The Structure of Plays
How is play writing different than
writing a narrative?
Parts of the Plot

The plot of the play tells the story.

Beginning


Exposition – Exposes the characters, setting & situation
Rising Action – All the events that lead up to the climax

Middle

Climax – How the protagonist deals with the problem or conflict.
Answers the question: Does the protagonist succeed or fail?

End
Falling Action – Ties up all loose ends. Answers any unanswered
questions.
 Resolution – The outcome of the plot. The ending of the story.

Dramatic Structure

Plays are written in a special literary style called:
Dramatic Structure
Character List (sometimes with descriptions)
 Setting (usually described in detail)
 Dialogue (does not use quotation marks or
dialogue tags)
 Stage directions (suggestions for movement on
stage written in italics or parentheses(), are not
spoken by actor, only done)

Stage Directions

Stage Left & Stage Right: Direction actor
goes when standing on stage & facing
audience.

House Left & House Right: Direction actor
goes if he was in audience & facing stage.
Stage Directions

Upstage: back of the stage, away from
audience.

Downstage: front of the stage, close to
the audience.
Structure of Plays

A play is divided into large parts called acts.
 Acts
play.

are usually large divisions of time within a
Acts are divided into smaller parts called
scenes.
 Scenes
are usually smaller divisions of time
within a play or a change in the location in
which the play occurs.