all about stage play

STAGE PLAY

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, from Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theater, to Community theatre, as well a University or school productions.

GENRES

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ComedyComedies are plays which are designed to be humorous. Comedies are often filled with witty remarks, unusual characters, and strange circumstances. Certain comedies are geared toward different age groups.

Comedy

Comedies are plays which are designed to be humorous. Comedies are often filled with witty remarks, unusual characters, and strange circumstances. Certain comedies are geared toward different age groups.


Farce

A generally nonsensical genre of play, farces are often overacted and often involve slapstick humour. An example of a farce includes William Shakespeare's play "The Comedy of Errors," or Mark Twain's play "Is He Dead?"

The Walworth Farce, which has been wowing audiences in Sydney, will complete its

run on April 24.


Satirical

A satire play takes a comic look at current events people while at the same time attempting to make a political or social statement, for example pointing out corruption. An example of a satire would be Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector and Aristophanes' Lysistrata.


Tragedy

These plays contain darker themes such as death and disaster. Tragic plays convey all emotions, and have extremely dramatic conflicts. Some examples of tragedies include William Shakespeare's Hamlet, and also John Webster's play The Duchess of Malfi


HistoricalThese plays focus on actual historical events. They can be tragedies or comedies, but are often neither of these. History as a separate genre was popularized by William Shakespeare. Examples of historical plays include Friedrich Schiller's Demetrius and William Shakespeare's King John.

BASIC ELEMENTSOF A PLAY



Script/Text, Scenario, Plan

This is the starting point of the theatrical performance. The element most often considered as the domain of the playwright in theatre. The playwright’s script is the text by which theatre is created.


THE PROCESSThis is the coordination of the creative efforts usually headed up in theatre by the director. It is the pure process by which the playwright’s work is brought to realization by the director, actors, designers, technicians, dancers, musicians, and any other collaborators that come together on the script, scenario, or plan. This is the works in progress stage.


THE PRODUCTThis is the end result of the process of work involved. The final product that results from all of the labors coming together to complete the finished work of script, scenario, and plan, in union with all of the collaborators in the process to create the final product. This is what the audience will witness as they sit in the theatre and view the work.


THE AUDIENCEThe physical presence of an audience can change a performance, inspire actors, and create expectations. Theatre is a living breathing art form. The presence of live actors on the stage in front of live audiences sets it apart from modern day films and television.


THE PLAYWRIGHT

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “One who writes plays”.

PARTS OFA PLAY



PLOT: the arrangement of the parts-- "the arrangement of events or the selection and order of scenes in a play. (155)“

Plot is different from the story -- the story is WHAT happens; the plot is HOW it happens."A story is a full account of an event or series of events, usually in chronological order; a plot is a selection and arrangement of scenes.. "


Elements of Plot: Rising Action

1. Exposition : everything the audience needs to know to understand the play.

What is the "antecedent action" (everything that has happened before the play begins)? and how is it revealed?

What is the "point of attack" -- (where does the play begin in relation to the story?) Is it an early or late point of attack?



2. Conflict : the clash of opposing forces:(man vs. self, vs. man, vs. environment, vs. natural forces, vs. group, vs. God, or group vs. group.)

"Inciting incident" (or "initiating incident"): the event that occurs in the play to begin the conflict.

"Complications and obstacles” :Discoveries, reversals (peripety) Sub-plots / parallel plots -- major and minor conflicts



3. Climax: the point at which one or the other of the forces is favored; the point at which events must turn in one direction or another. Not necessarily the "high point"

Falling Action 4. Resolution / Denouement : whatever comes after the climax.Not always resolved satisfactorily: the "deus ex machina": "god of the machine" --a contrived or unrealistic or unbelievable ending / resolution.


CHARACTER: the essences of human behavior. Only human as much as the playwright and production have made them distinguishable from other characters, physically, socially, psychologically, morally.

The concept of "decorum" was important in the Neoclassical period--characters should behave according to their class /circumstances (Example: The Cid)

ComedyComedies are plays which are designed to be humorous. Comedies are often filled with witty remarks, unusual characters, and strange circumstances. Certain comedies are geared toward different age groups. CHARACTERS

ACCORDING TO THEIR FUNCTION IN

THE PLAY


• PROTAGONIST"agon" = struggle; the pro side of the struggle -- often used to refer to the lead character in a tragedy.

• ANTAGONISTthe anti side of the struggle -- often the bad guy, but could be anyone / thing that struggles against the protagonist.


• Foil / Counterpart reveals some aspects of the main characters by having similar or different circumstances or by behaving similarly or differently

• Stock Characters exemplify one particular characteristic, as in commedia dell' arte

• Type a character who is larger than life who has a "dominant trait" -- as opposed to a "real" or life-like individual [Sporre, 95]. -- similar to "stock" characters


Narrators / Chorus and Non-Human Characters

• Confidantea character whom the protagonist or other important character confides in...

Raisonneur / author's character speaks for the author, giving the author's morals or philosophy -- usually not the protagonist


THOUGHTidea, theme ("theme") of the play; often allegorical or symbolic sometimes direct, sometimes indirect.

Plays may often be written about an idea, but the playwright will probably focus more on plot and character to get idea across -- plays are seldom about an idea. In production, directors seldom try to direct the idea--it is the other values that will get the idea across.


DICTION / LANGUAGE

Language is used to:depart information, reveal characters, characterize, direct attention, reveal themes and ideas, establish mood / tone, establish tempo / rhythm appropriate to character (again, "decorum" had nobility speak poetry, peasants speaking prose).


MUSIC / SONG

The sound of the dialog, etc. musicality, rhythm, pace, etc. Helps establish mood, characterize, lend variety, pleasurable.

SPECTACLEThe most immediate element : appropriate and distinctive (but perhaps least important for the "drama / play").

THAT ENDS MY REPORT,THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

all about stage play

Education

certain comedies

comedy comedies

unusual characters

witty remarks

different age groups

strange circumstances

walworth farce