Theatre

Conventions of Theatre

rules or guidelines used in a performance to create the world of the play

Ex: stock characters in melodrama, singing in musicals

Elements of Drama: Melody

Music or what is communicated by the chorus

Elements of Drama: Thought

What the audience learns in the course of a performance (can also be called moral or theme)

Elements of Drama: Diction

Language that is used by the playwright (language or dialogue)

Elements of Drama: Spectacle

Technical aspects of a performance, for example: sets, props, costumes, lights, etc

Elements of Drama: Character

The “who” in the play. Can be human, animal, or even a natural entity or emotion

Elements of Drama/Elements of Theatre

Terms that Aristotle first developed to explain how good dramatic performances were created. Ex: plot, character, thought, diction, melody, or spectacle

Dramatic Play

Informal theatrical study, e.g. rehearsal or creating skits in class