Introduction to Drama

Stage Directions.

Words in brackets or italics are called stage directions.

These words are not spoken by the characters. They written for the actors and the director.

They indicate movement and how dialogue should be spoken.

Opening Scenes.

Dramatic Speeches.

Closing Scenes.

• Grab the attention of the audience.
• Introduce the setting of the play.
• Set the tone and atmosphere of the play.
• Raise questions in the mind of the audience.
• Introduce the characters and allows the audience form an impression of them.
• Most plays will have one main plot and a number of sub-plots.

Monologue ~ a long speech made by a character sharing his/her inner thoughts and feelings.

Soliloquy ~ a long speech made by a character sharing his/her inner thoughts and feelings that only the audience are supposed to hear.

Aside ~ short comments made by a character only intended for the audience.

Characters.

We learn about a character from what they do, what they say and what others say about them.

An actor can change an audience's impression of a character by altering his/her tone of voice.

Costumes, gestures and expressions also reveal characters to us.

A closing scene gives the audience the feeling that things have come to a satisfactory ending.

A closing scene creates the final impression that helps an audience member decide if he/she liked the play or not.

A play does not always have a happy ending.

Theme.

The main message of a play is called its theme.

Apart from being enjoyable and interesting to watch, drama has an important role in highlighting important issues in our community.

Tension & Suspense.

Staging & Setting.

Set and scenery create a sense of place.

Props are moveable objects and also create a sense of place.

Costumes and make-up reveal characters to us and also tie in with the setting.

Lighting creates atmosphere and highlights important moments in a play.

Sound Effects and Music create atmosphere and add realism.

Climax

The climax is the moment that all the tension and suspense have been building up to. It is the most vital moment in the play.

Tension develops when there is some uncertainty about what might happen in a play.

The audience feel suspense. Suspense is that feeling of uncertainty or worry when we do not know how something is going to work out.

Conflict is the verbal, physical or emotional struggle between characters.

Conflict.

Conflict is a really important part of drama.

Conflict happens when there is a clash between two or more characters in a play.

Internal conflict occurs when a character is uncertain about the right path in life to choose.

The interest for the audience is how the conflict is worked out.

Introduction to Drama.