Elements of drama

Acts

basic units of organization in a drama

scenes

may move action to a new setting of time of day may introduce new characters, may shift a plays mood.

playwright or dramatist

writes the script of the play

script

text of the play

Dialogue

characters’ spoken words

Stage directions

instructions about how the play should be performed

Dramatic effect

elements of drama combine to create an illusion of reality, which allows the viewers to believe in the events of the story, even though they know the play is artificial.

Theme

deeper meaning or insight about life

Example: Love is a force, sometimes for good purposes, and sometimes for bad purposes.

Comedy

has a happy ending, such as wedding, birth reunion, or other joyful event contains a series of events in which the order or balance of the world is disrupted, but the ending restores order and harmony.

Screenplay

play written to be made into a film; has 3 acts

One-act play

may contain multiple scenes within the one act

Drama

a play or story written to be performed by actors on a stage or in a film

Characters

personalities who take part in the action of the story

Plot

sequence of events in a play or story