Drama is prose or verse intended to be performed by actors through dialogue and action. A play contains characters, plot, and conflict that are brought to life through a team of theatrical artists including actors, directors, designers, and technicians. The script provides the blueprint, while the performance allows the audience to experience the story through the actors' interpretations of characters, settings, and events on stage.

2. WHAT IS
DRAMA?
Drama is prose or verse
telling a story intended for
representation by actors
through dialogue or action.

3. THE PLAY
: person who writes
plays.: printed copy of a play.
: the major sections of a play.
: small section or portion of a
play.

4. THE PEOPLE
Actor: male performer
Actress: female performer
Cast: all performers selected to portray
characters.
Director: instructs actors on how to portray
characters.

5. The Theater
A building where a play is
performed containing the stage
and seating area for the
audience.

6. Areas of the Stage
Backstage: area behind scenery not visible to
audience.
Center stage: area in the center of the stage.
Downstage: area closest to the audience.
Stage left/right: area to actor’s left or right as
he/she faces the audience.

7. Upstage: area furthest away from the
audience.
Backdrop: painted curtain without
fullness.
Set: all sets and props that help define
the action.
Flats: canvas-covered wooden frames
used for scenery.

8. Stage Directions
Cue: something that precedes the next
action.
Cut: to stop the action.
Exit: to leave the stage.

9. Costumes: clothing worn by an actor on
stage to help represent characters.
Props: items used on stage to help actors tell
a story

10. Creative Dramatics
Improvisation: to make up or perform
without preparation.
Pantomime: to communicate without
speaking using only facial and body
gestures.

11. Mimicry: to copy or imitate something
very closely.
Role Playing : to take on the
characteristics of someone or
something.

12. Types of Drama
Tragedy: character is confronted with
a difficult moral choice and usually
ends in his or her death. Ex: Romeo
& Juliet
Comedy: a humorous entertaining
performance with a happy ending.
Ex: William Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream

13. Learning Objective: We will identify and describe the function of
various dramatic elements
A good story has the following:
• Plot
• Conflict
• Basic situation
• Complication
• Climax
• Resolution
• Resolution/denouement

14. Concept: Just like a regular story needs the
elements of plot…
• So does a play
• A play is a story acted out, live and onstage.
Concept: A play
• Presents characters performed by real people, in a
physical setting, interacting before our eyes.

15. Similarities of stories and
plays
• Stories have
• Characters carrying out a
series of actions
• driven by a conflict of
some kind
• Plot
• Plays have
• Characters carrying out a
series of action
• driven by a conflict of
some kind
• Plot

16. They differ in format
• Stories
• A prose narrative
• Narrator describes
characters, actions,
settings
• The characters’ words are
marked by “quotation
marks”
• Plays
• Consist entirely of characters’
words and actions.
• The playwright may describe
the characters and settings in
the script, but the audience
never hears these stage
directions.
• The audience sees and hears
only the actors’ interpretations
of them.

17. Concept: What are elements of drama?
The Script for a play :
• is just its beginning, like a blueprint for a house. You can
imagine what a house will look like by looking at the
blueprint, but only when it’s built can you walk around
and really feel what the house it like.
• It takes a team of theatrical artists to bring a play to life.

18. Plot The series of events that make up a story.
Dialogue A written or spoken conversation between two or
more people
Character The “people” in a play, musical, or script showing
personality and emotion
Audience A group of one or more people at a performance
Stagecraft Technique and skill in all aspects of performance
in theatre
Genre A category of artistic and characteristic style in theatre,
music and literature
Theme An idea or topic continuous throughout a play or
musical