Theatre 1030 final assignment

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ACTIIIcuesandconcepts.docx

"THE PLAY"

"CUES & CONCEPTS" : information & highlights that may not be covered the other assigned materials. 

Dramatic Structure

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) the ancient Greek philosopher outlined the elements of drama for centuries to come in his work "The Poetics". According to Aristotle, all drama must embody the following six principles:

· PLOT is the arrangement/sequence of events or incidents in the play. It is NOT A SUMMARY OF THE STORY. The plot  is composed of “clearly defined problems for characters to solve.” (Kernodle). The plot consists of  all of the elements that make up the dramatic structure of the story. The plot is the characters, key conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and the resolution. A "story" is a chronological detailing of events that happened on and off stage. A plot may begin long after the beginning of the story and may refer to information regarding the past in flashbacks or exposition.

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· The famous author, E.M. Forster, the author of A Room With A View defined plot as “a narrative of events, with the emphasis on causality… The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot.”

· A STORY is the timeline - a chronological outline of what happened. Example: “The king died and then the queen died.”

· A plot is a pattern or sequence of events that are connected by structure and causation. Example: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.”

· EXAMPLE Plot:  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  by J.K. Rowling

“Harry and his two closest friends are on a quest to secure the Sorcerer's Stone. As for the conflict, Professor Snape is also after the Stone. In a climactic moment, Harry and his friends defeat an evil troll released by Professor Snape. The resolution is achieved when Harry secures the Stone.”

Adapted from:  https://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/plot-of-a-story-examples.html

· Characters are the roles played by actors who move the action of the play through the dramatic structure.

· Thought (THEME) is the overall meaning, thought or thesis imparted to the audience through the action, plot and all elements presented onstage.Central thought of a play; the idea or ideas with which the play deals and which it expound.

· Language is the diction, dialogue of the characters as produced by the actors. The pattern, style of the words spoken and dialect.

· Music is the sound and music produced as part of the play; what the audience hears in the production of the play. 

· Spectacle is the visual presentation of the play that reinforces the action and plot of the play before the audience. 

Picture This!: Dramatic Structure/Freytag's Pyramid

Dramatic The Structure of a Play

The structure of a play consists of elements that fit together as an illustration of the action as it progresses. Understanding the structure of the play enables you to fully digest the meaning and appreciate the story and all it's elements. Using Gustav Freytag's (Technik des Drama, 1863), a basic structure can be defined for all types of fully developed plays.

· Exposition is the backstory - Imparting of information about events or knowledge from the past, or occurring outside the play.

· Rising Action is the time in the play after the main action of the play begins and leads to the climax. During the rising action a complication may arise and/or a character may encounter an obstacle.

· Complication is the introduction of a new force in the play that creates a new balance of power and delays the climax.

· Obstacle is that which delays or prevents the achieving of a goal by a character creates complication and conflict.

· Climax is the high point in the development of a dramatic plot in which all the forces reach their highest pitch and the fate of all the characters is determined

· Falling Action is the time after the climax and before the resolution of the play. It is when the story is coming to the end and unknown information is revealed. 

· Denouement is the resolution or final outcome of the play. 

adapted from: Wilson E., The Theatre Experience and Hoffman, Bellevue College 

Other Terms

Angels in America, uark.com

The "play" covers the structure and characters are the foundation or infrastructure of drama beginning with the script(text) of the play. Aspects covered include the subject/focus, point of view, central thought (theme), and genre. Whether tragedy, comedy, or tragi-comedy, plays are constructed to exhibit apparent characteristics and techniques to the audience. Other terms, you must know: 

· Point of view - The perspective from which the play's story is told to the audience. This tells the viewer how to interpret the visual world of the play, and the dialogue and actions of the characters onstage; a key to understanding the experience.It is through these "eyes" we see this story. The different types of point of view are: First Person (story revealed through one character's perspective; firsthand); Third Person (a limited point of view of the story; story is told through a character on the peripheral of the action; an observer); Omniscient (objective telling of the story; "a fly on the wall"; no bias or favoritism toward the characters).   

“Point of View” is a term that is often misunderstood and misused in literary and dramatic analyses. Point of view is a perspective that the audience can see or understand the interpretation of the play. It is NOT PERSONAL YOUR point of view. There are many points of view to be considered when describing a performance. Consider this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “There’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

It is the perspective of the playwright and how the play is written.  When read, a line from the play may provoke the reader to be sad and distraught.

It is the perspective from which the play is performed.  When performed, the same line from the play may provoke laughter and smiles.

The play is produced by the theatre artists with a particular meaning and viewpoint to be communicated to the audience. This is the production “point of view”. When writing about “point of view” in your discussions and play responses, you must describe both perspectives, the playwright and the performance. What was the playwright’s perspective/point of view? What was the producing company’s perspective/point of view of the play in the performance?

· Subtext -  Meaning and movement of a play below its surface; that which is implied but never stated.

· Slapstick -  Type of comedy or comic business which relies on ridiculous often violent physical activity for its humor.

· Stock Characters -  Stereotypical characters, usually not fully developed as unique individuals.

· Satire - Subclass of comedy; uses techniques of comedy such as wit, irony, and exaggeration to expose and attack folly and vice.

· Domestic Comedy -  bourgeois comedy; dealing with family situations as in TV sitcoms.

· Comedy of Manners - Form of comic drama that emphasizes a cultivated or sophisticated atmosphere, witty dialogue, and characters whose concern with social polish is charming, ridiculous, or both.

· Domestic Drama - Plays that often deal with problems of the family or the home rather than great affairs of state.

· Modern Tragedy - Tragedies of modern period (beginning of 19th century); written in prose; written about the human condition; about men and women of the day.

· Subplot -  parallel plot; a secondary plot that reinforces or runs parallel to the major plot.

· Script -  Written or printed text of a play or some other theatrical representation; consists of dialogue, stage directions, descriptions of characters, and the like.