The Elements of Drama
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
Elements of Drama
Playwright-the author of a play
Actors-the people who perform
Acts-the units of action
Scenes-parts of the acts
Dramatic Speech
Dialogue-conversation between or among characters
Monologue-long speech by one single character (private thoughts)
Conflict
The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that create dramatic tension.
Stage Directions
Found in brackets [ ] Describe scenery and
how characters speak C, Center Stage L, Stage Left R, Stage Right U, Upstage or Rear D, Downstage or
Front
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
Characterization
Is the playwright’s technique for creating believable characters.
Indirect Direct
Types of Drama
Drama is used to describe plays that address a serious subject.
Types of Drama
Comedy is a form of drama that has a happy ending. Humor comes from the dialogue and situations.
Types of Drama Tragedy is a form
of drama in which events lead to the downfall of the main character, often a person of great significance, like a king or hero.
Realism
Realism was a revolt against the neoclassic (adaptation of the classics) standards.
Rebellion against the contrived manners and elitist snobbery (stuck up) also fueled the attack
Theatre, they felt, should hold a mirror up to nature
Characteristics of Realism
Realism sought a “likeness to life”
Realism remains today the dominant influence in the theatre.
Realist playwrights seek to have the audience understand their own struggles and to feel compassion for the human condition.
Purpose
The unspoken purpose of every realistic play is exploring the mystery of life.
Characters in a realistic play are individuals we can compare thoughts and feelings with as they discover life’s meanings
The catharsis (emotional venting) of this genre is that each member of the audience is to gain an understanding of his or her own struggles and feel compassion for the struggles of others.
Plays in this era were often referred to as “problem plays” since they focused on social concerns.