Drama Forms and Stagecraft

What Is Drama? A drama is a story written to be acted for an audience. Live actors deliver the play to a live audience. Digital Image copyright © 2003 Eyewire •Dramas can also be enjoyable to read.

Dramatic Structure Dramas follow a very basic plot structure. Conflict—a problem exists that characters must solve Complications—troubles get in the characters’ way Climax—an action occurs that determines how the conflict will be resolved Resolution—the conflict is resolved and the action ends Climax Complications Conflict Resolution

Types of Drama There are two main types of drama: Tragedy Comedy Digital Image copyright © 2003 PhotoDisc Comedy Digital Image copyright © 2003 PhotoDisc

Tragedy A tragedy is a play that depicts serious and important events, in which the main character comes to an unhappy end. The main character, or protagonist, is known as the tragic hero. The tragic hero is an admirable character. Sometimes he or she holds a high rank in society, such as king or queen. The tragic hero’s downfall may be due to a tragic flaw (a character weakness) or forces beyond his or her control.

What Does Tragedy Teach Us? Tragedy shows the struggle between human limitations and the greater forces in the world that are beyond human control. © 2003 clipart.com

Staging a Play: Scene Design To transfer the setting of the play from the written page to the physical stage, theater artists use the following: Set—the arrangement of scenery onstage Lighting—the arrangement of lights onstage Costumes—clothing worn by the actors Props—movable items that actors carry or handle

Staging a Play: Words and Action The conversations of characters onstage are called dialogue. A monologue is a long speech by a single character to other characters onstage. A soliloquy is a long speech in which a character who is alone onstage expresses private thoughts and feelings. An aside is a short comment given by a character to the audience or to another character but not overheard by others onstage.

Staging a Play: Words and Action Stage directions in the play’s text describe the setting and characters’ actions. SCENE 3. A street. Thunder and lightning. Enter from opposite sides CASCA and CICERO. from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare; Act I, Scene 3 Next day at 11 a.m. Higgins’s laboratory in Wimpole Street. It is a room on the first floor, looking on the street, and was meant for the drawing-room. from Pygmalion, by Bernard Shaw; Act II, Scene 1

What Have You Learned? Choose the word that best completes each sentence. stage directions monologue conflict tragedy stage directions monologue tragedy conflict 1. The _____________ is the problem that characters must solve. 2. A _____________ depicts serious or important events. 3. A _____________ is a long speech by a single character to other characters. 4. The _____________ describe the setting and characters’ actions.

The End