Dramatic Structure of A Play Flashcards
What is a play?
A play is a story brought to life on stage. An audience experiences real people interacting in a physical setting
Do plays and stories have the same format?
No
What is a story?
A prose, narrative
- The narrator describes the characters actions and setting
- Character’s lines are in quotes
IN a play, how does the audience learn about conflicts?
By listening and watching actions. The actor acts what the narrator normally says
What is the PLOT?
The pl
What format does the plot follow?
Rising and falling structure, as the action reaches a peak and then wraps up
Conflict
a problem or struggle that the main characters face
External Conflict
Character struggles with some outside force
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Society
Character vs. Nature
Internal Conflict
Character struggles within him or herself
Character vs. Self
Climax
The tension and suspense about the conflict will be resolved increase until the play reaches the HIGH POINT IN THE ACTION
The _____ leads to the conflicts resolution
climax`
What is the script and what does it provide>
A script is the written text of a play.
The script provides the words that the actors will speak
The script also includes stage direction
The conversation among characters in a play is called a
dialouge
Monolouge
A long speech by a character that can be heard by at least 1 other character
solliloquy
A speech delivered by a character that only the audience can hear
Aside
A characters comment that is intendd to be heard by the audience
Stage directions
Tells the actor how the character can act. It is not a strict rule.
Staging
Includes all of the elements that make up a play other then the script. This includes that stage, set, props, lighting, and costumes
What are some facts about the stage
It is where actors preform plays
- Varies in size
- Set up in a variety of ways
What are parts of the stage?
Upstage: Away from the audience
Stage right: to actors right
Stage left: Actors perspective
Down Stage: Towards the audience
The set is the:
What are some facts?
-The scenery that transforms a bare stage into the time and place where the play happens, sets can vary in size, change with scene
What is a crucial thing with plays?
Lighting
Costume
Reflects a characters personality, social statues, proffession, setting of play, Left for interpretation
Props
The movable items that the characters use onstage
What elements help create the mood of the play
Props, costume, set, and lighting
What are tragedies?
presents serious events
What are some facts about tragedies
Among the oldest known plays, preformed in Greece for religious festivals, the tragedies focused on hero characters and subjects such as life, death, and fate
What are tragic heroes
Tragedies focus on a noble character with a lot to lose who has personal weaknesses that leads to their downfall
What is a tragic flaw
A characters weakness that brings about the tragic heros unhappy ending
A foil is a:
Character who is used to contrast another character. In a tragedy, a foil maydraw attention to the hero’s tragic flaw
Exposition
Introduces some background information about the characters and their situation
Conflict
in a tragedy is the problem or struggle that brings about the main character’s downfal
Turning POint
An event that directly affects the outcome of the conflict
Complications
events that keep the characters from reaching their goals
Suspense
An uncertainty or anxiety about what will happen next
Dramatic Irony
often an important element in a tragedy, occurs when the audience knows something that a character does not
Comedy
unlike a tragedy is a play that ends happily
A tragedy relies on a noble hero, but a comedy central character can be from:
any statues
A comedy is usually rooted in
romantic conflict
In a comedy, the obstacle is always overcome, but not before
complications arise
