Elements of Drama Essential Question How does drama

Elements of Drama

Essential Question • How does drama provide the reader a different experience than prose (short stories, novels) or poetry? • How is drama different from television?

Drama • Comes from the Greek Word, “Dran” • Means “To do” or “To Act” • The Doing/Acting Makes Drama

Drama… is a story told in front of an audience • …

Drama is writing that is meant to be performed by actors for an audience. The script consists of dialogue –the words the actors say –plus stage directions, which are comments on how and where the actors move and speak. When you read drama, you “set the stage” in your own mind, using your imagination to visualize the scenery, lighting, costumes, and actors.

Elements of Drama • Playwright-the author of a play • Actors-the people who perform • Acts-the units of action • Scenes-parts of the acts

Theatre • Where a play takes place

Set • Construction on the stage that shows time/place • Could be called Scenery

Props • Small movable items that the actors use to make actions look real

Types of Plays • Comedy–A humorous play with a happy ending. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=y. Ggs. Jd 4_r 4 k • Tragedy–The hero suffers a major downfall due to some weakness or flaw. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=a 38 HZFbh. B-M

Dialogue and Monologue • Dialogue is conversation between two or more characters. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=d -0 HLj 3 OVuc • A Monologue is a lengthy speech that one character addresses to others on stage. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=pus. U 90 ov 8 p. Q The purposes of both are to reveal character traits and to advance the action of the story.

Asides and Soliloquies • Asides are speeches, often short, made to the audience or to himself, or even to another character, but of earshot of the other characters on stage. • A Soliloquy is a long speech that reveals a character’s true thoughts or feelings, unheard by other characters, usually while alone on stage. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=OCBVmi. Vkz. TM&li st=PL 5 IA 48 K 7 Sfem. MF 2 k. RHJm. X 7 Qc 3 eo. S_S 87 G The purposes of both are to reveal the character’s thoughts or confidences while advancing the action of the story.

Stage Directions • Stage directions are the instructions for performing a play and the descriptions of settings, characters, and actions. • They help you visualize the play. • The directions indicate the directions from on stage: upstage, downstage, stage right, or stage left.

Plot and Conflict • A play, like a short story, contains a plot, or a series of events, involving a conflict. • The conflict may be introduced early in the play, perhaps in the opening scene. • Tension builds to the climax and by the end of the play the conflict is resolved. • The resolution of the conflict reveals the play’s theme.

Dramatic Irony • A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader/audience knows to be true

Verbal Irony • Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant

Situational Irony • An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience

Foreshadowing • the use of indicative word or phrases and hints that set the stage for a story to unfold and give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense. Foreshadowing is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story. https: //youtu. be/zdk. Y 8 FRSk. Gg

Character Foil • a character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to highlight the traits of the other character. https: //youtu. be/ZAf 3 U 0 J 8 Se 8

Symbolism • the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense. Examples: Lime green in Disney movies represents evil Apples for teachers or education