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Drama
What Is Drama?
A drama is a story enacted onstage for a live
audience.
What Is Drama?

Origins of Drama

The word drama comes from the
Greek verb dran, which means
“to do.”

The earliest known plays . . .


were written around the fifth
century B.C.
produced for festivals to honor
Dionysus, the god of wine and
fertility
Theatre is Life


A wide range of
human activities
contain theatrical
components.
Imitation, role playing,
storytelling, many
forms of
entertainment, and
numerous ceremonies
and rituals.
Imitation, role playing, and
storytelling

Role playing and imitation have a theatrical
component:

People assume roles such as doctor, lawyer,
salesperson, teacher, and student. Playing these
roles require people to adopt the behaviors
required by their society. This involves aspects
of acting.
Popular Entertainment


Certain types of group
activities with a strong
theatrical component are
referred to as popular
entertainment.
Singing, dancing,
pantomime, juggling,
magic, acrobatics, and
dramatic sketches.
Cirque de Soleil
A Playing Space


A place where people
can come together to
watch a performance.
This can be almost
anywhere…
…on a street…
…on a cliff…
Shakespeare by the Sea – The Tempest
…in a classroom…
…in a tent…
Cirque de Soleil travelling shows
…in a kitchen
Mummers – Calvert, Newfoundland
The Audience


Unlike some arts - such as
literature or painting theatre requires more than a
single person.
It is a communal experience
for the audience, this
coming together is an
essential element of theatre.
Tragedy
A tragedy is a play that ends unhappily.
• Most tragedies deal with serious, universal
themes such as
right and wrong
justice and injustice
life and death
• Tragedies pit human limitations against the
larger forces of destiny.
Tragedy
The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a
tragic hero. This hero
• is noble and in many
ways admirable
• has a tragic flaw, a
personal failing that
leads to a tragic end
pride
rebelliousness
jealousy
Comedy
A comedy is a play that ends happily. The plot
usually centers on a romantic conflict.
boy meets girl
boy loses girl
boy wins girl
Comedy
The main characters in a comedy could be
anyone:
nobility
townspeople
servants
Modern Drama
A modern play
• may be tragedy, comedy,
or a mixture of the two
• usually is about ordinary
people
• usually focuses on
personal issues
Performance of a Play
When you read a play, remember that it is meant
to be performed for an audience.
Stage Directions
Performance
Playwright describes setting
and characters’ actions and
manner.

Theater artists bring the
playwright’s vision to life
on the stage.
[Wyona is sitting on the couch.
She sees Paul and jumps to her
feet.]
Wyona. [Angrily.] What do
you want?

The audience responds to
the play and shares the
experience.
Performance of a Play

Theater artists include

Actors

Directors

Lighting technicians

Stage crew
Setting the Stage
A stage’s set might be
realistic and
detailed
abstract
and minimal
Setting the Stage
The costume director works with the director to
design the actors’ costumes.
• Like sets, costumes can be
detailed
minimal
Setting the Stage
Props (short for properties) are items that the
characters carry or handle onstage.
• The person in charge of props must make sure
that the right props are available to the actors
at the right moments.
The Audience
Finally, a play needs an audience to
experience the performance
understand the story
respond to the characters
The End