Bantayan National High School

Ticad, Bantayan,Cebu

Creative Writing
Grade 11-HUMSS

Quarter 4
LAS 3 Different Staging Modalities Envisioning the Script

MELC Explore different staging modalities vis-a-vis envisioning the script.

After going through this lesson, you are expected to:

a. Differentiate the kinds of plays according to length and genres;
b. determine different kinds of theatrical productions; and
c. differentiate different performance spaces good for staging plays.

Introduction
Playwrights bring their play to the next level by various conceptualization of modality that go beyond
their established literary elements, the techniques and devices, the technical elements, and the performance
elements as well. These conceptualizations help complete the various forms of play that playwrights have
contributed to world theatre. Budding creative writers also need to be familiar with such conceptualization if
they are to write plays. These conceptualization of modality also complete the modelling of specific plays
while enhancing their intention and relaying the message of the play more clearly.

Lesson Proper
Independent Activity 1
Conceptualizations of Modality via Theatrical Genres and Theatrical Productions
Instructions: Read and point out some terms of conceptualization of modality via theatrical genres
and theatrical production. Familiarize and jot down important terms below in your creative writing notebook.
Plays were classically divided into two distinct genres during the ancient times, often used as dual-
faced emblem of theatre:
1. Tragedy- is a serious play in which the chief gestures, by some peculiarity of character, pass
through a series of misfortunes leading to a final devastating catastrophe.
Classic tragedy plays are often the full-length ones, consisting of five acts to unravel the
tragic hero character in the plot. Shakespeare’s tragedies fall under this category length like Macbeth and
Romeo and Juliet. But in modern tragedies staged on local and international theatres are oftened two act-
structured full-length plays. The sub-genre of tragedy is a melodrama. It contains a composition with a
sensational story and often implausible events that drive the plot from beginning to end. It is also very familiar
now since it is used often in TV series with very dramatic stories and plot, such as local teleserye.
2. Comedy refers to a dramatic work that amuses the audience. It also has a happy ending to its plot.
It aims to amuse the audiences, but the theme and subject matter of comedy plays are not shallow.
Different forms of comedies:
1. farce or the exaggerated kind of comedy , often with slapstick humor and extravagant dialogue
featuring stories that have highly unlikely situations.
2. Parody is a humorous imitation of a serious work where parodist imitate the tone, language, and
shape of original in order to deflate the subject matter, making the original work seem absurd.
3. Satire is a form of comedy that uses ridicule, sarcasm, irony, and the like, to expose, attack or
derive vices, follies, and others. Another combination we are familiar today is the combination of the two
major genres of tragedy and comedy aptly called tragicomedy.
 Playwrights also take into account the kind of theatrical production that will stage their material.
Often, this guides them in writing their plays. Some of the most popular today.
1. Musical- When song and dance are the major elements that help deliver the story on stage.
Popular international examples include The Lion King, Cats and Wicked.
2. Immersive theatre- One kind of experimental staging today is called the immersive theatre where
the audience sometimes plays a part in the story. The actors interact with the spaces outside of the traditionally
designated stage or they interact with the audience. An example of this is the production of Every Brilliant
Thing by playwright Duncan Macmillan.
3. Solo play- is a play enacted by a singular performer, even if there are many characters in a given
play. A solo theatre performance may consist of different monologues featuring different characters, not just
one. An early example of a solo play is The Belle of Amherst by playwright William Luce featuring the life of
poet Emily Dickinson.
4. Fringe theatre-Fringe means the outer, marginal, or extreme part of an area, group or sphere of
activity. It is a frugal type of production because it does not focus much on providing elaborate settings, props,
or the usual technical elements of a regular play. Sometimes the play’s content also adapts according to the
small venues where these experimental short plays are performed.

Independent Assessment- 1
Instructions: Read and answer the questions below. Write the answers on your paper.
1. How does a comedy differ from a tragedy? To differentiate between them, make a table showing their
differences. Choose your answer from the word pool below.

Story ends happily. It aims to amuse Character pass through a Character comes to an
audiences. series of misfortune leading unhappy end.
to a final catastrophe
Main character meets Depicts serious and The loser becomes a big Make us laugh
with failure or death. important events winner.
Romeo and Juliet Macbeth A Midsummer Night’s Praybeyt Benjamin
Dream

2. What are the different kinds of theatrical production?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are different forms of comedies?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why fringe-theater is considered economical of all kinds of theatrical production?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____ 5. What kind of theatrical production when song and dance are the major elements delivering the story
on stage?
_____ 6. Which one of the theatrical productions involves the audience as a part of the play?
_____ 7. Which one of the theatrical productions adapts easily the size of the venues of staging the plays?
_____ 8. What theatrical production focuses on different monologues featuring different characters as well?

Independent Activity 2- Familiarizing Performance Spaces for Staging Plays

Instructions: Write TRUE if the statement expresses appropriate descriptions on Modality via Performance
Spaces and write FALSE if the statement expresses incorrect ideas.
Staging is very essential to the play production as it gives the actors space to move and be seen by the
audience even at an utmost end of the theaters. Moreover, it gives the audience a full view on the movements
on stage and with all the sets, stage directions, costuming, props, music and sound effects. The different
staging modalities are the following:
Arena theatres are large scale auditoria and
have a central stage area with audiences on
all sides, similar to theatres in-the-round.
The stage area is usually rectangular, more
like a sports arena, with tiered seating.

Black-box or studio-theaters are flexible

performance spaces which when stripped to
their basics are a single room painted black,
the floor of the stage at the same level as
the first audience row. Usually these spaces
allow for the temporary setup of seating in
a number of different configurations to
enable a wide variety of productions to be
presented.

Hippodrome theaters are similar to

circuses and have a central circular arena
surrounded by concentric tiered seating.
Deep pits or low screens often separate the
audience from the arena.

In-the-round theatershave a central

performance area enclosed by the
audience on all sides. The arrangement
is rarely ‘round’: more usually the
seating is in a square or polygonal
formation. The actors enter through
aisles between the seating. Scenery is
minimal and carefully positioned to
ensure it does not obstruct the
audience’s view.
Open air Theaters are outdoor theatres
that do not have a roof, although
sometimes parts of the stage or
audience seating will be covered. These
stages may make use of the natural light
as it changes during the day,
particularly sunset.

Platform Theaters usually consist of a

raised rectangular platform at one end
of a room. They can either have a level
or raked sloping floor. The audience sits
in rows facing the stage. Platform stages
are often used in multi-purpose halls
where theatre is only one of the space’s
uses. Where the stage is open and
without curtains, they are sometimes
known as end stages or open stages.


Promenade Theater involves the audience

moving from place to place following the
actors and performance.

Shaping Interpretations- Guessing Me!

Instructions: Read the statements. Write T if the statement is true and F if it is false. Write the answer on
your answer sheet.
_____1. All play performance needs a vast space.
_____2. Site-specific and Open-air are field theaters.
_____3. Thrust theater lets the audience move around.
_____4. Platform theaters are typically common in school.
_____5. The cheapest theater to have is the black-box or studio.
_____6. No theaters ever that can make the audience move around.
_____7. Hippodrome theaters are usually used in circus performance.
_____8. Audience seated at the back in theaters cannot view the play on stage.
_____9. Arena, in-the-round and hippodrome theaters are similar to each other.
_____10. Staging is very essential to the play production as it gives the actors space to move
and be seen by the audience even at an utmost end of the theaters.

Independent Assessment 2- Identifying Me

Directions: Read the sentences. Identify what Modality via Performance Spaces is being described each
statement below. Write the answer on your answer sheet.
_____1. The audience can move around.
_____2. This is usually use in role-plays in the classroom.
_____3. The theater is popular with its rich architectural form.
_____4. The kind of theater where audience seat on three sides.
_____5. It is often use in circuses with acrobats and animal shows.
_____6. The actors utilize the audience side area in play production.
_____7. It has a center rectangular stage with audience surrounding it.
_____8. The play is performed outside with the natural light and sounds.
_____9. This often reflecting the history, atmosphere or experiences of a particular location.
_____10. This refers to a universal theater where the place is often used as multi-purposehalls.

Independent Assessment 3-Differentiating different performance spaces for staging plays

Instructions: Read and answer the analysis questions below. Write a brief differentiation of the following
performance spaces for staging plays.
1. What is staging?
2. Hoes does proscenium differ from theatre in the round?
3. Does any space can be deemed as a performance space for plays? Why?
4. What are the different performance spaces for staging plays? How do they differ from each other? Make a
table showing their differences. Write only a key words in differentiating them.
Name: __________________________ Section: ___________________ Date:_________________________

Answer Sheet in Creative Writing (LAS 3)

Independent Assessment 1
1. table
COMEDY TRAGEDY
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Independent Assessment 2-Identifying Me
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.
Independent Assessment 3-Differentiating
1.
2.
3.
4.table
Different Performance spaces for staging
plays Key words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6-10.