What Are the Elements of Drama

By: Jenney Cheever

Essential elements of drama are present in any
play that you see. Aristotle was the first to write
about these essential elements, more than two
thousand years ago. While ideas have changed
slightly over the years, we still discuss Aristotle's
list when talking about what makes the best
drama.
Aristotle's Six Elements of Drama
Aristotle considered these six things to be
essential to good drama.
Plot: This is what happens in the play. Plot refers to the action; the basic storyline of the play.
Theme: While plot refers to the action of the play, theme refers to the meaning of the play.
Theme is the main idea or lesson to be learned from the play. In some cases, the theme of a
play is obvious; other times it is quite subtle.
Characters: Characters are the people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors in
the play. It is the characters who move the action, or plot, of the play forward.
Dialogue: This refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in the
play. The dialogue helps move the action of the play along.
Music/Rhythm: While music is often featured in drama, in this case Aristotle was referring to
the rhythm of the actors' voices as they speak.
Spectacle: This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, costumes, special effects, etc.
Spectacle is everything that the audience sees as they watch the play.
In modern theater, this list has changed slightly, although you will notice that many of the elements
remain the same. The list of essential elements in modern theater are:
Character
Plot
Theme
Dialogue
Convention
Genre
Audience
The first four, character, plot, theme and dialogue remain the same, but the following additions are
now also considered essential elements of drama.
Convention: These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to
create the desired stylistic effect.
Genre: Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include, comedy,
tragedy, mystery and historical play.
Audience: This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors
consider the audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put in to
writing and producing a play is for the enjoyment of the audience.













Elements of Drama

Drama A story written to be performed by actors.
o There are several different forms of presenting a drama; each has a very specific
format. Plays have a very simple format; teleplays, for television shows, or
screenplays, for movies, have more complex and strict rules for formatting.
o The first dramas to be written for the express purpose of being performed were
created by the Greeks. Many of our modern drama terms derive from Greek origins.

Comedy In the Greek sense, a play that doesnt end in death. In modern usage, refers to a
play that is humorous.

Tragedy In the Greek sense, a play that ends with the death of at least one of the main
characters. In modern usage, refers to a play that doesnt have a happy ending.

Irony general name for moments in literature that involve surprising, interesting, or amusing
contradictions
Dramatic irony a contradiction between what the character thinks and what the audience or
reader knows to be true

Script the written text of a play. Usually includes a list of characters that appear in the play
with a brief description of what the character is like (Dramatis Personae), brief descriptions of
the sets or setting, and the lines the characters will speak.

Dramatis Personae - "People of Drama" in Latin; a list of the characters in a play, usually
found on the first page of the script; often includes important information about the character

Character - as in a story, people or creatures that appear in a script by speaking or doing
something (the "something" may be as simple as walking on stage, then walking off again);
someone in a script who is involved with a plot

Dialogue the lines spoken by the actors; in the script, preceded by the name of the
character that is to speak the words

Monologue A speech given by a single character while that character is alone on stage;
also called a soliloquy
Soliloquy In drama (especially Elizabethan [Shakespearean]), an extended speech by a
solitary character expressing inner thoughts aloud to him-or herself and to the audience; a
monologue

Aside A monologue performed by a character while other characters are on stage; the
information in an aside is not heard by the other characters on stage, even though they may
be standing very close by; it is intended to convey the characters private thoughts to the
audience. Other characters on stage at that time may freeze, to show that the words being
said are not being overheard; other times, the other characters will go about their business
but ignore the character giving the aside.

Exposition A speech or discussion presented in a very straight-forward manner that is
designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand

Stage directions a description (as of a character or setting) or direction (as to indicate
stage business) provided in the text of a play, usually indicated with italics and/or
parentheses. May indicate where the scene takes place, what a character is supposed to
do, or how a character should deliver certain lines.

Enter A stage direction tells the character(s) to come onto the stage. Often includes a
direction (left or right) or additional information about how characters are to enter the scene.

Exit A stage direction tells the character(s) to leave the stage and the scene. Often
includes a direction (left or right) or additional information about how characters are to leave
the scene.

Act A major section of a play, similar to a chapter in a book; an act is usually made up of
several scenes

Scene a subdivision of an act; usually, a scene indicates a specific location or time, and
changes if another location or time is supposed to be presented. A scene usually ends when
all the characters in the scene leave the stage.

Line Shakespeares plays were written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter, 10
syllables per line); as in a poem, a line might end though the sentence continues. Current
copies of Shakespeares scripts usually have numbers listed in the margins of the pages so
readers can find lines quickly.

***Specific points in the play can be found with a three number system (ex: 3.1.159 refers
to a specific line: Act Three, Scene Two, Line One hundred fifty-nine; 2.2.2-7 indicates a
series of lines in Act 2, Scene 2, starting at Line 2 and ending at Line 7)***

Chorus a character or group in a drama who speaks the prologue and epilogue and
comments on the action

Extra a minor character who doesnt have many or any lines; usually, extras dont have
names, but are identified by what they do (servant, boy, policeman) and sometimes a
number if there are more than one of that type of extra


Elements of Theater & Acting

Theater building, structure, or space in which dramatic performances take place. In its
broadest sense theater can be defined as including everything connected with dramatic art
the play itself, the stage with its scenery and lighting, makeup, costumes, acting, and actors.
(alt. spelling: theatre refers to the actual building itself)

Delivery how an actor says his or her lines. The delivery of lines is as important as what
an actor does or looks like, or how he or she dresses.

Emote from the word emotion; to deliver lines with feelings appropriate to the scene; to
show emotion through ones voice. If you overdo this, its called chewing the scenery.

Project When the o is long and the emphasis is on the second syllable, this word means,
to speak loudly and clearly; refers to the volume of an actors voice

"Line reading" - refers to the volume, tone, and emotion an actor uses when reading a line.
The way an actor reads a line can completely change the meaning of the words, which can
change an entire scene. For example, an actor might read lines sarcastically, rather than
"straight."

Actor a person who plays the role of a character in a play. This term is currently accepted
as being gender neutral; it applies to both men and women.

Acting in drama, pretending to be someone else, usually through a combination of line
delivery, costumes, props, and how the actor presents him or herself.

Lead - a principal or main role in a dramatic production; also: one who plays such a role

"Larger than life" - Actors must not only project their voices (so they can be heard at the back
of the theater), they must also project their motions and emotions. Motions and emotions
need to be exaggerated (though it is possible to overdo it; see chewing the scenery in
emote). What looks overblown in person looks wonderful from the audience.

Motivation - Actors need to consider not only what a character is supposed to do, but WHY a
character behaves in a certain way; this is the character's motivation. Understanding
motivation helps an actor understand the emotional state of their character, which influences
how the character moves, speaks, and behaves.

Suspension of disbelief When an audience goes to see a play, they have to pretend that
whats happening on the stage is real, even though it is only a staged performance.

The Fourth Wall A stage set only has three walls, but actors usually pretend there is an
invisible fourth wall between themselves and the audience. When a character directly
addresses the audience, recognizing that they are being watched, he or she is breaking the
fourth wall. Exposition and monologues sometimes break the fourth wall.

In character when an actor is pretending to be someone else

Breaking character when an actor abruptly stops acting, or falls out of character; this
can ruin the audience's suspension of disbelief

Director The person who decides which actors will be in the play, where they should stand
or move to, how they should speak, and what they should wear.

Concept - the idea a director has that ties together the look, feel, and performance of a play.
One concept might be "The Old West"; costumes would be cowboy-and-Indian outfits, actors
would use Old West accents when they spoke, sets would include saloons and cactuses,
etc. The concept is seen in the LOOK of the play, and it may influence how the audience
UNDERSTANDS the play, but the concept does not change the WORDS of the play. The
concept is outside of the script; it is up to a director to come up with a concept. Directors are
always thinking of CREATIVE concepts they can use to stage old plays.

Cast (n) 1) The actors in a play 2) The process of selecting which actors will play which
characters; (v) to choose actors to play specific roles

Blocking 1) The process in rehearsals wherein the director tells the actors where to go and
how to move. 2) The act of physically marking the stage (usually with tape) to indicate to
where an actor is supposed to move.

Body Language - an important part of acting; the physical actions of an actor can be even
more important than what the actor says. Body language reflects characters' thoughts and
feelings just as much as words.

Business - silent actions that actors do when they are on stage but don't have lines and are
not part of the main action or dialogue; "business" might include pretending to talk to
someone, pretending to shop, pretending to play a game, etc.

Prompt a reminder to an actor when the actor forgets a line

Promptbook - a copy of a script that an actor or director has added notes to. These notes
are usually about the emotions of a character during a scene, the character's motivation,
ideas for blocking or business, suggestions for line readings, or other important notes.

Stage the area where a play is acted out; generally, this area is raised above the regular
floor level.

** Originally, the stage was built so that it angled toward the audience; the back of the
stage was higher than the front of the stage, so the audience could see equally well actions
at the back of the stage and at the front of the stage. Now the floor of the seating area is
angled upward to provide the same effect. This helps explain the terms down-stage and
up-stage.**

**All directions should be given from the actors point of view**

Stage Right - the right part of a stage from the viewpoint of one who faces the audience

Stage Left - the left part of a stage from the viewpoint of one who faces the audience

Down-stage - the part of a stage that is closest to the audience or camera

Up-stage - the part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera (If you upstage
someone, you steal the audiences attention from someone who is supposed to be getting it;
you may do this physically by placing yourself down-stage of them [thus making them up-
stage from you], or by performing better than they, or in other ways)

Proscenium 1 a : the stage of an ancient Greek or Roman theater b : the part of a modern
stage in front of the curtain c : the wall that separates the stage from the auditorium and
provides the arch that frames it

Proscenium stage a traditional stage

Proscenium stage (Front View)


Main Curtain (The Curtain) Usually refers to the main curtain, which conceals the stage
from view when closed and reveals the stage and actors when open.

Backdrop A picture or flat that is hung from a pipe and which depicts a background for a
scene

Valence a short curtain that runs across the top of the proscenium; it blocks the audiences
view of hanging lights and fly pipes, and can be used to create a frame for the scene.












Proscenium stage (Top View)

Orchestra Pit a sunken area between the stage and the audience where an orchestra can
set up and play music during the performance without blocking the view of the stage.

Cyclorama a large curtain, often at the very rear of the stage, that acts as a backdrop for
an entire show

Travelers (also legs) curtains, usually black, on the wings that obstructs the audiences
view of the backstage area

Wings Usually refers to the area that is not visible to the audience; also called backstage

Apron An area (or areas) forward and to the side of the proscenium in a modern stage.

House - The portion of the theater where the audience sits; the area that is not the stage

Theater in the round a theater in which the stage is located in the center of the auditorium -
- also called arena theater

Theater in the round (Top View)



Thrust stage - a stage that projects beyond the proscenium so that the audience sits around
the projection

Thrust - a forestage that is extended into the auditorium to increase the stage area

Thrust stage (Top View)

Set the stage and the items upon it that are used to create the illusion of a certain setting

Set design a drawing or model that shows what the stage will look like during a particular
play, act, or scene.

Flat A flat piece on which scenery can be painted; often constructed of a light wooden
frame covered by stretched canvas

Fly pipes (also pipes or flies) pipes suspended over the stage by a pulley system that
allow curtains, flats, and backdrops to be lowered into a scene or raised out of a scene

Props (short for properties) the items used by actors as they act out a scene

Costume The clothing worn during a play by an actor to help show the audience that the
actor is playing a role.

Stage hand A person who builds sets, props, or costumes before the play, or who moves
them during the play

Lighting refers to the way lights are used to illuminate the stage. Sometimes the lighting is
solely to illuminate the actors so the audience can see; sometimes the lighting is used to
complement scenery with colors and effects; sometimes it is used to suggest the mood of
characters, also with colors and effects.

Gaffer someone who designs, sets up, or operates lighting for a production

Intermission A break in the play, usually between acts, to allow the audience a break or
rest, and to allow the actors to change costumes or set the stage.












Its Importance

Drama dates back to 500 B.C when the Greek people invented it. Not only did Greek people
watch drama for entertainment, they also watched it to interpret it. The Greeks took
democracy very seriously, they looked to the playwrights to raise issues in society. After
they watched a play, they would discuss it for hours, trying to decipher the true meaning of
the story. In order to form a better civilization, these lessons were important to the Greek
people. They would converse about what happened in the play, and what this character
could have done better to that character and so on. Often, if the play they were discussing
was a tragedy, they would compare the evil in the story versus the evil in the world. They
would try to organize the civilization and find theories through the playwrights words.
Nowadays, movies are just for fun, but drama is important because it helped create the
world we live in :)