Foundation of Theaters-Script Analysis Test One

What is theatre?

collaborative art form to produce entertainment

What is art?

1. Human expression

   1. Intent

2. Subject

3. Medium

   1. That in which it is made

Another Theatre Definition

A person doing something in space being watched by someone else

Three Elements of Theatre

1. Collaboration with audience

2. Space/set

3. Body

Additional Elements of Theatre

1. Liveness

2. Repetition

3. Exaggerated

4. Ever-evolving

5. Intention/purpose

6. Costume/Makeup

7. Props

   1. Electricity/lights

Drama

Literary genre

Genres of Drama

Tragedy and comedy

Elements of drama

1. Conflict driven

2. Explores human experience

3. Portrayal of emotion (follow events)

   1. Form of writing

4. Script

Performance

Presentation made for an audience (execution of an action)

Characters

Thins that inhabit the play

Themes

Ideas explored

Spectacle

That which we see

Script

Only ever a theatrical blueprint

Character actions…

Drive the plot

Plot Definition

Sequence of events that make up a story

What’s important about plot?

Structure

Three Questitons ofPlot analysis

1. Why tell the story this way?

2. Why this order?

3. What does that structure do?

Plot Analysis Discovers…

1. Organization

2. Focus (points towards themes and ideas)

3. Shape

Dramatic Action Definition

Result of what the characters do and moves towards answering the Major Dramatic question

(doing, performed, action)

Elements of Freytag’s Trangle

1. Exposition

2. Inciting Incident

3. Rising Actions

4. Climax

5. Falling Actions

6. Resolution

Exposition

Background information needed to start the story

Inciting Incident

An event that changes the state of equilibrium/status quo (gets dramatic action moving)

Rising Actions

Events in the plot that raise the staakes and move us forward, change the status quo, or change something

Climax

MDQ is answered

Resolution

New state of equilibrium

Major dramatic questions

1. Plot driven (will they solve the murder)

2. Theme driven (will justice be served)

Types of Plots

1. Parallel

2. Episodic

3. Circular

4. Flashback

5. Reverse

6. Nonlinear (Post Modern)