ENGLISH 9
Lesson 1: Distinguishing Features of One-Act and Full-Length Plays
Drama is a type of fiction that presents an illusion of reality
through verse form or a performance in a theater.
ELEMENTS
● Exposition is the part wherein the characters and the setting
are introduced.
● Rising action is the part wherein a conflict or conflicts
arise(s), affecting the lives of the characters and their
relationship with one another.
● Climax is the turning point of the story, which signals a
change in the course of events in the story.
● Falling action is the part wherein the response of the
characters toward the climax happens. This is also the part in
which the conflict is resolved.
● Denouement is the part wherein the result of the decisions of
the characters and the solutions to the conflict are revealed.
ELEMENTS THAT MAKE DRAMA UNIQUE
1. Dialogue refers to the use of language to reveal thought,
character, and situations.
2. Music refers to the arranged pattern of sound that
accompanies the scenes or the dialogues.
3. Spectacle refers to the scenery, costumes, makeup, stage
lighting, and props used to give life to the story through
mimicking real-life scenarios. It deals with the visual effects
of the play, including the physical actions of the characters.
4. Stage direction refers to the these instructions in the
script, often in italics or parentheses, that help the
performers interpret the scene for the audience.
STAGE DIRECTION
● House is what the audience is called in theater.
● Proscenium is the part of the theater stage that is behind
the curtain.
● Apron is the part of the stage that extends beyond the
proscenium arch and into the audience or seating area.
TYPES OF DRAMA
A tragedy is a serious play that is usually about a great
individual who experiences personal struggles, including
losing important people in his or her life or having conflicts
with other people around him or her.
A good example of a tragic play is the literary classic Romeo
and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
A comedy, on the other hand, typically deals with mundane
human experiences of common people. It is filled with humor,
has a lighter tone compared to a tragedy, and usually ends
happily.
Examples of comedy include William Shakespeare’s Comedy
of Errors or the Pink Panther movies .
LENGTH TYPES
A full-length play contains many acts and within each act are
several scenes, which make it longer than a one-act play.
Usually, full-length plays run for 80 minutes or longer.
A one-act play, on the other hand, consists of many scenes in
just one act. It tackles only one situation and contains only one
theme.
LESSON 2: COMMON TECHNICAL TERMS
USED IN THEATER
Doctors use medical terms that aid them and their patients.
Teachers also use terminologies to help meet students’
needs. Certain jargons are used in any organization and
profession. Dramatists and directors have their common
terms, which they use in their rehearsals and performances to
help them establish a good working environment.
COMMON TECHNICAL TERMS
Acting area, or the playing area, is the place within the
performance space within which the actor may move in full
view of the audience.
Audition is the process wherein the director or casting
director of a play production asks performers to show their
acting prowess in order to be given a fitting role for them in
the play.
Backstage is the part of the stage and theater that is not
visible to the audience. It is where the props and costumes
are usually found and where the performers wait for their turn
to come out to play their part.
Blackout is the complete absence of stage lighting.
Blocking is the process of arranging the positions and actions
to be made by the actors during the play. It is noted by the
stage management in the prompt script. For example, the
stage manager notes that the character has to deliver a
monologue at the center line then he or she has to move to
the left of the stage when another character enters the scene.
Break a leg is an expression that means “good luck.” It is a
way of wishing the cast and crew well before the performance.
Call is a notification of an important working session that has
to be done, such as a rehearsal call, band call, or a photo call.
Center line is an imaginary line running down the stage
through the exact center of the proscenium opening.
Company refers to the cast, crew, and other staff working for
a theater production
Company refers to the cast, crew, and other staff working for
a theater production
Downstage is the part of the stage closest to the audience
Offstage is a stage movement toward the nearest side of the
stage from the center or an area out of sight of the audience.
Run is a rehearsal of the whole show or a section of it.
Upstage is the part of the stage furthest from the audience.
TYPES OF EXAM
Multiple choice
Matching type
Identification
Analyzing one-act play
Essay
