1. Elements of Drama

2. PLOT or story line Every story must have a Beginning… Middle… End…
Don’t forget the conflict!!!

3. What’s in that story? Monologue Soliloquy Dialogue
(speech by one character to another)
Soliloquy
(character, alone, reveals inner thoughts and feelings)
Dialogue
(characters speaking to each other)

4. elements of production
Set or scenery -
the background built on stage to establish time & place for the audience
(may be literal or symbolic)

5. (change can be real or artistic)
Costumes & makeup
These can be used to change an actor’s posture, age, physical build, etc.
(change can be real or artistic)

6. Props
The smaller things actors move on stage that add detail & authenticity to a show
School bag
books

7. Sound & Lights
These can be used to establish setting, mood, period; and build plot & character

8. Roles The various characters in the play that the actors play
Stock characters in
Commedia dell’arte

9. The elements of performance
character
movement
vocal expression
speaking style
listening
acting
storytelling

10. The script Title Character List
Scene Description (& sometimes a set description)
Scene or Act #
Dialogue
All CAPS = Character name
Italics = Stage Directions
Regular type = spoken words
JAMES – (softly) Tracy? (clears throat) Tracy? (louder, getting braver) Tracy? Wake up, I need to tell you something…

11. Theatre Spaces
Arena Stage Proscenium Stage
Thrust stage

13. Basic Theatre Terms
ad-lib – creating dialogue or actions to cover a mistake
an act (n.) – a smaller section of a play (like a chapter)
antagonist – the person, thing, or idea that causes conflict for the protagonist
aside – line(s) delivered to the audience
at rise – the moment the curtain rises, what’s on stage
audition – an actor’s job interview
a beat (n.)- a change in topic or feeling in a scene
blackout – the end of a scene, act, play
blocking – the planned movement of actors onstage
breaking character – becoming yourself onstage rather than your character
to cast (v.) – to place actors in specific roles in a play
character list – the list at the start of a play naming & describing all the characters
climax – the high point of the plot where the protagonist must make a choice that determines the outcome of the play
cold reading – (part of an audition) when an actor is asked to perform a script he has not been able to prepare ahead of time
comedy – a play with a happy ending
conventions – practices characteristic of a particular time period or region
to cross (v.) – to move from one place to another on stage
cue – a signal for an actor or crew member to do something in a play

14. Basic Theatre Terms
cue line – line of dialogue that tells an actor or crew member some action must be taken
denouement – the resolution or falling action in a play (plot)
dialogue – lines spoken in a play between 2+ characters
diction – the specific words chosen, on purpose, by a playwright
discovered – already on stage when the scene begins
down-stage turn – turning so your body passes through the full-front position (blocking)
drama – a play of serious nature
epilogue – a bit tagged on to the end of a play to explain or excuse
exposition – the beginning of a play used to provide background information (plot)
falling action – the resolution or denouement of a play (plot)
focus – the intended point of interest on stage
fourth wall – the imaginary “wall” between actors onstage and the audience – like a TV screen
gesture – an action performed with the hands, arms or head (nod)
holding for a laugh – allowing the audience’s response to begin dying away before continuing
intention – what your character wants in a scene
interior monologue – the stream of thoughts a character thinks while he/she is onstage
monologue – a long speech by 1 character
motivation – the character’s reason for doing or saying something

15. Basic Theatre Terms objective – a character’s goal in a specific scene
observation – studying others as sources for your character’s voice or movement
off book – not using a script, memorized
on book – using a script, not memorized
plot – what happens in a play
to project (v.) – to make your performance audible and visible to every audience member
protagonist – the main character
rising action – the development of the conflict in a play (plot)
scene – a smaller division of a play
scene description – a detailed description of the set and situation at the start of an act or scene
stage business – activities performed onstage as part of your character
stage directions – the instructions for what and how to do things in a script (these are not spoken out loud!)
stage crew – those members of the show who are not actors
strike – to take down, clean up, and put away all materials used for a performance when it is complete
subtext – the thoughts/meanings that underlie the actual spoken words
theme – what the play is about (an idea)
tragedy – a play that ends unhappily for many/most of the characters
to upstage (v.) – to draw the attention from the indented focus in a scene

16. Types of plays Comedy Tragedy
A play of serious nature, that is generally sad
Comedy
Any play that has a happy ending –
even if it isn’t funny

17. Types of plays – broken down…
Farce
Parody
Sentimental Comedy
Musical Comedy
Comedy of Manners
Satire
Theatre of the Absurd
Sentimental Drama
Melodrama
Social Drama
Morality Play
Drama
Tragedy

18. Styles of Plays - how the type of play is “done”
Looks like the real thing…
Naturalism – “slice of life,” it is the real thing
Realism – theatrical representation of the real thing
“Reality” with meaning…
Expressionism – resembles the real thing; but colors, shapes, etc may be exaggerated or used symbolically to help develop character or theme
Not even trying to be “real”…
Theatricalism – pure theatre, not pretending to be anything other than a play
Historical “Period” styles…
Classic or Neo-Classic – a style consciously imitating the Greek or Roman classics
Romanticism – projects the idea of the perfectibility of mankind, optimistic, hopeful, focus on nature