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Craft Lesson: Structure and Elements of Drama. History of drama… . Drama was developed more than 2,500 years ago. The ancient Greeks held a dramatic competition at the Festival of Dionysus each year. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes are some of the first playwrights.
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History of drama… • Drama was developed more than 2,500 years ago. • The ancient Greeks held a dramatic competition at the Festival of Dionysus each year. • Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes are some of the first playwrights.
Elements of drama: • Playwright: the author of the play. Examples: William Shakespeare, Anton Chekhov, and George Bernard Shaw • Script: is a written form of a play • Acts: are the units of the action in a drama. • Scenes: are sections of uninterrupted drama, whether a quiet conversation or a chase. Acts are often divided into scenes.
Protagonists: are the central, or main, figures of a drama • Antagonists: are the onstage characters – or the unseen forces – who oppose them • Dialogue: is the words characters say. The words each character speaks appear next to the character’s name. Single most important element of a stage play. • Monologue: is a long, uninterrupted speech that is spoken by a single character and reveals his or her thoughts and feelings.
Characterization: is the playwright’s technique of creating believable characters through actions, dialogue, and movements. • Set: is the term used for the onstage scenery that suggests the time and place of the action. • Stage directions: are instructions that convey information about sound effects, sets, props, and characters’ actions, gestures, and movements across the stage. Usually in italics.
Staging: refers to all the elements that brings: • drama to life on stage • scenery • lighting • sound effects • costumes • how to speak lines and move
Stage Diagram BACKSTAGE Off Stage Right Wing Off Stage Left Wing Orchestra Pit AUDIENCE
Historical Context • deals with the atmosphere and conflict of a past era • includes: political forces, beliefs, and events that influence the character(s) • i.e. The Diary of Anne Frank • political forces: the Nazis • beliefs: that the European Jews were • considered an inferior race • events: destruction of over six million European Jews by the Nazis
Types of Drama: • Comedy: is a form of drama that has a happy ending, often feature ordinary characters in funny situations, can be written to entertain but also to point out the faults of society. • Tragedy: often contrasted with comedy. Events lead to the downfall or death of the main character, often is a person of great significance, such as a king or a heroic figure. • Drama: often used to describe plays that address serious subjects.