CHAPTER 8: ELEMENTS OF STAGE ARTS

Objectives:
a.) Identify the basic elements of theater.
b.) Identify the basic elements of drama.
c.) Distinguish the difference between a theater and a drama

The Basic Elements of Theatre

Script/Text, Scenario, Plan:

This is the starting point of the theatrical performance. The

element most often considered as the domain of the playwright
in theatre. The playwright’s script is the text by which theatre is
created. It can be simplistic, as in the 16th century, with the
scenarios used by the acting troupes of the Commedia dell’
arte, or it can be elaborate, such as the works of William
Shakespeare. The script, scenario, or plan is what the director
uses as a blue print to build a production from.

The Process:
This is the coordination of the creative efforts usually headed up in theatre by the
director. It is the pure process by which the playwright’s work is brought to realization
by the director, actors, designers, technicians, dancers, musicians, and any other
collaborators that come together on the script, scenario, or plan. This is the works in
progress stage.

The Product:
This is the end result of the process of work involved. The final product that results
from all of the labors coming together to complete the finished work of script, scenario,
and plan, in union with all of the collaborators in the process to create the final
product. This is what the audience will witness as they sit in the theatre and view the
work.

The Audience:
Theatre requires an audience. For all of the arts public i s essential. The physical
presence of an audience can change a performance, inspire actors, and create
expectations. Theatre is a living breathing art form. The presence of
live actors on the stage in front of live audiences sets it apart from modern day films
and television.
PLAYWRIGHT- The initial creator of the script, scenario, or plan,
as outlined above. This person is the playwright. A playwright works
in that branch of literature dealing with the writing and producing of
plays for the theatre.

What is a playwright? According to the American Heritage

Dictionary, “One who writes plays”.

The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth

To heaven;
And, as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
THESEUS

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream

William Shakespeare

Steps of the Playwright’s Work

Playwriting and creating drama for each playwright is distinctively different.
Plays can develop out of any combination of starting points and patterns. The
processes by which drama is created for each playwright can be varied in the steps
used to create the text. Below is a simple list in a progressive order, but order can
change depending on each playwright’s characteristic style and preferences for
writing.

For more knowledge about the Basic Elements of a Theater, please click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFYs9uZZDvQ

The basic steps involved in the development of drama include:

1. Coming up with Thought/Theme/Ideas to be expressed through the work.
2. Determine the Genre and Style of the work
3. Outlining Basic Action of the work and Creating Plot.
4. Establish the Structure of the Play and Overall
Framework
5. The Development of Characters presented in the
work.
6. The Creation of Dialogue and the Language of the
Characters.
7. Creating Music: This can involve the Rhythm of the
Language or actual Music Composition and the Lyrics of
the songs.
8. Establishing Spectacle: The visual and environmental elements of the work.
9. Research of Subject Matter and Relevant issues presented in the play.

Elements of Drama

Most successful playwrights follow the theories of playwriting and drama that
were established over two thousand years ago by a man named Aristotle. In his works
the Poetics Aristotle outlined the six elements of drama in his critical analysis of the
classical Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex written by the Greek playwright, Sophocles, in
the fifth century
B.C. The six elements as they are outlined involve: Thought, Theme, Ideas; Action or
Plot; Characters; Language; Music; and Spectacle.

1. Thought/Theme/Ideas
What the play means as opposed to what happens (the
plot). Sometimes the theme is clearly stated in the title. It may
be stated through dialogue by a character acting as the
playwright’s voice. Or it may be the theme is less obvious and
emerges only after some study or thought. The abstract issues
and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action.

2. Action/Plot
The events of a play; the story as opposed to the theme; what happens rather than
what it means. The plot must have some sort of unity and clarity by setting up a
pattern by which each action initiating the next rather than standing alone without
connection to what came before it or what follows. The action and movement in the
play begins from the initial entanglement, through rising action, climax, and falling
action to resolution.

3.Characters
These are the people presented in the play that are involved in the perusing plot.
Each character should have their own distinct personality, age, appearance, beliefs,
socio economic background, and language.

4. Language
The word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors of the
language. Language and dialog delivered by the characters moves the plot and action
along, provides exposition, defines the distinct characters. Each playwright can
create their own specific style in relationship to language choices they use in
establishing character and dialogue.

5. Music
 Music can encompass the rhythm of dialogue and speeches in a
play or can also mean the aspects of the melody and music
compositions as with musical theatre. Each theatrical presentation
delivers music, rhythm and melody in its own distinctive manner.
Music is not a part of every play. But, music can be included to
mean all sounds in a production. Music can expand to all sound
effects, the actor’s voices, songs, and instrumental music played
as underscore in a play.

6. Spectacle
The spectacle in the theatre can involve all of the aspects
of scenery, costumes, and special effects in a production.
The visual elements of the play created for theatrical
event. The qualities determined by the playwright that
create the world and atmosphere of the play for the
audience’s eye.

Genre/Form

Drama is divided into the categories of tragedy, comedy, melodrama, and

tragicomedy. Each of these genre/forms can be further subdivide by style and
content.

Tragedy

Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain

magnitude. The tragedy is presented in the form of action, not narrative. It will arouse
pity and fear in the audience as it witnesses the action. It allows for an arousal of this
pity and fear and creates an effect of purgation or catharsis of these strong emotions
by the audience.

Comedy

Comedy should have the view of a “comic

spirit” and is physical and energetic. It is
tied up in rebirth and renewal, this is the
reason most comedy end in weddings,
which suggest a union of a couple and the
expected birth of children. In comedy
there is absence of pain and emotional
reactions, as with tragedy, and a replaced
use of man’s intellect. The behavior of the
characters presented in comedy is
ludicrous and sometimes
Melodrama

Melodrama is drama of disaster and differs from tragedy significantly,

in that; forces outside of the protagonist cause all of the significant events
of the plot. All of the aspects of related guilt or responsibility of the
protagonist are removed. The protagonist is usually a victim of
circumstance. He is acted upon by the antagonist or anti-hero and suffers
without having to accept responsibility and inevitability of fate

Tragicomedy

Tragicomedy is the most like of all of the genres.

It is non-judgmental and ends with no absolutes. It
focuses on character relationships and shows society
in a state of continuous flux. There is a mix of comedy
and tragedy side by side in these types of plays.

Dramatic Structure

Dramatic structure involves the overall framework or method by

which the playwright uses to organize the dramatic material and or action.

The basic characteristics of the cause to effect arrangement are:

Clear exposition of situation

Careful preparation for future events
Unexpected but logical reversals
Continuous mounting suspense
An obligatory scene
Logical resolution
To know more about Drama, please click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGmgLVHfaY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzcxd8tsJ3Q
To know more about the Dramatic Structure please click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH5jlkK4aUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJfy7jk1dcY

Lucas, S.E. (2009). The Art of Public Speaking . (3rd ed.) Boston: Pearson Education Inc.
http://homepage.smc.edu/adair-lynch_terrin/ta%205/elements.htm