1. A drama is a story acted on stage for an audience.

2. Dramatic Elements
Dramatic elements are needed to bring a story to life on stage:
setting script speech character
props non-verbal actions conflict
costumes plot scenery
theme make-up sound/lighting
cast

3. Dramatic Elements Sort
Fold a sheet of paper in thirds, creating a column for each of the types of dramatic elements: Literary, Technical, Performance.
Sort the above elements of drama into the three columns.

4. Performance Elements: bring story to life on stage
Literary Elements:
create the story
Technical Elements:
produce the drama
Performance Elements:
bring story to life on stage

5. Theme Conflict Character Plot Setting Script Sound/Lighting Costumes
Literary Elements:
create the story
Technical Elements:
produce the drama
Performance Elements:
bring story to life on stage
Theme
Conflict
Character
Plot
Setting
Script
Sound/Lighting
Costumes
Make-up
Props
Scenery
Cast
Speech
Non-verbal
actions

6. Literary Elements

7. Dramatic Elements Discussion
Discuss the technical and performance elements that were in the play.
Discuss how the technical and performance elements helped bring out the literary elements.

8. ERQ Practice
A. Describe how a technical or performance element was used in the play using at least two examples.
B. Analyze how this element helped bring out a literary element.
For instance:
How the scenery helped you understand the plot
How the props helped you understand a character
How the costumes helped you see a character
How the nonverbal gestures helped you get the theme
How the scenery helped you understand the setting

9. ERQ Model
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer play included performance elements such as the actors’ ways of speaking. For instance, when the actress portrayed Becky she spoke in a light, chirpy voice. On the other hand, when she played the Widow, she talked in a dragging, rough voice. The performance element of speaking helps to bring out the literary element of character. By adopting different ways of speaking, the actress brought a variety of characters to life. When she spoke in the light, chirpy voice, she showed that Becky was a young, energetic girl. When she spoke in the rough, dragging voice, she showed the Widow was old and feeble.

10. Structure of a Drama
A drama is a story performed by actors for an audience. A drama has many parts. The written form of a drama is a script. The cast of characters is a list of who is in the play. Stage directions tell actors what to do; they are written in italic print. Dialogue is the conversation between characters. A monologue is when one character speaks at length to another. A soliloquy is when a character is alone on stage and thinks aloud. A scene has a fixed setting and continuous time frame. An act is made up of several scenes.

11. Annotating a Drama
While reading Act 1 of The Miracle Worker, stop to annotate the different dramatic structures (you can chunk so there are about two per page).
For each annotation, explain how that structure contributes to the meaning of the drama.
What does it help you understand about the setting?
What does it help you understand about a character?
What does it help you understand about the plot?
What does it help you understand about the conflict?
What does it help you understand about the theme?

12. Dialogue  shows how characters are trying to be polite
Stage directions  show the character of both Anne and Helen; shows the plot developing as they first meet and interact
Dialogue  shows how characters are trying to be polite
Stage directions  show the character of Helen
Dialogue  shows conflict between Keller and Anne

13. Dramatic Structure ERQ
Use your text annotations to answer the following ERQ. Remember to APE: Answer the question, use Proof from the text, and Explain how the proof answers the question.
Explain how the dramatic structure helps a reader understand The Miracle Worker. Include specific examples from the text.

14. Dramatic Structure ERQ Model
The dramatic structures in The Miracle Worker, such as stage directions and soliloquies, help the reader understand the theme of perseverance in the play. One scene contains stage directions that describe Anne repeatedly spelling words into Helen’s hand. This dramatic structure of stage directions helps the reader visualize how hard Anne is working to communicate with Helen, despite how hard Helen is fighting it. Later in the same scene, Anne talks to herself saying, “Don’t worry. They’ll find you, you’re not lost. Only out of place.” This soliloquy, another structure in this drama, reveals how Anne is struggling to reassure herself and keep going in her new position as Helen’s teacher.