? A character alone on stage reveals private thoughts. Aside? A character briefly expresses private thoughts to the audience that other characters on stage cannot hear.

Literary Elements Conflict? The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that create dramatic tension.

Technical Elements Scenery? The scenery is theatrical equipment such as curtains, backdrops, and platforms to communicate the environment. An example might be trees to show a forest environment.

Technical Elements Props? Props are any article other than costumes or scenery used as part of a dramatic production. An example might be a table on the stage.

Technical Elements Sound and Music? Sound is the effect an audience hears during a show, like the sound of rain. And music – well, you know what music is!

Technical Elements Make-up? Make-up is the use of costumes, wigs and body paint to transform an actor into a character.

Performance Elements Acting? Acting is how speaking and moving help to create characters.

Performance Elements Non-verbal Expression Non-expression includes gestures, facial expressions, and movement.

Performance Elements Speaking Speaking is vocal expression, projection, speaking style and diction.

The ancient Greeks developed drama, making two basic types of play. These two types are: A Tragedy A Comedy

Tragedy A tragedy is a play that ends unhappily. Most classic Greek tragedies deal with serious, universal themes such as right and wrong justice and injustice life and death

Tragedy The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero. This hero pride is noble and in many ways admirable rebelliousness has a tragic flaw, a personal failing that leads to a tragic end jealousy

Comedy 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 townspeople servants

Comedy Comic complications always occur before the conflict is resolved. In most cases, the play ends with a wedding.

Conclusion A comedy ends happily after an amusing series of problem. Tragedy stresses human greatness, but comedy emphasizes human faults and the weaknesses of society

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