ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
What is Drama?
 Drama is a
story told in
dialogue by
performers in
front of an
audience.
Playwright
 The author
of a play is
called a
playwright.
Actors
 Actors
perform the
play in front
of an
audience.
Units of Action
 Acts are the units of action
in a drama.
 Acts are often divided into
smaller parts called scenes.
Characterization
 Just as in other
forms of
writing, the
playwright must
develop
believable
characters.
Dramatic Speech
 Very important because it
advances the action.
 Two types of dramatic speech:
 Monologue
 Dialogue
Monologue
 Monologue is a
long speech that is
spoken by a single
character.
 It often reveals a
character’s private
thoughts and
feelings.
Dialogue
 A conversation
between or
among
characters.
Stage Directions
 Bracketed information that describes the
scenery and how the characters should move
and speak.
 Ex. Scrooge: Bah! Humbug! [Scrooge snuffs
out his candle.] Christmas! Bah! Humbug!
Theater
 A theater is a
place where
plays are
presented for
an audience.
Set or Scenery
 Set is the term used
for the construction
on the stage that
suggests the time
and place of the
action.
 Scenery is another
word for set.
Props
 Props are small
movable items
(such as a notebook
or a broom) that the
actors use to make
their actions look
realistic.
Costumes
 Costumes help
the playwright
convey details
about the
characters and
the setting.
Types of Drama
 Comedy
 Tragedy
 Drama
Comedy
 Comedy has a
happy ending.
 It often features
normal characters in
funny situations.
 Usually written to
entertain.
 Sometimes point
out faults of society.
Tragedy
 Tragedy is often
contrasted with
comedy.
 The events of a
tragedy lead to the
downfall of the main
character.
 This character is often
of great significance,
like a king.
Drama
 A drama is a
play that
addresses a
serious
subject.
Other Types of Dramatic Writing
 Screenplays are scripts for films or
television. They include camera angles
and allow for more scene changes.
 Radio plays were written to be performed
as radio broadcasts. They included sound
effects, but they required no set, stage, or
directions to explain movement.
THE END