Elements of Drama

Literary, Technical, & Performance

 Literary Elements
•The storyline or plot is what happens in
the play. Each plot has a beginning,
middle, and end.
•The setting is where and when the story
takes place.
•The characters are the people or animals
played by actors.
•The conflict is the problem that the
characters have in the play.
Technical Elements
•Costumes are the clothing and
additional items that actors wear during
the play.
•Makeup is any powder, paint, wig, or
mask worn by an actor during the play.
•The scenery is the collection of
decorations, such as backgrounds, on the
set. It lets the audience know where and
when the play takes place.
Technical Elements
•Props, or properties, are all items on stage,
except the scenery. Set props include large
items like furniture. Hand props are objects
actors use during the play.
•Sound effects are sounds, such as thunder
and birds chirping, added to make the play
seem more realistic.
•Music can also be added to a performance.
The music should match the mood, place,
and characters in the play.
Performance Elements
•Acting is the process actors use to make
the characters in the play seem real.
•Speaking includes vocal expression (the
mood actors demonstrate when saying
their lines), projection (the way actors
control their breaths and push their
voices), speaking style (how actors say
their lines), and diction (clearly saying
words).
Performance Elements
•Nonverbal expression includes gestures,
facial expressions, and movements that
actors use to communicate, without
talking.
•Developing a character means using the
performance elements to turn the
character into someone the audience will
believe.