1. Elements of Drama

2. Drama
A story that is intended to be performed for an audience, either on stage or before a camera. You may see dramas on television, at the movies, in videos, and on the stage.

3. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street is a teleplay that was shown on television.
A Christmas Carol has been adapted as a stage play.

4. Script The special form in which drama is written.
It differs from the dialogue in a short story in that the lines are written out for the characters to speak rather than being written with quotation marks and tag lines.

5. “It’s the monster! It’s the monster!” Tommy shouted in fright.
Short Story
“We may need this,” Don stated holding up his shotgun.
“A shotgun?” Steve questioned as he pulled the gun out of Don’s hand.
Tommy (shouting, frightened). It’s the monster! It’s the monster!
Drama
(Don Martin joins them, carrying a shotgun. He holds it up.)
Don. We may need this.
Steve. A shotgun? (He pulls it out of Don’s hand.)

6. Plot
As in short stories, the plot of a drama is a sequence of related events.

7. The plot begins with
exposition.
Then it moves through the
rising
in which there is a series
action of
complications
in the
conflict.
The
climax
is the point of highest
tension or the turning point of the plot.
It is followed by the
falling action
or resolution.

8. A section presenting events that occur in one place at one time.
Scene
A major section of a play made up of more than one scene.
Act

9. Cast of Characters
The major and minor characters are listed at the beginning of the script. The cast of characters often includes a short description next to each character’s name.

10. Cast of Characters
Sometimes a narrator sets the scene for the drama and comments on what happens.

11. Stage Directions
Instructions for the director, the actors, and the stage crew.
They are usually printed in italic type and enclosed in parentheses.

12. Stage directions tell actors
how to speak and move.
They describe the
scenery,
items on the stage that create the setting.

13. They also describe the
props,
which are the objects the actors use during the play.
Sometimes they make suggestions for
lighting and sound.
Stage directions will refer to
special areas
of the stage.

14. Additional notes
Science fiction – literature that involves scientific data, theories, and technology, often set in the future
Suspense – feeling of anxious uncertainty about the outcome of events in a literary work
Theme – central message, concern, or purpose of a literary work

15. Additional notes
Tone – writer’s attitude toward the readers and toward the subject of the writing
Author’s purpose – to entertain, inform, influence, express
..\Author's purpose.doc

16. wings upstage right upstage center upstage left stage right stage left
(off stage)
upstage
right
upstage
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upstage
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stage right
stage left
center
downstage
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downstage
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orchestra pit
audience