Drama Elements

Drama – play Playwright - author of a play Script - written form of a play

Set - onstage scenery that suggests the time and place Props - small moveable items that make the set look realistic

Characterization - how the playwright creates characters through actions, dialogue, and movement. Cast of Characters - actors/actresses in the play

Monologue - A long speech by a single character Dialogue - Conversation between several characters In other forms of literature, dialogue is set off with quotation marks. In drama, it is written in normal print, and the character who should speak the lines is indicated.

Using Dialogue to Characterize Read the following conversation from a play: Julia: I am so sorry I am so late. I just couldn’t get up because I stayed up all night watching this amazing movie! Jane (Mother of Child): That’s it Julia. You are a failure and I am done putting up with your irresponsibility. You are fired. What can we learn about these two characters from this dialogue?

Dialogue Continued… What would we learn about the characters if the dialogue had sounded more like this: Julia: I am so sorry I am so late. I just couldn’t get up because I stayed up all night watching this amazing movie! Jane (Mother of Child): That’s ok, Honey. I completely understand. Movies are important. Just please make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Scene - one segment of the play Act - the units(chapters) of the action in a play. (Several scenes make up an act) Climax - moment of greatest tension

Stage Directions - Instructions about sound effects, sets, props, and character’s actions, gestures, and movements across the stage.

Stage Directions You are given the following stage directions while reading a play: (A young babysitter, Julia, comes rushing in. Her hair is a mess and she is obviously late.) What do we learn about this character through these stage directions?