Drama Vocab

Performance concept (acting)

• Social and cultural influences on ideas from the stimulus/text

• Influence of form, structure, genre of acting style

• Characterisation

• Character relationships

• Actor/audience relationship

• Staging

• Planned use of voice

• Planned use of movement

Production concepts

• social and cultural influences on ideas from the stimulus/text

• Influence on form, structure, genre of design elements

• Staging

• Design concepts

• Theatrical elements

Directing

Directing is the process of one person’s interpretation of a script or scenario and its realisation in performance, in conjunction with actors and design team members

Directing concepts include

Pre-show, use of production skills, stage proxemics, acting style, character interaction, voice and movement techniques, actor/audience relationships, special effects, drama media (projections, video footage, soundscapes et cetera)

What do directors assume responsibility for?

• The interpretations of script/scenario

• Design concepts

• Communicating/liaising with actors and design team

• Casting

• Blocking

• The rehearsal process

What are design concepts?

Design concepts are a directors ideas on how theatre arts can reflect and emphasise the themes and issues of a drama, it’s characters, mood, atmosphere and tension. These are worked on in conjunction with designers in each production area.

Language and voice

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Pace

How fast or slow speech is

Pause

A break in the speech, period of silence

Tone

The emotion in the voice

Register

Appropriate word choice for the character and/or situation

Accent

Shows where a character is from and/or social class

fluency

the flow of the speech

Intonation

The rise and fall of the voice

Clarity

Clearness of the voice

Pitch

How high or low the voice is

Articulation

Clear pronunciation of words

Volume

How loud or quiet speeches

Emphasis

Stressing a particular word or phrase

Movement

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Body language

Messages given by the position or movement of the body

Use of space/proxemics

Positioning /distance between characters to help show relationship/status/focus

Gesture

movement of hand or arm, which communicates a meaning or emotion

posture

Position of the body, how it’s held

Eye contact

To look at someone or not

Facial expression

Look on the face, which shows emotion

Stylized movement as in expressing abstract idea involves:

• Balance

• Speed

• Timing

• Positioning

• Use of levels

• Use of space

• Rhythm

• Stance

• Use of direction

Characterisation and rehearsal activities

are ways of exploring and developing a character, understanding of viewpoint, developing and understanding relationships

character cards

a detailed description of a character giving background information

Improvisation

devise a scene, which is not in the text

Role-play

explore attitudes and beliefs of characters

hot seating

question a character in role

voices in the head

Recall of words said by others about a character or a situation

writing in roll

Diary entries or letters

Thought tracking

A character speaks their thoughts aloud

Thought tunnel

Character walks past other characters who comment on their situation

In characterisation consideration should be given to

• relationships with other characters in the drama

• Portrayal in terms of language voice and movement

• Status and changes in the status of the characters involved

• social, economic and cultural background of the character

Purpose

The drama will have a particular purpose, to entertain, to educate, to shock, to highlight a particular issue or group

Character will have a particular purpose in a drama, to provide exposition, to highlight a theme, to be the main character, to provide dramatic tension

The purpose of the drama as well as the content and themes will determine the target audience who the drama is aimed at

Theme

Theme is an idea which runs through the whole drama/play/presentation. There might be more than one theme

issue

issue is the same as a theme but less abstract. Your drama/play may have a particular social or political issue it is addressing.

message

What is the message you want the audience to take away from your dramaD

Style

Naturalistic or non-naturalistic

Form

Form is the overall style of how the drama will be presented, for example:

• A play, scripted or improvised

• Dance drama/physical theatre

• Mime

• Monologue

• Movement

Genre

Genre is more specific in each genre will have specific features associated with it

Comedy

A drama which is funny/comical

Tragedy

A drama about unhappy events with a sad ending. Action usually driven by a characters fatal flaw.

Crime drama

Drama with a plot is given by a crime and the solving of it

Docudrama

Drama where the plot is based on true events, may contain elements of verbatim

Melodrama

Popular in Victorian times-stock characters, simple plots,good overcomes evil, characterized by an exaggerated acting style.

Commedia dell’arte

Originated in Italy. Stop characters, slapstick, low comedy, improvisation.

Farce

Comedy-uses highly improbable situations, stereotype characters, extravagant exaggeration, and violent horse play.

Tragicomedy

A place that blends elements of both tragedy and comedy-it can make you laugh and cry. Tragicomedy might be a serious drama interspersed with funny moments that periodically lighten the mood, or a drama that has happy ending

Satire

Vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule,often with the intent of exposing or shaming the perceived flaws of individuals, corporations, government, or society

Musical

A genre of drama in which singing and dancing play an essential part in communicating plot and character development

Pantomime

British traditions- mainly for children , which involves music , tropical jokes , and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas .Stock characters, audience interaction , breaking the fourth wall.

Forum theatre

An interactive theatre technique, also known as “Boal’s Theatre or “Theatre of the Oppressed” audience members can actually participate in a play to explore and find solutions to social issues and personal dilemmas. Any audience member can shout when they feel a different approach could lead to a better outcome, allowing them to step onto stage and enact their ideas.

Structure

Structure is the way time place and action are sequence

Linear

Linear is a chronological structure-the action unfold from beginning to end

non-linear

no linear is a structure, the action unfolds through shifts in time (flashback//forward) and/all place

Episodic

Lots of relatively short scenes are linked together by the same character, place or theme. Scenes could be shuffled around and placed in a different order.

Conventions

flashback, flash forward, freeze frame, frozen picture/tableau, mime, monologue, movement/physical theatre, slow motion, narration, VoiceOver, aside, soliloquy, split stage.

flashback

the actor show something that has previously happened to give us more information

flash forward

the actor showed something that has not happened yet this creates a sense of dramatic irony

freeze frame

Actors will freeze briefly during the action. This allows the audience time to take an all the detail.

frozen pictures/tableau

actors use their bodies to make picture and hold it. This can be a good way to start a scene or really emphasise character relationships.

Mime

The actors become silent this is so the audience can focus on someone who is speaking or it could highlight an important action.

Monologue

One actor speaks for an extended amount of time, possibly directly to the audience This allowed this allows lots of information to be revealed/we can get to know the character better

Movement/physical theatre

Part of the action is almost dance. This can show things that are difficult to show on stage for example car crash. With music it can create a dramatic moment.

Slow motion

Section is slowed down dramatically this can be very dramatic and can allow audience to focus on the action

Narration

A person is on stage telling the story as it happens this can help the audience to understand everything, especially useful for younger audiences

VoiceOver

A voice from offstage is heard this can be narration/a character of stage/the other half of a phone call

Aside

A character says something to themselves or the audience and the rest of the characters do not hear it. This could give inside if you want the character is thinking/feeling.

Soliloquy

A character speaks the inner thoughts brings the audience into the action keeps them connected. Gives insight into your characters motivation.

Split stage

The stage is divided into two or more sections representing different areas. This makes it possible to show action that is happening in different places at the same time.

Mood and atmosphere

Moon and atmosphere concerns the feelings and emotions aroused by drama and therefore involve an audience response to what is being seen and heard. There’s a link between mood and atmosphere, and tension tension.

Tension

Tension is the driving force of drama. It causes others to want to know what’s happening next and sustained interest in momentum. It creates challenges and prevents the drama from becoming boring.

How can tension become created?

Tension can be created through:

• Movement

• Shock or surprise

• Silence

• Action

• Conflict and confrontation

• Mystery

• Relationships and status

• Threat or pressure

• Dramatic irony

Acting techniques

Movement

Pace

Pause

Silence

Voice

Eye contact

Moves

Physical contact

Contrast

Positioning/proxemics

Timing

Production areas

Costume

Lighting

Music

Make up (including masks)

Props

Sound effects

Set

Special effects

Staging

Acting area

The acting area is the part of the available space occupied by the set and used by actors when acting

Staging

Staging is the position of the acting area relative to the audience

Venue

Venue is the building/place that the performance is taking place. This may be a theatre, or a site specific performance, it could be a church or a park

Types of staging

End on, theatre in the round, thrust, proscenium arch, traverse

End on-advantages

Many black box Studios are set up with end on staging, meaning that the stage is on the side of the room and the audience sit on the other side blocking is usually simple as the audience or face the same direction and sit in a fixed position, but usually a small space so audience feel involved easy to create intimacy

End on-disadvantages

site lines in a small space-is there rate seating? Lack of special effects for scenery.

theatre in the round-advantages

The audience is closer to the stage and there is an extended first row. The actors enter and exit through the audience, which can make the audience feel more engaged.

theatre in the round-disadvantages

Sightlines can be reduced, blocking is impacted and large scenery cannot be used

Thrust -advantages

Blocking still needs to take in all the audience, and large scenery is limited to behind audience-need to consider sightlines.

Thrust -disadvantages

Blocking still needs to take in all the audience, Enlarge scenery is limited to behind audience-need to consider sightlines

proscenium arch-advantages

Describes the frame that surrounds a stage space, separating the audience from the stage. This helps to create a fourth wall, which is particularly appropriate for naturalistic productions.

In a millennium arch theatre, the audience or sit facing the same way. This stage is often raised and the audience usually sit in rate seating, meaning that drapes and large pieces of scenery can be used without obstructing sightlines. The blocking is relatively easy as the audience sit in one fixed position. Big spaces will be able to fly scenery and possibly actors could use a stage revolve.

proscenium arch-disadvantages

Can lose intimacy-audience can feel very far away from the action and the actors. Can lose mood and atmosphere.

traverse-advantages

Long and no with audience sitting on either side like a cat walk. The audience can see each other, which helps to remind them that they are in a theatre and immerse them in the action on stage.

traverse-disadvantages

scenery must be low so that it doesn’t cause obstruction, so backups cannot be used and blocking must be carefully considered

Promenade-advantages

audience move to follow the performers around the space. Performances are often site-specific and interesting and unusual locations, even outdoors, rather than on purpose-built theatre spaces. Can make the story telling very place orientated

Promenade-disadvantages

As the audience shares the space with the performers, performances can be unpredictable as such, blocking can be particularly challenging. Audiences can tire when following performances, and there is an increased risk of slips, trips and falls. Theatre makers need to be aware of health and safety considerations when staging promenade performances to prevent accident. Scripts cannot be.

Extended-advantages

Any type of staging can be -possibly to irregular, more versatile space, or into the audience

By bringing the performances closer to the audience, extended stages centre are more personal and engaging experience. Extensions can provide performers with more space to move, use props, or create a sense of depth. extended stages can be used for a wide variety of performances, from plays and musicals to concerts and dance events.

Extended-disadvantages

Blocking and site lines will be affected, possibly have scenery is used as well.

Production areas and roles

Lighting designer/technician

Sound designer/technician

Costume designer

Props master

Make up and hair

Set designer

Ground plans

The following should be evident in any ground plan:

A delineation of the acting

Position of the audience

Entrance/exit

The viability of the set

An indication of scale

A key

delineation of the acting area

indicates the boundaries of the acting area. The conventional outline may be used or another outline which reflects the acting area used in individual sentences or four individual dramas.