Drama Appreciation
Enumerate the follwing the describe each:
1. Literary Elements of Drama (at least 6)
PLOT - Plot refers to the storyline of the text. The plot is the sequence of events in
the story or drama. There are several elements that are common to all plots: The
introduction, or exposition, is the beginning of the story where the characters and the
conflict are introduced.
THEME - The theme of a play refers to its central idea. It can either be clearly stated
through dialog or action, or can be inferred after watching the entire performance.
The theme is the philosophy that forms the base of the story or a moral lesson that the
characters learn.
CHARACTER - A character is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story.
Writers use characters to perform the actions and speak dialogue, moving the story along
a plot line. A story can have only one character (protagonist) and still be a complete story.
This character’s conflict may be an inner one (within him/herself), or a conflict with
something natural, such as climbing a mountain. Most stories have multiple characters
interacting, with one of them as the antagonist, causing a conflict for the protagonist.
DIALOGUE - Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters
in a book, play, or other written work. In prose writing, lines of dialogue are typically
identified by the use of quotation marks and a dialogue tag, such as "she said." In plays, lines
of dialogue are preceded by the name of the person speaking.
SPECTACLE - Spectacle: something exhibited to view as unusual, notable, or
entertaining,
especially
an
eye-catching
or dramatic public
display.
In theater, spectacle includes all the visual aspects of a production, including costumes,
make-up, scenery and special effects.
GENRE - The genre of a performance refers to the type of story being told, and the style
refers to how the work is presented on stage. A genre or style can help to give performers a
framework to shape the devised work.
2. Kinds of Drama (at least 5)
COMEDY - In a modern sense, comedy is a genre of fiction that refers to any discourse
or work generally intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in
theatre, television, film, stand-up comedy, books or any other medium of entertainment.
TRAGEDY - Tragedy, branch of drama that treats in a serious and dignified style the
sorrowful or terrible events encountered or caused by a heroic individual. By extension the
term may be applied to other literary works, such as the novel.
TRAGICOMEDY - Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragic and
comic forms. Most often seen in dramatic literature, the term can describe either a tragic
play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the overall mood or a serious play
with a happy ending.
MELODRAMA - In modern usage, a melodrama is a dramatic work wherein the plot,
which is typically sensational and designed to appeal strongly to the emotions, takes
precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue,
which is often bombastic or excessively sentimental, rather than action.
MUSICAL DRAMA - Musical drama - opera in which the musical and dramatic elements
are equally important; the music is appropriate to the action. opera - a drama set to music;
consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and
interludes.
3,Mediums of drama (4)
COSTUME - Costumes are such a fabulous part of theatre – they help tell the story, they
help actors get into character, and they immediately tell the audience something about
what's going on. For many student actors, receiving their costumes is a really exciting day.
SPACE - The stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in stagecraft) is a
designated space for the performance of productions. The stage serves as a space for actors
or performers and a focal point (the screen in cinema theaters) for the audience.
LIGHTING - Through lighting, the director can draw your attention towards a point
where he/she wants the audience to see or to hide something from the audience.
The light can reveal the presence of the actor, objects or any form on the stage. More
importantly light reveals the mood of the play.
PROPS - Props are the items held or used by actors onstage to make the action more
realistic. Some naturalistic performances use many props but when staging drama you
should question what is really necessary. Too many props can be difficult for the actor to use
and they have to be brought onto and off the stage so can slow the action.
3. Examples of Drama played in Philippine theater (5)
KATY! THE MUSICAL - Katy! the Musical is a Filipino–language biographical musical
based on the life of Katy de la Cruz, considered the "Queen of Philippine vaudeville and
jazz," with music by Ryan Cayabyab and story and libretto by Jose Javier Reyes.
JUAN TAMBAN - written by Malou Jacob and directed by Cheese Mendez. “Juan
Tamban” tells the story of Marina Torres, a graduate student and social worker, who is
assigned a case of the street urchin, Juan. It is through this case that she perceives the life of
the lower class through their eyes. This production aims to provide the audience actualities
and shed light on issues that have not changed since its initial debut 41 years ago.
INDIGO CHILD - Playwright by Rody Vera and Stage Directed by Jose Estrella. Indigo
Child explores the life of Felisa, a New People’s Army amazon caught by the military in the
last few years of the 1970s. She is tortured, raped and becomes a ‘lover’ to a military man
before she manages to escape. Years later, she confronts her past with her grown-up child
Jerome, who wants to know the truth.
RATED PG - Directed by Mae Quesada-Medina, with music by Vincent A.
DeJesus, Rated: PG tells the story of Joselle, a hardworking, entrepreneurial multi-tasking
mother of two who is about to make a major life decision– to take a job abroad and leave
her youngest child, or to stay in the country while struggling to make ends meet.
BIDASARI - Bidasari is the final-installment of a trilogy of Filipino-language stage plays
produced and written for Magwayen, the premier theater group of the University of the City
of Manila. It was based on the original epic of the same name or title. The epic love story
originally graced the stage in 1999, and once again brought back in theaters in 2009. The
story revolves around the life of Bidasari, the most beautiful lady in the kingdom of
Indrapura and her love with the generous and attractive prince, Jamil. Torn by war, the
wicked sultana, Lilagretha, tries to sort things out in the sultanate by getting rid of the rebels
led by Armilo. After hearing the oracle, Lilagretha plots Bidasari's death as the latter poses
the greatest threat to her power.