1. And the Three Scene Play Project
Dramatic Writing
And the Three Scene Play Project

2. What is drama?
1a literature :  a composition in verse or prose intended to portray life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and typically designed for theatrical performance :  play — compare closet dramab :  a movie or television production with characteristics (as conflict ) of a serious play; broadly :  a play, movie, or television production with a serious tone or subject a police drama

3. So, what are the parts of a play?
Virtually all plays, as much as we rail against the way some screenwriters have turned this into a cookie-cutter, divide into what has come to be called three-act structure. Here's where you get to impress your friends with your fancy verbiage:
The first act is the Protasis, or exposition.
The second act is the Epitasis, or complication.
The final act is the Catastrophe, or resolution.

4. If you need more detail… Here’s some more parts with an example.
Exposition- The introduction of the characters and setting. (Meeting Dorothy, the unpleasant exchange with Miss Gulch, Dorothy’s longing to go somewhere else)
Inciting Incident- The event that sets the rest of the action in motion. Without this event the rest of the play would not take place. (The tornado takes the house to Oz!)
Rising Action- The events that build momentum, presenting conflict and further developing character relationships. (Dorothy being sent on her quest to the Wizard; meeting Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion; the group being sent to kill the Wicked Witch)

5. Plot Structure cont.
Climax- The height of action and conflict or the turning point of the story. (Dorothy uses water to kill the Wicked Witch)
 Falling Action- Events that occur after the climax. (Dorothy and friends return to the Wizard)
Denouement- Final resolution that ties up loose ends. (Dorothy returns to Kansas)

6. Some more tips!
Strong plotlines have many things in common, despite differences in tone or genre. There is a momentum that keeps the plot moving from one point to the next. Usually this momentum is created by having characters with clear objectives that they are pursuing throughout the play. Strong plotlines also include meaningful conflict where multiple characters are invested in the outcome of the conflict.

7. The Three Scene Play Project
 For this assignment, you will be placed in a group, and together, you and your group members will be writing and presenting to the class your very own Three- ­‐Scene Play.
What is a Three-­‐Scene Play?
The Three-­‐Scene Play is a short play format that contains three scenes: A beginning scene, a middle scene, and an ending scene. It will also contain the same amount of characters as there are people in your group. After your group has completed writing your play, you will be presenting the plays either on stage or playing a video/ audio production.
It is a simple playwriting format that contains three scenes – a beginning scene, a middle scene, and an ending scene, and up to five characters. Each of the three scenes should represent the parts of the play:
The first act is the Protasis, or exposition.
The second act is the Epitasis, or complication.
The final act is the Catastrophe, or resolution.

8. Grading Info:
This play will serve as the “Writer’s Notebook” & a “Final Draft” grade for this six weeks.
The written final draft with evidence of revision will be the 30% grade.
Then, you will get a grade for the overall production in the writer’s notebook category.
There will be other steps along the way that will be workshop and daily grades.