PLAYWRITING
SCENE
(A bright sunny morning in a high school classroom. Groups of students are seated at long,
rectangular tables throughout the room. They’re focused on their work and the only sounds in
the room are the pens on paper and the occasional shifting of a chair. BROOKLYN sits at the back
of the room; JORDAN enters and sits down.)
JORDAN: (frustrated) How are we supposed to write this play?
BROOKLYN: (calm) Use standard play formatting with dialogue and stage directions.
JORDAN: I know what dialogue is but what are stage directions?
(JORDAN leans over to try and look at BROOKLYN’s paper)
BROOKLYN: (holding paper up high) There are different types of stage directions. Scene directions
are at the very beginning of a scene and they help to describe the scene to the reader. For example:
a bright and sunny classroom.
JORDAN: (snatching the paper) Wow, that sounds familiar as if I read it before.
BROOKLYN: (shrugs) Could be. The next type of stage direction is staging directions. These describe
what happens on stage during the scene. Entrances, exits, major movements of characters, new char-
acters, fights, light changes and being chased by a bear are all examples of action that would require
a stage direction. These types of directions go on their own line. For example: “Jordan leans over to
try and look at Brooklyn’s paper.”
JORDAN: Again, that sounds familiar. Ok, so what is the last kind of stage directions?
BROOKLYN: The last kind is called character directions. These are short lines that don’t go on their
own line; they usually go right after the character’s name. They give clues about the style of the line
and how it should be delivered such as “frustrated.”
JORDAN: (finally getting it) I see. But I bet those should be used sparingly, right? Normally, a director
or actor could determine those types of directions.
BROOKLYN: That’s true. But if it helps to make the line easier to understand, feel free to include them.
JORDAN: (standing) So, let me see if I get this straight. The three types of stage directions are: scene,
staging, and character. (BROOKLYN nods in approval) Thanks for your help. Wait...how do I know how
to format the script itself?
BROOKLYN: (taking his paper back) Well, you could always take a look at this scene that we’re a part
of right now. It basically shows you what a play should look like.
JORDAN: Wait! You mean, I’m in a play? (poses) Wow, I always wanted to be on the stage!
Drama Teacher © Karen Loftus 2016 4
ACADEMY
