The One-Act Seminar

DRAMA: Greek origin meaning “to do” or “to act”

All DRAMA springs from life:

People - Problems - Particular Time & Place
Writing a Play is an Art as well as a Craft
1.Theme: The ability to say what the circumstances
allow and what is appropriate to them
(the central idea that emerges from the dramatic
action of the play)

THEME IS NEVER A MESSAGE OR A STATEMENT

IMPOSED UPON THE ACTION BY THE PLAYWRIGHT
2.Plot: The arrangement (structure) of the incidents
in a story

WHO IS DOING WHAT TO WHOM WHERE, WHEN

AND WHY?
 ELEMENTS OF PLOT
A. Point of Attack: The point of time in the play
when the dramatic action begins

B. Exposition: Incidents or events from the past or

happenings outside of the play of which the
audience must be aware of in order to
comprehend characters and plot
 ELEMENTS OF PLOT
C. Preparation: The earlier “planting” of certain
information, so that a particular character or
scene will be believable

D. Conflict: An internal struggle within one person

or between two or more characters; THE HEART
OF THE PLOT
 ELEMENTS OF PLOT
E. Complications: The introduction of a fact or
character already in the play that grows out of
the conflict and delays the climax

F. Crisis: The protagonist has to make a major

decision that is also a key turning point in the
dramatic action.
 ELEMENTS OF PLOT
G. Dramatic Question or Problem: The suspense
question related to the fate of the central
character’s major goal.

H. Climax: The highest emotional peak in a play.

 ELEMENTS OF PLOT
I. Resolution: The point after the climax, during
which any remaining questions are answered
3. Characters: The agents of the incidents
A. Central Characters: These are characters
around whom the dramatic action revolves or
who have the dominant objective in the play
B. Opposing Characters: These are characters
who provide the basic obstacles by blocking the
central character’s objective
C. Contributing Characters: These are
characters who line up with other characters
4. Music: Any music that may appear in the play

5. Dialogue: The diction of the play. Simply, it is

what the character says and how he or she
says it, be it street language, poetry or slang

6. Spectacle: The embellishments of a play. All the

visual elements: scenery, costumes, lighting,
movement, gestures, and other elements.
 Aristotle’s Two Major Production Styles
STAGE AS A PICTURE
These are attempts to create a realistic picture or
illusion of life as though you were peeking through
a fourth wall

STAGE AS A PLATFORM
Presents life on stage rather than represents a
picture. State is a stage, no pretense of realism
A. Tragedy: Themes are serious in depth and
worthiness; the central character (hero) struggles
to overcome overpowering obstacles but instead is
overcome by them, resulting in death

B. Drama: Themes are serious in nature; but unlike

tragedy, the central character in overcoming
obstacles does not die at the end of the play
C. Melodrama: Themes are exaggerated in their
seriousness; the central characters overcome
villains in sensational plots usually crowded with
action and conflict

D. Comedy: A humorous play with light or serious

themes whose central characters succeed in
overcoming all obstacles (High Comedy, Serious
Comedy, Satire, Farce, Situation Comedy & Low
Comedy)
E. Fantasy: A serious or humorous play in which
“unreal” characters with human traits overcome
obstacles in a land of make-believe

F. Allegory: A play serious or humorous, often

written in a poetic or fairy-tale style feature
abstract characters
DON’T GET TRAPPED BY DEFINITIONS OR TERMS -
WRITE YOUR PLAY AND LET OTHERS TELL YOU
WHAT THEY THINK IT IS.
G. One-Act: One Sitting - One Setting - One
Sighting
• Should impress upon its audience one basic idea
or theme explored as fully as possible within a
short time span
• Should have only ONE single dramatic action
• Should have only a FEW characters
• Should NOT contain long “talky” speeches
• Should use only ONE set
SHOW VS. TELL
The essential difference is that a story TELLS what
took place, while a play SHOWS what is actually
taking place (The stage shows what we see in our
minds on the page)
DRAMATIC CLOCK
On the stage there is a built in urgency, a
“dramatic clock” of sorts, which helps to coalesce
elements of conflict, crisis, and suspense to
heighten the emotional response of the audience
PAST VS. PRESENT TENSE
The action of the play takes place in a “perpetual
present time.” On the stage it is always “now.”

UNITY OF ACTION, TIME AND PLACE

The incidents of the play occur in a unifying way
that will make sense to an audience member
1. GET AN IDEA: Ideas come in two forms - Personal
Experience & Imagined Experience
1. DON’T OVERLOAD THE INCIDENTS IN A PLOT
2. DON’T USE A NARRATOR OR CENTRAL
CHARACTER TO TELL EVENTS - WHEN THE
EVENTS CAN BE DRAMATIZED
3. DO NOT CRAM AN IDEA DOWN THE AUDIENCE’S
THROAT - YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A
PHILOSOPHER OR SAINT YOUR ONLY
REQUIREMENT IS ART
1. KEEP A JOURNAL FOR IDEAS & NOTES
2. WRITE A BUNCH AT ONE TIME
3. NOTHING IS TRULY ORIGINAL – DON’T STRESS
ABOUT COPYING OR FOLLOWING ANOTHER
PLOT
4. PLOT OUT FIRST – THEN WRITE DIALOGUE
5. VOICE IT FOR PARTICULAR PEOPLE