The Elements 1
________ is the background screens or hangings used to create settings
Scenery
_____________ is the focus of lights to draw attention to a single character or color mixture to create the time of day
Lighting
This is where and when the play takes place. In a play, the setting is usually described in a note or stage directions at the opening of the play and each scene
Setting
What are the two ways that plays are classified?
Duration and Genre
A statement about life around which the playwright (author of the play) builds. Note, there can be more than one
Theme
Also known as dramatic structure
Plot
These are created offstage to duplicate sounds of the play’s settings. They can even affect the mood of the play and help assist in moving the action of the play
Sound Effects
Objects used in plays to create the setting of the play. Props are often handled by actors.
Props
What are the first defined dramatic genres and what are their characteristics
Tragedy-->Serious subject matter; death
Comedy--> Funny; deals with tricks and jokes.
Give an example of a play that could be considered literature
TBA
An inactive role in a play. The comments often explain or move along the action of the play
Narrator
Is a list that describes who’s in the play and often how they are related
Cast of Characters
A conversation between characters in a play
Dialogue
What is the protagonist of the play?
"the carrier of the action"; the principal character.
How much are exams/projects/performances worth on the syllabus?
40%
Describe the details of the setting and sound effects as well as direct characters how to speak their lines, move, act, and look. Often, these are in italics or within parentheses!
Stage Directions
The placement and movement of the characters on the stage
Staging
A group of two or more scenes that form a major division of a play
Act
How are plays labeled based on duration? What are two typical titles?
Full-length plays or one acts; ten minute plays
How much is participation worth on the syllabus?
20%
One part of the action, occurring at a particular time and place.
Scene
What's the difference between a monologue and a soliloquy?
A soliloquy is a speech that is given from a single character, alone on the stage. A monologue can occur with other actors on the stage.
Instructions after a performance to help actors better perform their roles. Often, these notes are given by the director of the show
Production Notes
How is a “play” defined in the text?
A play is what happens in theatre. A play is an events and action, not just words in a book. It comprises all forms of living human energy.
• Excerpts from The Poetics by Aristotle
What play are we not studying this year?
Medea
The Frogs
The Twin Brothers
Coriolanus
The Birds
Coriolanus