Creating the world of the Play

Limited time

(1) length of time is takes for a performance to be completed (2) the time limit placed on the characters within the framework of the play itself

Beijing Opera

A classical, traditional Chinese form that combines music, dance, and speech with elaborate, codified costumes, makeup, and movement; takes palce on an almost bare stage

Crises

A point in a play when events and opposing forces are at a crucial moment, and when the course of further action will be determined

Asian influenced Playwrights

Bertolt Brecht and Thornton Wilder

Family in conflict

Is any clash of ideas or interests within a family; Shakespeare frequently set members of one family against one another

Ground rules of theatre

Limited space, limited time, strongly opposed forces, balance of forces, incentive and motivation

Society's Point of View

Society heavily influences the artist's point of view and the points of view that shows up in plays during the time period

Obstacles

That which delays or prevents the achieving of a goal by a character. An obstacle creates complication and conflict.

Story

a full account of an event, or series of events, usually told in chronological order

A balance of forces

a hard fought and relatively equal contest is implicit in what has been said about opposing forces

Playwright

a person who writes plays

Drama

derived from Greek root, a verb "dran", meaning "to do" or "to act"

Greek golden age and renaissance

focused on the greatness of human beings and the cruelty of life

Incentive and motivation

good drama never lack incentive or motivation for its characters

Complications

introduction, in a play, of a new force, which creates a new balance of power and entails a delay in reaching the climax

Plot

patterned arrangements of events and characters in a drama, with incidents selected and arranged for maximum dramatic impact

Subject and Verb of Drama

people and action

The Dramatist's Point of View

point of view begins when a dramatist, a director, or a performance artist takes a strong personal view of a subject, deciding that it is grave, heroic, or humorous; point of view is incorporated by the playwright into the script itself

Opening Scene

the first scene of a drama starts the action and sets the tone and style for everything that follows

Climax

the high point in the development of a dramatic plot. The scene toward the end of a drama in which all the forces reach their highest pitch and the fate of all the characters is determined.

strongly opposed forces

the people conflict in a play that are fiercely determined to achieve their goals; ensures clear lines of force

Limited Space

theatre is limited to the stage; the action of a play is confined to a world of its own

Feminist plays

this form is often cyclical and without a single climax; instead of plot, there is a cyclical physical action; instead of logical cause and effect each scene is written as a new event; no hero, the subject of the play is a group of educated women sharing thoughts and ideas

Decisions the playwright makes

time and place, tone and emphasis (tragic or comedic?), way the story is told, subject matter (history, biography, creator's own life, fantasy, or nightmare), order of events of the play

Point of view

tragic or comedic? humorous or sad? or a mixture? People and events can be interpreted in widely different ways. How we perceive them depends on our point of view