3. Literature through performance... From Reading to Writing In The Rising of the Moon, Lady Gregory chose to tell her story in the form of a drama, or play. Plays have many of the same elements as narratives— characters, setting, plot, conflict. Dramatic Scene

4. Literature through performance... But in a play, dialogue and stage directions are used to reveal character traits and setting, and to move the plot forward. Drama is the format used for skits, television programs, theater productions, and movies. Dramatic Scene

5. B a s i c s i n a B o x Dramatic Scene at a Glance RUBRIC Standards for Writing A successful dramatic scene should introduce the setting and characters in the opening stage directions use the setting and characters to create a convincing world develop a clear and interesting situation or conflict reveal the personalities of the characters through the dialogue use actions as well as dialogue to advance the story include stage directions as necessary

6. The secret of playwriting can be given in two maxims: stick to the point and whenever you can, cut. W. Somerset Maugham, British novelist and playwright The secret of playwriting can be given in two maxims: stick to the point and whenever you can, cut. W. Somerset Maugham, British novelist and playwright Writing Your Dramatic Scene 1 Prewriting

7. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 1 Prewriting Begin by thinking about a character or situation that interests you and involves a problem or conflict. Another option is to adapt material from books, movies, magazines, or even songs.

8. Planning Your Dramatic Scene 1. Consider the basic elements of your scene. Fill out a chart like the one below to help you identify the elements you need to include. CharactersSettingPlotStage Directions Who are the characters? How do they interact? When and where does the scene take place? What events will happen? In what sequence will they occur? How will the characters speak? What is the pace of the scene?

9. Planning Your Dramatic Scene 2. Think about your audience. Who will read or view your dramatic scene? What language is appropriate for them? What background will they need to understand the setting, characters, and action? 3. Decide on a mood. What general emotional atmosphere do you want to convey? What basic elements of character, setting, and action will help contribute to that mood?

10. Planning Your Dramatic Scene 4. Explore your scene. How will your characters interact and speak? You might write an outline of your scene or jot down bits of dialogue.

11. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 2 Drafting As you write a script for your dramatic scene, keep the following points in mind: Introduce the characters and establish the setting of your scene. You might begin by putting a character in a situation and having him or her talk with another character.

12. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 2 Drafting Use dialogue and action to advance the plot. You might collaborate with a partner to think of various actions and situations you could include. Use dialogue to reveal details about the characters—personalities, interests, attitudes, and beliefs.

13. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 2 Drafting Use stage directions to describe setting, costumes, lighting, sound effects, and props. Stage directions can also indicate mood through use of gestures, tone of voice, and characters’ body movements.

14. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 3 Revising TARGET SKILL USING DIALOGUE EFFECTIVELY Your characters’ words should sound natural when spoken, so read your dialogue aloud. Use contractions and sentence fragments to mimic actual speech. Indicate tone of voice or emotion with precise stage directions.

15. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 4 Editing and Proofreading TARGET SKILL FORMATS FOR SCRIPTS Although the format for stage scripts differs from the format for television and film scripts, there are some common conventions to follow. Dialogue does not have quotation marks. The name of each speaker is set off so actors can find their lines easily.

16. Writing Your Dramatic Scene 4 Editing and Proofreading TARGET SKILL FORMATS FOR SCRIPTS Speaking directions follow the name of the character. Directions for movements appear in the script where the action happens. General directions for props, lighting, or sound effects for a whole scene appear in a separate paragraph.