The Structures and Purpose of Drama/Theatre

1. The Structures and Purpose of Drama/Theatre

2. 1.1 What is Drama? • Theatre is the performance of drama by live actors • Drama is literature intended for presentation by actors.

3. Purposes for Drama • Sharing the human experience – to express or communicate emotion, feelings, ideas, information through dramatic works • Passing on tradition and culture – to express or communicate feelings, ideas, information

4. Purposes • Recreational– drama as recreation and for recreational events • Artistic Expression – drama created with the intent to express or communicate emotion, feelings, ideas, information

5. 1.2 The three elements of Drama • Performance • tools used by the director and actors to create characters, emotions, and feelings that tell the playwright’s story. • Technical • Aspects of a play outside of the dramatic elements that aid in telling the story. • Literary • Essential Components needs for a Dramatic Production

6. Performance Elements • Character-characters have goals they want to achieve; ideas, events, people • Dialogue– A conversation between 2 or more characters to express thoughts, feelings, and action. • Monologue – A long speech made by one person, often called a soliloquy. • Conflict– The struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests.

7. Performance Elements • Motivation-that which propels the character towards his/her goal • Voice-the voice is one of two primary tools of the actor. Learning to use the voice • breathing, projection, and diction. • Sensory Recall-recalling a smell, taste or sound will cause the actor’s reaction to it

8. Monologues Activity • Everyone will pick a monologue, memorize it and perform it on Monday. • This will be on your part to have it memorized by Monday. • I know this is outside your comfort zone-but this is part of appreciating the arts-and experiencing what real actors do on a daily basis.

9. 1.3 Continuing Drama Elements. Technical Elements • Set– The painted backdrop or backgrounds on a theatrical stage that represent where and when a story or scene takes place. • Props– Any article, except costume or scenery, held and used during the action of the play (e.g., a drinking glass, a purse, or a weapon). • Lighting – Illuminates the action of the play. Lighting affects the overall atmosphere or mood of the play.

10. Technical Elements • Costumes – the clothing that characters wear including hats, accessories, and masks. Costumes also give information about: Character, Setting, Time, Social Status, and other important information relative to the plot.

11. Technical Elements • Music/Sound - music and sound helps create the environment, establish the mood, and aide in telling the story • Not made by actor • Can be by a live orchestra, taped or a soundtrack.

12. Technical Elements • Make-up– helps the actor create a complete character. Make-up is worn by characters on areas of the body that are visible to the audience (face, arms, legs).

13. Literacy Elements- Plot Structure • Plot or Storyline– The plan of action or events of the story. A plot has a beginning, a middle, and an end. • Exposition-the giving of information about the plot and characters that helps the audience with background details. • Development-a series of events that advances(rising action) the storyline-the building of the plot. • Tension-created when the action of the play is compressed-usual leads up to the climax • Climax-the culminating event of the plot • Reversal/turning point-an even that changes the direction of the action, usual after a shocking discovery • Denouement/Conclusion-the resolution of the plot, events that happen after the climax

15. Literary Element-Character • A person portrayed in a drama, novel, or other artistic piece. • Protagonist– the main character or hero who advances the storyline as he/she attempts to achieve an important goal. • Antagonist –the opponent or adversary of the hero or main character of a drama.

16. Literary Devices • Tools the playwright and director employ to further enhance the plot • Symbolism-a symbol is something that represents something other than itself. • Foreshadowing- information early in the text that is later proves to be important for the solution to a problem or insight into a character

17. 1.4 Types of Drama • Comedy – a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way. • Tragedy – in Greek theater, a play depicting man as a victim of destiny; in modern theater, a serious play in which man is a victim of fate, a character flaw, moral weakness, or social pressure.

18. Types • Melodrama – usually refers to plays based on romantic plots that have little regard for convincing motivation or detailed characterization. • Musical – a play in which the story is told through a combination of spoken dialogue and musical numbers. • Satire– a play in which sarcasm, irony, and ridicule are used to expose or attack the foolish behavior of human beings.

19. Types • Improvisation– Creating a character or situation using movement and speech, without prior rehearsal. • Role-Playing – Improvising movement and dialogue to put oneself in another’s place in a particular situation. This is often used to examine the person or situation being improvised.

20. 1.5 Theatre Stages • In the earliest “theatrical” settings, the storyteller told his story in a circle of on-lookers. • It has evolved over time to include four types of stages • Proscenium • Stadium • Thrust • Arena • Black-Box

21. Stadium Arena

22. Proscenium Stage • The actor is on a raised platform in front of the audience. • Scenery typically fills the space behind, upstage of, the actor. • Entrances to the playing space are made through the scenery. • Like a movie theatre • Kentucky Center for the Arts

23. Stadium Stage • Has seating on two sides • Like a basketball court with the sides facing each other

24. Thrust Stage • The actor is surrounded on three sides by the audience • The fourth side contains the scenery. • Entrances to the acting area are through the scenery upstage and through the audience at the two front corners of the stage.

25. Black-Box Stage • The most recent type of stage • The actors and the audience are on the same level and the sets can be moved anywhere in the space. • Very intimate, makes the audience feel part of the action

26. Arena Stage • The actor is totally surrounded by the audience. • Entrances to the acting area are normally made through the audience at the four corners of the stage • Derby Dinner Playhouse

27. Stage Directions

28. Inside the Actor’s Studio • The cast of Modern Family (38mins)