The Basic Elements of Drama

1. The Basic Elements of Drama Steve Wood DRA 111 TCCC

2. Theater and Drama • “Theater” comes from the Greek “theatron,” which literally means “seeing place.” • “Drama” comes from the Greek “dran,” which means “to do.”

3. Basic Elements of Drama 1 • The place – Following the Greek “theatron,” the location of the dramatic production, the type of theater building, is an important aspect of the experience.

4. Basic Elements of Drama 2 ·        A Story – According to Aristotle, drama is based upon mimesis (the imitation of an action).

5. Basic Elements of Drama 3 • Within the story, there are the characters. • The main character is called the protagonist. The opposing character is called the antagonist.

6. Characters and Actors • Within the plot, there are characters. Within the performance, there are the actors who bring the characters to life. • Acting performances involve 1) Voice, 2) Movement and 3) Gestures.

7. A Famous Definition of Drama Drama involves three boards, two characters, and one truth.

8. Other Basic Elements of Drama • Scenery • Costumes • Props (also known as hand properties) • Conventions

9. Basic Elements of Drama • The audience is the essence of any dramatic production.

10. THE TRUTH • Last, but certainly not least, great drama always possesses an element of truth. • The paradox of drama is that this truth exists in spite of the fact that everything about drama is a sham: actors are pretending to be other people; costumes, scenery, and props deceive the audience into believing the stage is some other place; the plots are not usually true in the sense that a newspaper story is true.