Essential Elements of Drama

PunDefinition: Play on the multiple meanings of a

word or on two words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Example:Q: What has four wheels and flies?A: A garbage truck!

Pun

• What do you call a pun sandwich?A punini.

Just be sure you serve the punch (line) at the right time.

• You are such a liar.How can I be lying if I’m standing up?

PUN

AsideDefinition: Words that are spoken by a character

in a play to the audience or to another character but that are not supposed to be overheard by the others onstage.

Do you think she saw me?

I don’t know, let’s find out…

AsideExample: While watching a

movie, a character in the movie receives a text message. Only that character and the audience (you) can read what is written, not other characters.

Why are you with her now?

SoliloquyDefinition: Long speech in which a character

who is onstage alone expresses his or her thoughts aloud.

Tonight was fun.

Yeah, let’s hang out soon.

Moments pass, now alone in her room…

Moments pass, now alone in her room…

I can’t believe it, that was such an amazing experience. Does he love me, does he love me not? To be, or not to be? I wonder if he is thinking of me, maybe I’ll give him a call soon because I’m alone now and I’m thinking out loud for me and the audience to hear.

Soliloquy• These beasts come in many different shapes

and forms. Could be a diary entry. The character is alone, sometimes someone is listening to them.

Monologue

Definition: A ‘conversation’ where only one person is talking.

Example:“When I was your age I had just gotten back from

the war, and in those days when we got back from wars the war was over, but the war wasn’t over, so when it was time to go back to war, we went back, and I never had any X-boxes, or Flaming hot cheetos, I had real war, and real fire, and when I was your age I had just gotten back from all that, the war you know…”

Dynamic CharactersDefinition: Characters that, throughout a play or

story, change in mood, personalities, attitudes, physically, or beliefs.

Example:Pinnochio, goes from wood doll to alive!Characters in the movie Crash gradually learn

about their own prejudices.

Sad Mad Happy

Static Characters

Definition: Characters who are the same throughout the whole story. They do not change.

Example:Alfred, the butler from BatmanMagic Carpet, the rug from Aladdin

Sad Sad Sad

Comic/Comedy

Definition: Anything or anyone that’s funny!

Tragedy

Definition: Overwhelming sadness, sad tragic events, events that leave people in anguish. Depressing.

Dramatic Irony

Definition: When the audience can see, or knows things, that the characters in the story can’t.

Example: Horror films- “Don’t go through that door, the

killer is in the house!!!”

This ----->Will not end well.

Foil

Definition: A character who is used as a contrast or the opposite to another character.

Example: Benvolio and TybaltDarth Vader and YodaNurse and Lady Capulet

Elements of Drama Group Project Presentations

Purpose: To demonstrate your comprehension of a specific term to the class. To gain knowledge through group/class collaboration.

Tasks• Get together with groups. • Complete the group assignment sheet related

to the element of drama.• Create a scene and script involving the

members of your group, showing what that term looks like when it is performed in front of an audience.

Text for worksheet• Group Members Names

Element of Drama:• 1. Define your element:

• 2. Where can we find your element, that is, in what situation (either in a movie, a play, or real life) would your element occur?

• 3. Why would an author use your element, for what purpose does it serve?• 4. Write an example of your element that can be found in Romeo and Juliet. Please

put the example in quotes with the page number and proper citation.

• 5. Write out the script for the scene that you intend to perform in front of the class. Be sure to include words, actions, setting, and stage direction for your scene. At the end of your script, answer the following question: How do you know the script for your scene will accurately demonstrate your element of drama to your classmates?

Rubric

Student Rubric