Elements of Drama
This is used to help bring the play to life.
Props
FAMOUS ACTRESS: What can I do for you?
EARNEST YOUNG WOMAN: [She gulps emotionally, extends her arms in a beseeching gesture] Give me back my husband!
FAMOUS ACTRESS: Give you back your husband!
EARNEST YOUNG WOMAN: Yes. [The FAMOUS ACTRESS only stares at her in speechless bewilderment.] You are wondering which one he is.... He is a blond man, not very tall, wears spectacles. He is a lawyer, your manager's lawyer. Alfred is his first name.
FAMOUS ACTRESS: Oh! I have met him--yes.
EARNEST YOUNG WOMAN: I know you have. I implore you, give him back to me.
In paragraph 2, the word beseeching shows that the Earnest Young Woman is -
A. urgent
B. carefree
C. nervous
D. disrespectful
A. urgent
THE BEGGAR: (outside) Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
THE KING: Ah! He is crying out again. His voice seems to me louder than it was before.
THE SERVANT: Yes! He seems quite hungry.
THE KING: That is not my business.
THE SERVANT: Should I not perhaps fling him a crust from the window?
THE KING: No! To feed a beggar is always foolish. Every crumb that is given to a beggar is an evil seed from which springs another fellow like him.
The playwright includes the metaphor in paragraph 6 to -
A. convey the king’s reason for not giving away food to beggars
B. highlight the king’s change of heart
C. suggest that the king only cares for himself
D. compare the bread requested to seeds from something evil
A. convey the king’s reason for not giving away food to beggars
What do you call the spoken parts of a drama?
Dialogue
These tell the actors where to go and how to say their lines.
Stage Directions
What do you call the people who play the characters in a drama?
Actors
JULIA: (Seated at table) Hope! Norah, there is no hope.
NORAH: Ah, Ma'am, don't say so-- you're not married yet.
JULIA: But soon shall be. He is expected every day, every hour--and then----
NORAH: Tell him you can't love him, won't love him and don't intend to love him; that your whole and undivided heart is given to the Captain, and you're determined your hand shall go with it.
JULIA: But my father will disown me if I dare disobey him.
NORAH: He loves you too much to do that, ma'am, I'm sure. How unlucky the Captain is poor; but never despair. Take my word for it, you'll have him yet.
Norah’s responses are important because they
A. explain why Julia is so conflicted about her upcoming wedding
B. describe her love of the Captain
C. illustrate Julia’s fear of letting the Captain go
D. explain why Julia’s father is disowning her
A. explain why Julia is so conflicted about her upcoming wedding
THE POLICEMAN: Hey, you!
THE ANGEL: (haughtily, turning) Sir! Are you addressing me?
THE POLICEMAN: (severely) Yes, an' I've a good mind to lock you up.
THE ANGEL: (surprised and indignant) How very inhospitable! Is that the way you treat strangers?
THE POLICEMAN: Don't you know it's against the law of New York to parade the streets in a masquerade costume?
THE ANGEL: No. I didn't know. You see, I've just arrived this minute from Heaven.
THE POLICEMAN: You look it. (Taking his arm kindly) See here, you've been drinkin' too many of them stingers. You'd better take a taxi and go home.
Which line from the excerpt helps portray the policeman as forgiving?
A. Hey, you!
B. Yes, an’ I’ve a good mind to lock you up.
C. Don’t you know it’s against the law of New York to parade the streets in a masquerade costume?
D. You’d better take a taxi and go home.
D. You’d better take a taxi and go home.
Setting: The box office of the Grand Cinemas. Two office chairs (capable of rolling and spinning) are placed center stage. A young woman spins in the chair. She is dressed in a rather ugly polyester outfit one expects to find on a movie theater employee. Her name is Vicky. And she is bored. (A young man named Joshua enters. Vicky suddenly stops spinning. Her boredom has vanished.)
VICKY: So, you’ve finally made it to the fishbowl?
JOSHUA: The what?
VICKY: That’s what we call the box office. An inside joke between cashiers.
JOSHUA: Oh.
VICKY: So you’ve made it.
JOSHUA: I guess. Mr. Boston said he wanted you to train me how to work the box office.
Based on the dialogue, the reader can conclude that -
A. Vicky feels trapped working inside the box office
B. getting to work in the box office is an honor
C. Mr. Boston doesn’t think Vicky is good at her job
D. working in the box office is boring
B. getting to work in the box office is an honor
PIG #4: What’s a foreman?
PIG #1: It means that I am the spokesperson of the jury here. When we go back into court, I’ll be the one doing the talking.
PIG #3: So that makes you the head hog?
PIG #1: No, but I do get to read the verdict.
PIG #4: Oh. What’s a verdict?
PIG #1: It’s the decision that we make as a jury.
PIG #4: Oh. What’s a jury?
PIG #5: (Not happy being next to #4) Can I trade seats with somebody?
The stage directions and dialogue in paragraph 8 indicate that Pig #5 -
A. is annoyed that he was picked to serve on a jury.
B. is stunned that Pig #4 doesn’t know what a jury is.
C. is irritated by Pig #4’s questions
D. is embarrassed that he can’t answer Pig #4’s questions
C. is irritated by Pig #4’s questions
Who writes a drama?
A playwright
[He is very much excited. He is returning home after an absence of years. He enters as if he expects to find his wife here. She is not. He is disappointed, but he takes visible pleasure in going about the room, identifying the many familiar objects which it contains. He stops abruptly at the sight of two portraits on his wife's dressing table, one of him, one of her. He takes up her picture, deeply affected, and kisses it. There is a pause. Then he hears steps coming, and straightens up expectantly. The maid enters.]
THE MAID: [looking at him in surprise] How--how did you get in here?
HARTLEY: [smiling] Why, I walked upstairs.
THE MAID: Yes, yes, I know that. But how did you get into the house? I didn't hear the bell ring.
HARTLEY: I opened the door. [As she looks her surprise, he shows a latchkey.] With this.
The maid’s responses show that -
A. Hartley is an intruder
B. she has never met Hartley
C. she doesn’t pay attention to her job requirements
D. Hartley broke into the house to surprise the maid and his wife
B. she has never met Hartley
ROMEO: I was thinking a kiss.
JULIET: Hm-m. . .Nurse always said that I should beware, that naughty toads seeking kisses were everywhere.
ROMEO: Your nurse is being silly to put up such a fuss over something as innocent as a friendly little kiss!
JULIET: Maybe you’re right—what is there to fear? Besides it happens that Nurse isn’t here! (JULIET exits from balcony and enters left.)
ROMEO: Darling frog! JULIET: Precious toad! (They kiss and JULIET goes limp in his arms.)
ROMEO (Shaking her): Darling, what’s wrong? (To audience) The fact that I’m toxic, I’d totally forgotten. Now look what I’ve done, boy, do I feel rotten.
What can the reader infer based on how the play ends?
A. Juliet passed out from the thrill of kissing Romeo.
B. Romeo tricked Juliet into kissing him because he wanted to kill her.
C. Romeo is poisonous and kissing him killed Juliet.
D. Juliet knew she would die but didn’t care because she desperately wanted to kiss Romeo.
C. Romeo is poisonous and kissing him killed Juliet.
Scott: This is the best summer ever. I hope it never ends.
Liam: It won't. This vacation will last forever.
Principal Finley: HA! That's what you think! You kids having a good summer?
Scott and Liam: Yes, Principal Finley.
Finley: I bet it seems like you'll never go back to school. Well, guess what the date is today.
Scott: June something.
Liam: Early July?
Finley: August 19th. School starts in two days. Summer's over children. I'll see you on Monday.
What does Principal Finley’s dialogue suggest about him?
A. He is excited to go back to school.
B. He wishes summer could last forever.
C. He doesn’t like Scott and Liam.
D. He enjoys taunting the kids about school.
C. He doesn’t like Scott and Liam.
BOY: What a funny garden!
GIRL (Alarmed): Come away from there!
BOY: What for?
GIRL: That garden belongs to a witch!
BOY (Lightly): Huh! I’m not afraid of witches! (Points to WITCH) Is that the Witch? (GIRL peers through gate fearfully and nods.) My word! Did you ever see such big lettuce!
The stage directions in paragraph 5 indicate that -
A. the girl is petrified while the boy is outraged
B. the girl is content while the boy is daring
C. the girl is exasperated while the boy is fearless
D. the girl is panicked while the boy is curious
D. the girl is panicked while the boy is curious
A stage/theater
MRS. BLANCHARD: I’ve been reading a book called Truth and Youth. This book says that every cell in our body is completely new every nine months.
MRS. DORCHESTER: I heard about that. My daughter was reading a book about that.
MRS. BLANCHARD: Each cell reproduces itself according to the impression given to it by our subconscious mind. As we grow old we hold a thought of age and impress our cells with that thought, but if we rid ourselves of the illusion of old age we can remain ever young.
MRS. PAYNE-DEXTER: Let me have this book. I would pay a fortune for youth.
What does paragraph 4 suggest about Mrs. Payne-Dexter?
A. She is very uneducated to believe this will help her.
B. She would do almost anything to keep from aging.
C. She doesn’t worry about aging because she is young at heart.
D. She thinks all this talk about youth is unbelievable.
B. She would do almost anything to keep from aging.
NARRATOR: There once lived a weary woodcutter who toiled from dawn ’til dusk every day of his 65 years of life. His wife had long since passed away, leaving him alone with a very homely son to address his troubling golden years.
FATHER: Fritz! Fritz! Where are you, you lazy loafer? (Fritz appears in the doorway with wet feet.) Why are your feet soaking wet? What happened?
FRITZ: I was fixing the kitchen sink.
FATHER: Fixing it? But it wasn’t broken! (Fritz shrugs and looks confused but apologetic.) I know, I know. If it isn’t broken, you’ll fix that. Sit down, my boy— no! Not on my lap! Over there! It’s time we had that father-son talk.
Which event does the playwright include to create humor?
A. Fritz sits in his father’s lap.
B. Fritz looks confused by apologetic.
C. Fritz fixes the kitchen sink.
D. The father calls Fritz lazy.
A. Fritz sits in his father’s lap.
FATHER: When are you going to get a job? That’s what I want to know!
FRITZ: Soon, Father. I am very close to finishing school.
FATHER: You’ve been attending that All-Star Acorn Academy for five years now.
FRITZ: And I’m just a hen’s tooth away from graduating. I can almost taste it!
FATHER: It’s a two-year school! I have run out of money for the tuition! It’s time you tasted something else.
FRITZ: Oh, darn! I’ll be just six months short—
Based on the dialogue in the excerpt, the reader can conclude -
A. the father wants Fritz to finish school but he doesn’t have any more money.
B. Fritz is struggling to finish school because he isn’t very smart
C. Fritz wants to get a job and quit school
D. The father doesn’t think education is valuable
B. Fritz is struggling to finish school because he isn’t very smart
AT RISE: MISS PHIPPS is arranging bowl of flowers on desk. Doorbell rings. She smooths her dress, exits, and reenters a moment later with THOMAS BRENT, who carries briefcase, which he puts on desk.
BRENT (Businesslike): The house appears to be in good shape, Miss Phipps.
MISS PHIPPS: Thank you, Mr. Brent. I was housekeeper for Jonathan and Elizabeth Hathaway for many years. Although they’re both gone, I still feel an obligation to this house.
BRENT (Nodding): It’s a beautiful old building. (Turns to her) You know, it’s odd, but I have the strangest feeling that I’ve been here before. Why, I think I could close my eyes and describe the house in the smallest detail. What do you think of that?
In the third paragraph, what is the meaning of obligation?
A. A feeling of fondness
B. A legal requirement
C. A feeling or sense of duty
D. A sense of irritation
C. A feeling or sense of duty
What do you call the object that contains all the dialogue and stage directions?
Script
THE MAN: I wonder if you have seen my dog? I was going for a walk, but Rex seems to have grown tired of waiting.
THE BOY: Your dog? No, sir, I haven't seen him. Shall I go look?
THE MAN: No, never mind. He'll come back. Rex and I understand each other. He has his little moods, like me.
THE BOY: If you were going for a walk—?
THE MAN: It doesn't matter at all. I can go any time. You don't live in this country?
THE BOY: No, sir. I live in New York. I wish I did. It's beautiful here, isn't it?
THE MAN: It's very beautiful to me. I love it. You may have come a long road this morning, let's sit down.
Why does The Man decide not to go on his walk?
A. He cannot find his dog.
B. He is too tired to go on a walk at the moment.
C. He decides to chat with The Boy instead.
D. He wants to hear about New York from The Boy.
C. He decides to chat with The Boy instead.
VICTOR (Interrupting): Jonathan was a wealthy man. When Aunt Elizabeth is gone, Spencer and I will inherit the millions of dollars he left to her. Think of it, Laura—millions of dollars!
LAURA (Drawing away, frightened): I don’t want the money, Victor. Please— can’t we just go home?
VICTOR (Soothingly): All in good time, my dear. When Aunt Elizabeth is no longer with us.
LAURA: Don’t say such things!
What do paragraphs 1 and 3 suggest about Victor?
A. Victor is concerned about the health of Aunt Elizabeth.
B. Victor is caring and wants to make sure everyone is taken care of.
C. Victor is annoyed with Laura’s fear.
D. Victor is greedy and wants Aunt Elizabeth to die soon.
D. Victor is greedy and wants Aunt Elizabeth to die soon.
AT RISE: JEFF sits playing video games. His cell phone rings. He answers. He is very excitable.
JEFF (Excited): Hey! . . .I know! Did you see that? . . .No, man. Not a clue who it was. (He looks at his phone.) Hang on— gotta go. (He switches to next call.) What, Mom? Yes, Italian, Chinese, whatever— I’m just hungry. (Robotically) Love you too. (He hangs up and plays on. Short beat. There is a knock at his window. He stops playing and immediately jumps back. KEVIN climbs through wearing only a cape, a Halloween mask, and boxer shorts with hearts on them. He may be out of breath. He immediately takes off the mask.) It was you. That was epic, Kev!
What does the dialogue convey about Jeff’s attitude towards his mother?
A. He is excited she called about food because he is hungry.
B. He is angered by her call.
C. He is annoyed she called and interrupted him.
D. He is sympathetic towards his mother because he loves her.
C. He is annoyed she called and interrupted him.
[The living room in a small flat in Beekman Place. Two women, one of them in mourning, sit beside the remains of tea.]
VERA: But Jean, where are you going, when you pack up here?
JEAN: I'm not leaving here. I'm staying on.
VERA: Oh. But I thought that now ... you were talking about being free for your own work at last....
JEAN: If I have any work to do, I can do it here. You don't understand, quite. All these years I have been living from whirlpool to whirlpool, never settled, always deraciné—the thought of getting accustomed to another place makes me shudder.
The stage directions at the beginning of the excerpt help understand that Jean -
A. is grieving the loss of a loved one
B. is just waking up and drinking tea
C. is exhausted from the events of the day
D. is about to say goodbye to Vera
A. is grieving the loss of a loved one