The Elements of Drama
Literature Meant to Be Performed
Dramatic Mediums
Drama can be presented in 4 different methods. These are
called MEDIUMS. Each MEDIUM has different dramatic
TECHNIQUES associated with it (which we will discuss
later).
• Audio (verbal presentation only, such as Radio Plays)
• Written (reading the actual script without performing it)
• Stage (plays that are performed live)
• Film (movies, TV, etc.)
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Who’s Who?
Playwright-the author of a play
Screenwriter- the author of a TV or movie
script
Actors-the people who perform the play or
script
Director--the person who controls the dramatic
effects of a production and guides the crew
and actors
Characteristics of Drama
Parts of a Drama
Acts-the units of
action that make
up the entire play
Scenes-parts of the
acts
Literary Elements
Character: a person portrayed in a drama,
novel, or other artistic piece.
Exposition is the “who, when, where and
what” part of the play.
Conflict: the internal or external struggle
between opposing forces, ideas, or interests
that creates dramatic tension.
Suspense: a feeling of uncertainty as to the
outcome, used to build interest and
excitement on the part of the audience.
Theme: the life lesson learned from the
dramatic text
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Dramatic Structure
Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters
who face a problem or conflict.
Rising Action
tension builds
action increases
Exposition
characters and are
introduced
Climax
point of highest tension;
action determines how the conflict
will be resolved
Falling Action
tension decreases
action decreases
Resolution
conflict is resolved;
play ends
Stage Directions
Instructions found in italics and parentheses() for the
actors, the director, and stage crew
Function of Stage Directions
To describe how
characters speak
and behave
To describe
scenery and
props
This script is a page from
the classic movie The
Godfather.
Scenery
Construction on the
stage that creates
setting
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Function of Scenery
Allows the author to create a sense of the
setting (time and place) for the audience.
**The above scenery is from Dracula.
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Props
Small movable
items that the
actors use
Function of Props
to make character’s
actions look real
**Props used in the
movie The Village
include everyday
items like what
you see in the
dinner scene to
the left
Dramatic Speech
Dialogue-conversation
between or among
characters
Monologue-long speech
by one single character
(private thoughts)
Function of Dialogue & Monologues
Brings characters to life by revealing
their personalities and by showing
what they are thinking and feeling
as they react to other characters.
Example: View this clip from The Village. The story
is set in a primitive village that is surrounded by
monsters. The characters Ivy and Lucius , who
are betrothed, are having a discussion. Pay
attention to what their dialogue reveals about
their personalities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMptaRkYbVk
In this second clip from the same movie, listen to the
monologue given by the Village Leader. Watch
as the other characters respond to his speech
without speaking themselves. Start at 1:00, end
at 3:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69tGGTzBqUQ
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Performance Elements:
What an Actor Controls
Verbal expression:
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Speaking: the mode of expression or delivery of lines
Breath control: controlling breath during speaking by breathing
at appropriate punctuation marks (comma, period, etc.).
Vocal expression: how an actor uses his or her voice to
convey character
Inflection: change in pitch or tone of the voice.
Projection: how well the voice carries to the audience
Speaking style: the mode of expression or delivery of lines
Diction: selection and pronunciation of words; clarity of speech.
**Think of the clip from The Village between Lucius and Ivy.
Think of how Lucius spoke softly but forcefully to show his
feelings about the way people expect him to be more talkative.
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Performance Elements:What an Actor
Controls
Nonverbal expression:
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Gestures any movement of the actor’s head, shoulder, arm, hand,
leg, or foot to convey meaning
Facial expression physical and vocal aspects used by an actor
to convey mood, feeling, or personality
Character blocking the path formed by the actor’s movement
on stage, usually determined by the director with assistance from
the actor and often written down in a script using commonly
accepted theatrical symbols
Movement stage blocking or the movements of the actors onstage
during performance; also refers to the action of the play as it
moves from event to event.
EXAMPLE: Look at this clip from the movie The Artist, which won the
Academy Award in 2011 for Best Film. This film is silent, so much attention
must be given to characters’ nonverbal expression in order to understand how
characters feel and think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPm0IuVylFU
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Technical Elements:What a Director
Controls
Technical Elements:
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Sound Effects (various sounds associated with the setting,
characters’ actions, etc.)
Lighting (shadows, colored lights, bright lights, etc.)
Camera Angles (close-ups versus wide shots versus mid-shots)
Music (used to enhance and create moods for viewers)
Film Editing (piecing together various scenes to shape the plot)
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Technical Elements:What a Director
Controls
Script Changes:
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Omitting Scenes: deciding what scenes (if any) from the script
should be left out to change the meaning of the script, the effect on
the audience, or to fit in with time and rating limits
Adding Scenes: deciding what scenes, themes, or motifs
(repetitive elements that describe characters) to add that might
change the meaning of the script or enhance the effect on the
audience
EXAMPLE: Scene from A Beautiful Mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzpu-P2eRuI
Backstory on Movie: John Nash is a mathematics professor with a
gift for solving complex number puzzles. Watch this clip to see
how the director added lighting and sound effects to allow the
viewer to see his mental process of solving a puzzle with secret
military codes. In the movie, these same effects occur each time
Nash solves a puzzle.
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Medium Techniques
Below are the 4 methods of presenting drama we discussed earlier.
Each dramatic MEDIUM has different dramatic TECHNIQUES
associated with it.
Audio
• actors’ verbal and non-verbal expression
• director’s choice of sound effects and music
Written
• stage directions that indicate staging choices for the director and
expression choices for the actors
Stage
• actors’ verbal and non-verbal expression
• director’s choice of sound effects, music, and lighting
Film
• actors’ verbal and non-verbal expression
• director’s choice of sound effects, music, and lighting
• director’s choice of script changes to include, repeat, or omit certain
scenes or parts of the text
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