An Introduction to Drama

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Ivan Thu, Mar 03, 2022 10:56 PM UTC

A drama, otherwise known as a play, combines literature and acting. The characters present or perform a story entirely through dialogue and action using a script before a live audience.

1. Introduction
to Drama
Objective: Students will understand basic
structure of drama.
• PowerPoints
• Fill-in-the-Blank Notes (Key)
• Matching Quiz (Key)
Introduction to Drama PowerPoint
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3. INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA
Key Terms and Ideas
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

4. THINK ABOUT IT
✕ How is drama different than reading
prose (short stories/novels)?
✕ How is it different than reading
poetry?
✕ How is it different from TV and
movies?
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

5. WHAT IS DRAMA?
✕ Comes from the
Greek Word, “Dran”
✕ Means “To do” or
“To Act”
✕ Presents a story
entirely through
dialogue and action
using a script.
✕ Can be referred to
as a play.
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

6. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF DRAMA?
✕ Drama is written with the intention of being performed
before an audience.
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

7. PLAYWRIGHTS
✕ A playwright is the
author of a play.
✕ Famous Examples:
+ William Shakespeare
+ Tennessee Williams
+ Lorraine Hansberry
+ Oscar Wilde
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

8. CHARACTERS
✕ Characters are the
people in the play.
✕ Without characters you
do not have a play.
✕ Actors are the people
who portray the
characters.
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

9. DIALOGUE
Example of Dialogue:
✕ Majority of the
BENVOLIO: Good-morrow, cousin.
play is made up ROMEO: Is the day so young?
of dialogue. BENVOLIO: But new struck nine.
✕ Dialogue is what
ROMEO: Ay me! sad hours seem
long.
Was that my father that went hence
the characters so fast?
say. BENVOLIO: It was. What sadness
lengthens Romeo's hours?
ROMEO: Not having that, which,
having, makes them short.
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10. SPECIAL TYPES OF DIALOGUE
✕ Monologues are a type of dialogue in which a single
character gives a long speech.
✕ Monologues represent that character’s private
thoughts.
✕ An aside is a piece of dialogue intended for the
audience and supposedly not heard by the other
actors on stage.
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

11. STAGE DIRECTIONS
✕ Plays also feature stage directions.
✕ They describe scenery, characters, and actions.
✕ They are set aside by brackets or italicized.
✕ Stage directions help determines the staging.
✕ Staging is how the movements of the actors are planned
and worked out on stage. Also known as blocking.
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12. STAGE DIRECTIONS
✕ Stage Layout:
+ Center Stage
+ Stage Left
+ Stage Right
+ Upstage or Rear
+ Downstage or Front
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13. SETTING
✕ Setting is the time
and place that the
events are taking
place.
✕ Setting may include:
+ Historical period
+ The moment or day
+ Season
+ Location
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14. SET, PROPS, & COSTUMES
✕ Sets – are the construction
on the stage that shows
setting (time & place). Also
known as scenery.
✕ Props – small moveable
objects that actors use to
make actions look real.
✕ Costumes – the clothing
worn by the actors to fit
the setting of the play
✕ Sound Effects – sounds
other than speech or
music made for use in a
play
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

15. PLOT & CONFLICT
✕ The plot is the series of
events that makes up the
play. It serves as structure
for the play.
✕ Conflict is the struggle
between two forces that
creates dramatic tension.
✕ Conflict have two major
categories:
+ Internal
+ External
✕ Character vs. Character
✕ Character vs. Society
✕ Character vs. Nature
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

16. STRUCTURE
✕ Acts:
+ a major division within a
play
+ Similar to a chapter in a
book
+ Plays can have up to 5
acts
✕ Scenes:
+ Acts are divided into
scenes
+ Each scene is a different
episode of the play’s plot
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

17. TYPES OF DRAMA
✕ Tragedy – a play dealing with
tragic events and having an
unhappy ending, especially one
concerning the downfall of the
main character. (Examples:
Romeo and Juliet, Oedipus Rex)
✕ Comedy – a form of drama that
has a happy ending.
(Examples: Into the Woods, A
Midsummer Night’s Dream)
✕ Farce – a play that brings
laughter for the sake of
laughter. (Examples: A Comedy
of Errors, The Importance of
Being Earnest)
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

18. TYPES OF DRAMA
✕ Melodrama – a sensational
dramatic piece with
exaggerated characters and
exciting events intended to
appeal to the emotions.
(Example: Pygmalion)
✕ Musicals – a play or movie in
which singing and dancing play
an essential part. (Examples:
Singing in the Rain, Sweeney
Todd: The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street)
✕ Operas – a drama in which all
the dialogue is sung.
(Examples: Les Misérables,
Carmen)
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)

19. Introduction to Drama
I. What is Drama?
a. Comes from the Greek word “_______” – which means
“_____________” or “__________”
b. Presents a story through ___________ and ___________
using a _______________.
c. Can be referred to as a ___________.
II. What is the Purpose of Drama?
a. Drama is written with the ______________________________
_______________________________________________________.
III. Playwrights
a. A playwright is the ___________________________.
b. Some Examples: _______________________________________
________________________________________________________
IV. Characters
a. Characters are ________________________________________.
b. Actors ________________________________________________.
V. Dialogue
a. ____________________________________________ is dialogue.
b. Dialogue is what _______________________________________.
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20. c. Monologues ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
d. Monologues ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
e. Asides _________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
VI. Stage Directions
a. Stage directions describe ___________, _______________,
and _________________.
b. They are set aside by ________________ or _______________.
c. Staging is ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
Also known as ___________________________.
VII. Setting
a. Setting is the _____________ and __________.
VIII. Set, Props, & Costumes
a. Sets are _______________________________________________
____________________________. Also known as ___________.
b. Props are ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

21. c. Costumes are __________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
d. Sound effects are _______________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
IX. Plot & Conflict
a. Plot is _________________________________________________.
b. Conflict ________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
c. Types of Conflict
i. ___________________
ii. ___________________
1. Character vs. _____________________
2. Character vs. _____________________
3. Character vs. _____________________
X. Structure
a. Acts are a _____________________________________________.
They are similar to ____________________________________.
b. Acts are divided into __________________.
XI. Types of Dramas
a. Tragedy is _____________________________________________
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

22. ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
b. Comedy is _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
c. ____________________
d. ____________________
e. ____________________
f. ____________________
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

23. Introduction to Drama
I. What is Drama?
a. Comes from the Greek word “Dran” – which means “To do” or
“To Act”
b. Presents a story through dialogue and action using a script.
c. Can be referred to as a play.
II. What is the Purpose of Drama?
a. Drama is written with the intention of being performed before an
audience.
III. Playwrights
a. A playwrights is the author of play.
b. Some Examples: William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams,
Lorraine Hansberry, Oscar Wilde
IV.Characters
a. Characters are the people in the play.
b. Actors are the people who portray the characters.
V. Dialogue
a. Majority of the play is dialogue.
b. Dialogue is what the characters say.
c. Monologues are when a single character gives a long speech.
d. Monologues represent that character’s private thoughts.
e. Asides are pieces of dialogue intended for the audience and
supposedly not heard by the other actors on stage.
VI.Stage Directions
a. Stage directions describe scenery, characters, and actions.
b. They are set aside by brackets or italicized.
c. Staging is how the movements of the actors are planned and
worked out on stage. Also known as blocking.
VII. Setting
a. Setting is the time and place.
VIII. Set, Props, & Costumes
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

24. a. Sets are the construction on the stage that shows setting (time
& place). Also known as scenery.
b. Props are small moveable objects that actors use to make
actions look real.
c. Costumes are the clothing worn by the actors to fit the setting of
the play.
d. Sound effects are sounds other than speech or music made for
use in a play
IX.Plot & Conflict
a. Plot is the series of events that makes up the play.
b. Conflict is the struggle between two forces that creates
dramatic tension.
c. Types of Conflict
i. Internal
ii. External
1. Character vs. Character
2. Character vs. Society
3. Character vs. Nature
X. Structure
a. Acts are a major division in a play. They are similar to chapters
in a book.
b. Acts are divided into scenes.
XI.Types of Dramas
a. Tragedy is a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy
ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.
b. Comedy is a form of drama that has a happy ending.
c. Farce
d. Melodrama
e. Musicals
f. Opera
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

25. Name: __________________________ Period: __________
Introduction to Drama Terms
Pop Quiz
Match the term with the definition.
_______ 1. Drama A. Author of a play
_______ 2. Playwright B. Sounds other than speech and music used during the
play
_______ 3. Characters C. Major divisions in a play
_______ 4. Dialogue D. Describes scenery, characters, and actions in the play
_______ 5. Monologue E. Presents a story through dialogue and actions
_______ 6. Aside F. Movement of the actor on stage
_______ 7. Stage Directions G. What the characters wear
_______ 8. Staging H. What characters say
_______ 9. Setting I. People in the play
_______ 10. Sets J. Small moveable objects the characters use
_______ 11. Props K. Single episodes in the plot
_______ 12. Costumes L. Time and place of the story
_______ 13. Sound Effects M. A long speech from one character
_______ 14. Conflict N. Series of events
_______ 15. Plot O. A play dealing with tragic events and has a sad
ending
_______ 16. Act P. Construction that depicts the setting
_______ 17. Scene Q. Has a happy ending
_______ 18. Tragedy R. The struggle between two forces that creates tension
_______ 19. Comedy S. A piece of dialogue intended for the audience to hear
but not other characters on stage
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

26. Name: __________________________ Period: __________
Introduction to Drama Terms
Pop Quiz (KEY)
Match the term with the definition.
E 1. Drama A. Author of a play
A 2. Playwright B. Sounds other than speech and music used during the
play
I 3. Characters C. Major divisions in a play
H 4. Dialogue D. Describes scenery, characters, and actions in the play
M 5. Monologue E. Presents a story through dialogue and actions
S 6. Aside F. Movement of the actor on stage
D 7. Stage Directions G. What the characters wear
F 8. Staging H. What characters say
L 9. Setting I. People in the play
P 10. Sets J. Small moveable objects the characters use
J 11. Props K. Single episodes in the plot
G 12. Costumes L. Time and place of the story
B 13. Sound Effects M. A long speech from one character
R 14. Conflict N. Series of events
N 15. Plot O. A play dealing with tragic events and has a sad ending
C 16. Act P. Construction that depicts the setting
K 17. Scene Q. Has a happy ending
O 18. Tragedy R. The struggle between two forces that creates tension
Q 19. Comedy S. A piece of dialogue intended for the audience to hear
but not other characters on stage
© Good Chicken Teaching Resources (2019)7/2

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