Performance Elements

Acting Using the face, body and voice to convey a character

Speaking Style How lines are delivered Two ways to deliver your lines –Vocal Expression how an actor or actress uses his or her voice to convey character In Other Words: saying things with expression—sounding mad, glad, scared, timid, etc. –Diction Definition: selection and pronunciation of words In Other Words: speak slowly and clearly

Nonverbal Expression Expressing ideas and emotions without words Four ways to use nonverbal communication –Body Alignment Definition: using correct posture to speak and move while acting In Other Words: use the same posture your character would use—hunch over like an old man or stand tall like an athlete –Gestures Definition: using parts of your body to convey your character In Other Words: talk with your hands—act out what the character feels—be the character—for example, hands on your hips if you are a bossy character or fidget like a nervous person

–Facial expressions Moving your face to represent an emotion In Other Words: frowning, smiling, squinting, scowling, etc. –Movement Movements of the actor onstage during a performance Locomotor moves In Other Words: crossing the stage, turning your back to the audience, etc.

Production/Technical Elements

Scenery Definition: theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, and platforms, that communicate environment In Other Words: what does the stage look like?

Props Definition: short for properties—any moveable object that appears onstage during a performance In Other Words: things that the actors use to make the play seem more realistic

Sound and Music Definition: effects an audience hears during a performance that communicates environment or character In Other Words: what sounds other than the dialogue is heard?—a clap of thunder, a phone ringing, a scream, etc.

Costumes Definition: clothing and accessories worn by actors to convey character and time In Other Words: what should the actors wear?—make it appropriate to the person’s age and what the setting is!

Makeup Definition: use of costumes, wigs, and body paint to transform an actor into a character In Other Words: how we make an actor look like their character