Drama Acting Out *

What Is Drama? Drama is a story written to be acted in front of an audience. Drama can be enjoyed in its written form (script), as well. Digital Image copyright © 2003 Eyewire, Inc. *

Although drama shares many elements with stories, essays, and poetry, it is fundamentally different from these forms because it is designed to be performed for an audience. *

What Makes Drama Unique? When you read drama, you give your imagination a workout. As you read, notice the elements that make drama a unique form of literature. Dialogue is the conversation among characters. Stage directions are the playwright’s notes to actors, directors, and readers. They reveal information about sets, movements, and emotion. *

STAGE DIRECTIONS Printed in italics and enclosed in square brackets. They include descriptions of what the characters, costumes, sets, and props look like. They also give instructions about special effects (sound and lighting) and how the actors should move and speak. *

Elements of Drama Like other forms of storytelling, drama has the basic elements of: character setting Plot Point of View Theme *

Drama and Characters A character is a person or an animal in a play. In a play a character’s personality can be revealed in several ways: how the character looks what the character says how the character acts *

Drama and Setting Setting is the time and place of a play. Setting helps create the mood of a play through scenery—the background of the play stage props—various items on the stage, such as furniture costumes—what the actors are wearing *

Drama and Plot Like other forms of storytelling, the plot of a drama will include: exposition—introduces the play’s basic situation conflict—shows the play’s main struggle climax—the play’s most exciting point resolution—concludes the play and works out its conflict *

The Structure of Drama Plays are usually broken up into smaller parts called acts. Acts can be broken up into even smaller parts called scenes. Acts often end at an exciting moment. *

Soliloquy A long speech delivered by a character who is (technically) alone onstage. Ex. Romeo’s soliloquy in Act II, scene 2 But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. *

Why Use Soliloquies? A soliloquy is used to reveal the private thoughts and emotions of the character. Why is Romeo sneaking around in Juliet’s backyard? He is in love with her! Now we know. *

Asides & Monologues An Aside is when, in a play, a comment is made by a character, but not heard by the other characters onstage. A Monologue is like a Soliloquy in that they involve one, solitary speaker. The difference is in who is listening. A Monologue is performed to an audience (within the play or auditorium) while a Soliloquy is the character speaking to himself/herself. Like Soliloquies, these are also frequently used to provide information to the audience and to reveal the thoughts of characters. *

The End *