1. Drama
By Derick Miller

2. What Is Drama?
A drama is a story enacted onstage for a live audience.

3. Origins of Drama
The word drama comes from the Greek verb dran, which means “to do.”
The earliest known plays . . .
were written around the fifth century B.C.
produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility

4. Dramatic Structure
Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters who face a problem or conflict.
Climax
point of highest tension; action determines how the conflict will be resolved
Plot:
Sequence of events that develop the drama
Resolution
conflict is resolved;
play ends
Exposition characters and conflict are introduced

5. Elements of Drama

6. There are three types of Drama Elements.
Literary
Technical
Performance

7. Literary Elements (What is needed to write a script or story?)
Plot
Character
Story Organization
Setting
Dialogue
Monologue /soliloquy/aside
Conflict

8. Technical Elements (What is needed to produce a play?)
Scenery
Costumes
Props
Sound and Music
Make-up

9. Performance Elements (What do the actors do on stage to make a character come alive?)
Acting
Speaking
Non-verbal Expression

10. But…what do all these words mean?

11. All the elements of drama combine to make a good production
All the elements of drama combine to make a good production. They are all important. Some demonstrate more of one element than others.

12. Literary Elements Script?
A script is the written words and directions of a play.

13. Literary Elements Plot?
The plot is the storyline or arrangement of action.

14. Literary Elements Character?
A character is a person portrayed in a drama.

15. Literary Elements Story Organization?
The story organization is how a story is told – the beginning, middle and end.

16. Literary Elements Setting?
The setting is where the action takes place.

17. Literary Elements Dialogue?
A dialogue is a spoken conversation between two characters.

18. Literary Elements Monologue?
A monologue is a long speech made by one person.
Soliloquy? A character alone on stage reveals private thoughts.
Aside? A character briefly expresses private thoughts to the audience that other characters on stage cannot hear.

19. Literary Elements Conflict?
The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that create dramatic tension.

20. Technical Elements Scenery?
The scenery is theatrical equipment such as curtains, backdrops, and platforms to communicate the environment. An example might be trees to show a forest environment.

21. Technical Elements Props?
Props are any article other than costumes or scenery used as part of a dramatic production. An example might be a table on the stage.

22. Technical Elements Sound and Music?
Sound is the effect an audience hears during a show, like the sound of rain. And music – well, you know what music is!

23. Technical Elements Make-up?
Make-up is the use of costumes, wigs and body paint to transform an actor into a character.

24. Performance Elements Acting?
Acting is how speaking and moving help to create characters.

25. Performance Elements Non-verbal Expression
Non-expression includes gestures, facial expressions, and movement.

26. Performance Elements Speaking
Speaking is vocal expression, projection, speaking style and diction.

27. The ancient Greeks developed drama, making two basic types of play.
These two types are:
A Tragedy
A Comedy

28. Tragedy A tragedy is a play that ends unhappily.
Most classic Greek tragedies deal with serious, universal themes such as
right and wrong
justice and injustice
life and death

29. Tragedy
The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero. This hero
pride
is noble and in many ways admirable
rebelliousness
has a tragic flaw, a personal failing that leads to a tragic end
jealousy

30. Comedy
A comedy is a play that ends happily. The plot usually centers on a romantic conflict.
boy meets girl
boy loses girl
boy wins girl

31. Comedy The main characters in a comedy could be anyone: nobility
townspeople
servants

32. Comedy
Comic complications always occur before the conflict is resolved.
In most cases, the play ends with a wedding.

33. Conclusion A comedy ends happily after an amusing series of problem.
Tragedy stresses human greatness, but comedy emphasizes human faults and the weaknesses of society

34. Thanks