DRAMA AND THEATRE

DRAMA AND THEATRE

Drama is the act of
enactment in real life
From the Greek term “dram” w/c
means to do or to act.

Theatre is the building specifically

design for theatrical or
dramatical purposes.
 The Masks
Thalia - The Mask of Comedy . The
patron of comedy. One of the Greek
nine muses.

Melpomene – The Mask of Tragedy. The

patron of tragedy and is also belong to
one of the Greek nine muses.
 FOUR GREEK DRAMATISTS
1. Aeschylus
2. Sophocles Tragedians
3. Euripides
4. Aristophanes – the only comedian
• They used a classical greek icons in their
dramatical plays.
• Tragic flaws were the usual complication.
Aeschylus c. 525 – 456 B.C
The first dramtist from the Trio.
- A musician and a figther, one took part in the
Battle of the Salamis.
- Won 13 times in the annual drama festival.
- Was defeated by Sophocles in his next attempt.
- From his 80 plays 7 of which survived today.
- Trilogy o Agamemnon was his famous Tragedy.
Sophocles c. 496 – 406 B.C
- At 15 he was a singer and a leader of a chorus.
- He was the one who introduced the used of
paintings as backgroud in his dramatical plays.
- Was worshipped by the Greeks before he died.
- Wrote 123 plays 7 of which survived.
- Oedipus Tyrannus was his greatest tragedy.
- Oedipus – refers to “swollen foot”
- Tyrrannus – usually translated king or rex.
 Euripides c. 485 – 407 B.C
- The last from the Greek Tragedians, the most
modern.
- The poet of the world’s grief but not necessarily
the most tragic.
- He knew pain better than exaltation.
- Was attuned to the suffering of an individual
because he realized that individual’s inherent
worth.
Aristophanes c. 450 – 385 B.C
• The master of Greek comedy.
• His plays were “The Wasps”, “The Birds”, “The
Frogs”, “The clouds” served as the Greeks
antidote to their grief emotions.
• Used a lot of means to provoke laughters in
his audinces like the use of vulgar words,
slapstick, dumb gestures and etc.
 Classification of Dramatic Plays
1. Classical Tragedy – tells of a high and noble person
who falls because of their tragic flaws.
2. Domestic Tragedy – concerns the lives of ordinary
people. It is seeming true to life or naturalistic.
3. Romantic Comedy - is a love story. Main characters
were the lovers while secondary characters are the
comic.
4. Farce – comedy at its broadest.
5. Sentimental – comedy mixes sentimental emotion
with its humor.
6. Melodrama – has a plot filled with pathos and
menacing threats by a villain.
 Elements of Drama
1. Plot - the sequence of events or incidents of
which the story is composed.
- a good plot involves “paripety”
- it involves complication and it must arise
at the middle of the play.
Conflict – is the clash of ideas from the characters.
CLASSIFICATION OF CONCLICTS
1. Person against Person
2. Person against Himself/herself
3. Person against Environment
 Plot Progression
• Exposition is the beggining of the play which
sets the time and place of the action.
• Complication is the middle of the play which
develops the conflict that was started in the
exposition.
• Resolution or Denoument the part where
there is a falling action right after the climax.
- It is the transition from an important event –
the point where there is a shift in the fortunes
of the chracters.
2. Character

They are the persons who appear in the play.

They may be a Protagonist or Antogonist.
 3. Setting

- It is the locale and period in which the drama takes

place, or the scenary, props and costumes used in
staging.
- It is the background of the story in relation to
where it takes place or where it took place and time
when it happens.
5. Set Design
- Is the arrangement of theatrical space; the set
or the setting in the visual environment which
the play is performed.
Classification of Set Designs
1. Realistic
2. Abstract
3. Subjective
4. Functional
6. Dialogue
- It provides the substance of a play.
- It is the only way of telling what the drama is
all about.
 7. Lighting Design

An ephemeral art in the drama and theatre

presentations. It has two basic functions:

1. To create mood and control focus of

specatators.
2. To illuminate the broad area of the stage and
the performers.
 Two Basic Type of Lighting Instruments
1. Flood Light – for the illumination of the
stage.

1. Spot Light – focus light more intensly on a

smaller area.
 Four Controllable Properties
1. Intensity
2. Color Placement of the stage
3. The movement
4. Visible changing of the first three properties
Special Intruments in the Lighting Effect
Gels/Filters – softens the effect of
the light
Dimmers – controls the intensity of
each lighting instruments.
8. Costume Design

Costume is whatever worn on

the performer’s body.
- It conveys information about
the character and aid in
setting the tone or mood of
the production
- It may also function as a
character signature.
9. Masks

- The special element of costume.

- An essential part of the Greek and Roman
dramas.
- It obviates the use of facial expression.
- The universal symbols of the Theatre.
 10. Make-up
- It may also function as a mask, especially in the
Oriental theatres.
Two Functions of Make-up
1. To emphasize and reinforce
facial features that might
otherwise be lost under the
bright light or at distance.
2. To alter signs of age, skin tone,
nose end even the shape
of the face.
 11. Sound and Sound Effects
- An essential element of theatrical
performances which adds glitter
to the damatical plays.
- It now generally recorded due to
some common reasons like:
a. Cheaper cost
b. Duration of the sound needed for the scene
c. Timing
d. Quick and easy to access
 Philippine Drama
• Carillo or Shadow Play – held before a lamp,
are shadows of cardboard figures projected on
screen.
- The prompter provides the dialogue with
the storyline taken from the legends, fables or
metrical romances.
Komedya or Moro-moro
• The most popular theatrical play during the
Spain’s 100 years reign.
• It is a mock battle between the Moros’ and
the Christians’.
Loa – is a short performance before a long
drama to introduce the main drama and praise
the performers
Panunuluyan – a street play dramaticing the
roaming of Mary and Joseph for shelter in
Bethlehem during Christmas Eve.
Cenakulo orPassion of the Christ
- Dramatization of Jesus Christ’s
life from his birth to crusifixtion.
Tibag / Santa Cruzan – re-eneactment of
Emperor Constantine’s or Empress Helena’s
search for the true cross.
- The procession served as the climax of the
performance.
Salubong – an Easter presentation re-eneacting
the meeting of Mary and the ressurected Christ
 Sarsuela/ Zarzuela
A three-in-one act play with songs and dances.
It depicts the political condition of our country,
feelings of love, fear, grief, sorrow or any
sublime emotion.
 GAME ?

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