Drama and Theater

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

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

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

Comedy A comedy is a play that ends happily. The protagonist is usually an ordinary character who overcomes obstacles to get what he or she wants. The conflict in comedy usually involves problems of the heart, such as young lovers who must overcome disapproving parents. Most comedies end in a wedding. What does comedy teach us? Comedy shows us the bright side of life and that life continues despite problems.

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? the struggle between human limitations and the forces in the world that are beyond human control.

Staging a Play: Words and Action Drama is made up of dialogue 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 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 Props—movable items that actors carry or handle Lighting—the arrangement of lights onstage Costumes—clothing worn by the actors Sound effects – purposeful noises to enhance scene Attempts to make the set believable

Stage directions in the play’s text describe the setting and characters’ actions. S CENE 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 Staging a Play: Words and Action

Elizabethan Era England 1558–1603

Elizabethan Era the period in English history associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) often considered to be the Golden Age. flowering of English Literature and poetry. This was also the time during which Elizabethan Theater flourished and William Shakespeare was writing peace and increasing prosperity

Black Death: Bubonic Plague Killed an estimated 20 million people in Europe in the 16th century Mainly a disease in rodents and fleasrodentsfleas Infection in a human occurs when a person is bitten by a flea that has been infected by biting a rodent The plague forced a closure of all playhouses and theatres from the spring of 1608 through to early 1610.

Elizabethan Theater Before permanent theaters were built, wandering acting companies performed in the courtyards of inns or in other open areas. The Puritan Movement was hostile to the theaters and considered it sinful. men dressed in female costume to play female roles. Theatres were located in the same parts of the city as brothels Puritans ordered the closing of all theatres on Sept. 2, 1642 After the monarchy was resorted in 1660 the theatres re- opened.

Not Everyone Loved the Theater Puritans, city officials, and others had low opinions of actors, plays, and theaters. They feared that playgoers would catch contagious diseases be morally corrupted They objected to suggestive or obscene language actors (commoners) wearing upper-class clothing scenes depicting rebellion

The First Permanent Theater Built by James Burbage in 1576 Located outside the city of London When the rent became too high, they dismantled it in the middle of the night, moved piece by piece across the river, and rebuilt as the Globe in 1599 where most of Shakespeare’s plays were performed

Typical Elizabethan Theaters Theaters were three-story circular or polygonal structures with a courtyard open to the sky because there was no electric lighting three tiers of seats for spectators

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The main stage jutted out into the yard. This is where the action took place “Groundlings” stood in the yard to watch the play. Paid one penny to watch and participated in the play

Capturing the Audience Elizabethan theatergoers were active and vocal, especially the groundlings. They would eat and drink laugh and shout boo and hiss Actors had to move around, make grand motions, and speak loudly to keep the audience’s attention.

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The gallery, or balcony, above the stage could be used as part of the play a seating area for musicians a seating area for wealthy spectators

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The trapdoor in the front part of the stage could be used for David Gentleman burial scenes surprise entrances mysterious exits Called the area below “hell”

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The ceiling over the stage, the “Heavens,” contained another trapdoor. Actors could be David Gentleman lowered to the stage below flown over the heads of other actors

Acting the Part In Shakespeare’s time, all actors were male. Female roles were played by boy actors, who concealed their gender by wearing long, full skirts wearing wigs powdering their faces © Ali Meyer/CORBIS

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