📚English 10 Unit 5 – Drama: Theatrical Elements & Performance

Key Concepts & Terminology

• Drama a form of literature written to be performed by actors on a stage that includes dialogue, stage directions, and tells a story through action
• Playwright the person who writes the script for a play which includes the dialogue, characters, and stage directions
• Script the written text of a play that includes the dialogue, stage directions, and character descriptions
• Dialogue the words spoken by the characters in a play that reveal their thoughts, feelings, and motivations
• Stage directions instructions written in the script that indicate how the actors should move, speak, and behave on stage
• Monologue a long speech delivered by a single character that reveals their inner thoughts and feelings
• Soliloquy a type of monologue in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud while alone on stage
• Aside a short comment made by a character to the audience that other characters on stage cannot hear

Elements of Drama

• Plot the sequence of events in a play that includes the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
  • Exposition the beginning of the play that introduces the characters, setting, and conflict
  • Rising action the series of events that build tension and lead to the climax
  • Climax the turning point or moment of greatest tension in the play
  • Falling action the events that occur after the climax and lead to the resolution
  • Resolution the end of the play where the conflict is resolved and loose ends are tied up
• Character the people or entities portrayed in the play who have distinct personalities, motivations, and relationships
• Conflict the struggle between opposing forces in the play that creates tension and drives the plot forward (internal conflict, external conflict)
• Theme the central idea or message of the play that is explored through the characters, plot, and dialogue
• Setting the time and place in which the play occurs that can influence the characters and plot
• Spectacle the visual and auditory elements of the play that create a specific mood or atmosphere (costumes, lighting, sound effects)

Stage Types & Set Design

• Proscenium stage the most common type of stage with a frame or arch separating the audience from the actors
• Thrust stage a stage that extends into the audience on three sides, allowing for more intimate performances
• Arena stage a stage surrounded by the audience on all sides, creating a sense of immersion
• Black box theater a small, flexible performance space with black walls and a flat floor that can be configured in various ways
• Set design the process of creating the physical environment of the play through scenery, props, and furniture
  • Realistic set design creates a detailed, lifelike representation of the play's setting
  • Abstract set design uses symbolic or suggestive elements to convey the play's themes or atmosphere
  • Minimalist set design uses few props or set pieces to focus attention on the actors and dialogue
• Blocking the movement and positioning of actors on stage to create visual interest and convey relationships between characters

Character Development & Analysis

• Protagonist the main character of the play who drives the action and undergoes a significant change or transformation
• Antagonist the character who opposes the protagonist and creates conflict in the play
• Round character a complex, fully-developed character with multiple dimensions and the capacity for growth and change
• Flat character a simple, one-dimensional character who remains static throughout the play and serves a specific purpose
• Character motivation the reasons behind a character's actions and decisions that are influenced by their beliefs, desires, and fears
• Character arc the transformation or development a character undergoes throughout the play as a result of their experiences and interactions
• Foil a character who contrasts with the protagonist and highlights their qualities through comparison
• Characterization the process of revealing a character's personality, background, and motivations through dialogue, actions, and appearance

Script Analysis & Interpretation

• Given circumstances the facts about the characters, setting, and situation that are explicitly stated in the script
• Subtext the underlying meaning or emotions beneath the dialogue that are implied rather than directly stated
• Objective the goal or desire that motivates a character's actions in a specific scene or throughout the play
• Obstacle the person, situation, or internal conflict that prevents a character from achieving their objective
• Tactics the methods or strategies a character uses to overcome obstacles and achieve their objective
• Beat a small unit of action or change in a scene that is marked by a shift in emotion, topic, or objective
• Tempo the speed or pace of the dialogue and action in a scene that can convey the characters' emotions or the intensity of the situation
• Interpretation the unique way in which a director or actor chooses to portray a character or present the play based on their analysis and understanding of the script

Performance Techniques

• Acting the process of embodying a character and bringing them to life through voice, movement, and emotion
• Voice projection the ability to speak loudly and clearly enough to be heard throughout the theater without straining the voice
• Diction the clarity and precision of speech that allows the audience to understand the dialogue
• Gesture a movement of the body or limbs that expresses a character's emotions or intentions
• Facial expression the use of the face to convey a character's emotions and reactions
• Stage presence the ability to command attention and engage the audience through confidence, energy, and charisma
• Improvisation the act of creating dialogue or action spontaneously in response to a given situation or prompt
• Rehearsal the process of practicing and refining the performance of a play through multiple iterations and feedback from the director

Technical Aspects of Theater

• Lighting design the use of light to create mood, focus attention, and define the space and time of day in a scene
• Sound design the use of music, sound effects, and ambient noise to create atmosphere and support the action of the play
• Costume design the creation of clothing and accessories that reflect the characters' personalities, status, and the play's setting and time period
• Makeup design the use of cosmetics and prosthetics to alter the appearance of the actors and convey the age, health, or distinctive features of the characters
• Prop design the creation of objects used by the characters on stage that support the action and setting of the play
• Stage management the coordination of all technical and logistical aspects of the production to ensure smooth and safe performances
  • Calling cues the process of giving instructions to the technical crew to execute lighting, sound, and set changes at specific moments during the performance
  • Managing rehearsals the process of scheduling, organizing, and facilitating the rehearsal process to ensure the cast and crew are prepared for the performance

Historical Context & Genres

• Greek theater the earliest form of Western theater that originated in ancient Greece and featured plays performed in outdoor amphitheaters with masks, choruses, and mythological themes
• Elizabethan theater the style of theater popular in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that featured plays by William Shakespeare and others performed in open-air playhouses with minimal sets and elaborate costumes
• Realism a style of theater that emerged in the late 19th century and sought to depict life as it was actually lived, with naturalistic acting, detailed sets, and contemporary social issues
• Expressionism a style of theater that emerged in the early 20th century and used distorted sets, exaggerated acting, and symbolic lighting to convey subjective emotions and inner psychological states
• Musical theater a genre of theater that combines acting, singing, and dancing to tell a story and express emotions through a variety of musical styles and forms
• Avant-garde theater experimental forms of theater that challenge traditional conventions and seek to innovate and provoke through unconventional techniques, subjects, and styles (Theater of the Absurd, Brechtian epic theater)
• Postmodern theater a diverse range of theatrical practices that emerged in the late 20th century and reject grand narratives, embrace fragmentation and irony, and blur the boundaries between art and reality
• Contemporary theater the current state of theater that encompasses a wide range of styles, forms, and subjects and reflects the diversity and complexity of modern society and culture