MODULE 4: READING

AND WRITING
DRAMA (ONE-ACT)

Prepared by: Charelle Honey T.

Dumya-as
 LESSON 1: Elements,
Techniques and Literary
Devices in Drama

DRAMA (PLAY)
1-10

• Comes from the Greek word which means

action
• another word for a play
• Portrayed true stories (non-fiction) or stories
created through imagination (fictional)
• In the past, when modern movie theaters or
cinemas were not existing, theater plays or
dramas were very popular
PLAYWRIGHT/ DRAMATIST

-a person who writes or creates

a play
Shakespeare, who wrote the famous
play “Romeo and Juliet”, is one of the
most famous and successful
playwrights of all time. “Romeo and
Juliet” is a sad tragic love story ended
in the death of the lovers who are the
main characters in the play.
 LITERARY ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
 CHARACTERS
-people, animals or even ideas who are given life
in a play.
-they are the one who make the story happen in a
drama.
- characters are different from actors. Actors are
the ones who are doing the ‘acting’ or the
people who are portraying different
characters
 SETTINGS
-where and when the story in the play happened or
the time and place where the events in the
play took place .
(the play Romeo and Juliet has been set in the era
between 1300 and 1600 in Verona, Italy)
 LITERARY ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

 PLOT
-this element answer how the story happened in
the play. It describes the events, which relate to each other
in a pattern or sequence that makes up a story. The plot
helps playwrights organize the information in the play in an
understandable manner.
a. Exposition
b. Rising action
c. Climax
d. Falling Action
e. Denouement or Resolution
ASSIGNMENT: Watch the movie “THE
HOWS OF US” by Cathy Garcia-Molina
EXPOSITION: Primo and George are schoolmates
who fell in love and
decided to build and plan their future
together
RISING ACTION: Their relationship was put to the test
when Primo failed to
get his big break as a musician and turned
into an arrogant artist and an
irresponsible
boyfriend while George kept on sacrificing her
personal dreams for him
CLIMAX: George reached her breaking point and gave up
and Primo walked out of her life without leaving a trace.
FALLING ACTION: George has moved on and pursued
her dreams and Primo came back a changed man eager
to win her heart and trust again

RESOLUTION: George realized she is still in love with

Primo and felt that he deserves a second chance.
 DIALOGUE
LITERARY ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
-written by the playwright and spoken by the
characters in the play which can be found in
script
- the dialogue helps moves the action of the play
along
-they always come after the name of a character to
guide the actors as they memorize or
familiarize their lines.
Lably: Today is payday, Lovely.
Lovely: Yes… but…
Lably: But what? Where’s your payment for
this week?
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
A. ARISTOTLE’S SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
a. Plot
b. Characters
c. Dialogue
d. Theme
e. Music/Rhythm
f. Spectacles
B. THE MODERN THEATER
a. Conventions- techniques and methods used by the
playwright and
director to create a desired stylistics effect
b. Genre- type of play (comedy, tragedy, mystery
and historical play)
c. Audience- group of people who watch the play
C. TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
• Scenery (set)- this is the theatrical equipment (curtains,
flats, backdrops, or platforms) used in a dramatic
production to communicate environment.
• Costumes- these are the clothing and accessories worn
by actors to portray their character and period.
• Props- this is short for properties; any article, except
costume or scenery, use as a part of a dramatic
production; any moveable object that appears on stage
during a performance.
• Lights: this is the placement, intensity, and color of lights
to helps communicate environment, mood, or feelings.
• Sound: the effect an audience hears during performance
to communicate character, context, or environment
• Makeup: this includes costumes, wigs, and the body paint
used to transform an actor into a character
PLAY & MULTIPLY
 1 A. Scenic Designer

They are responsible in

B. Stage Manager
designing the visual
aspects of a play, such as
sets, costumes, and C. Lighting Designer

props.
D. Costume Desigmer
 2 A. Technical
Director
What role oversees the
B. Sound Designer
coordination of actors'
movements on stage and
the creation of dance C. Choreographer
sequences in a musical?
D. Director
 3 A. Dramaturg

Which role is in charge B. Production

of selecting and Manager
coordinating the music,
sound effects, and audio C. Publicity Manager
elements of a theatrical
production?
D. Sound Designer
 1 A. Lighting
Designer

Who is responsible for B. Stage Manager

designing and operating the
lighting for a play, creating
mood, atmosphere, and C. Costume Designer
highlighting key moments?

D. Scenic Designer
 1 A. Costume Designer
Which role focuses on
creating and sourcing
B. Choreographer
costumes that reflect the
characters' personalities,
time period, and setting of C. Sound Designer
the play?

D. Technical Director
 3 A. Scenic Manager

Who manages the technical

aspects of a production, B. Publicity Manager
ensuring that sets, props,
and effects are executed
C. Production
smoothly during
Manager
performances?
D.Technical
Director
 1 A. Dramaturg

Which role collaborates

with the director to create a B. Choreographer
cohesive vision for the
production, interpreting the
C. Lighting Designer
script and guiding the
actors' performances?
D. Stage Manager
 2 A. Publicity
Manager
Who is responsible for
managing the overall B. Costume Designer
production budget,
scheduling rehearsals, and C. Production
coordinating logistics for the Manager
cast and crew?
D. Stage Manager
 4 A. Scenic Designer
Which role is in charge
of coordinating the B. Publicity Manager
marketing, publicity, and
promotion of the play to
C. Costume Designer
attract audiences and
generate interest?
D. Sound Designer
 2
A. Director
Who is responsible for
ensuring the safety of the
cast and crew, implementing B. Choreographer
emergency procedures, and
maintaining a safe working
environment during C. Stage Manager
rehearsals and
performances?
D. Technical Director
 PUNISHMENT
Choose your Destiny
Sing the song
“ Ten little
Indian boys”
Jumping jacks
10 time
Imitate the face of
a constipated
Hippopotamus for
20 seconds.
 Do a twirk
infront of the
class 
Go in front
of the class
and write
the word
“JUMANJI”
in the air,
using your
finger.
 GREAT JOB
Jumanji is now
in good, wise
D. PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS

1. Acting- refers to the use of face, body, and

voice to portray character
2. Character Motivation: This is the reason or
reasons for a character’s behavior
3. Character analysis: In responding to dramatic
art, this is the process of examining how the
elements of drama – literary, technical, and
performance – are used.
4. Empathy: This is the capacity to relate to the
feelings of another.
5. Speaking: This refers to the mode of
D. PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS
6. Breath control: This refers to the proper use of the
lungs and diaphragm muscle for maximum capacity and
efficiency of breath for speaking.
7. Vocal expression: This is how an actor uses his or
her voice to convey character inflection or the change in
pitch or loudness of the voice.
8. Projection: This is how well the voice carries to the
audience
9. Diction: This is the selection and pronunciation of
words or the clarity of speech.
10. Gestures: These include movement of the actor’s
head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey
meaning.
11. Facial expression: This is the physical and vocal
aspects used by an actor to convey mood, feeling, or
TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY DEVICEOF DRAMA

 These techniques help bring the story to life

and arouse the intended emotions in the
audience or readers. A good play is one that
captures the audience’s/readers ‘heart and
attention while leaving important lessons or
realizations about society, family, love,
politics, poverty, life and other significant
issues we deal with every single day.
TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY DEVICEOF DRAMA
 A dramatic device is a convention used in drama as a
substitution for reality that the audience accepts as real
although they know them to be false. These techniques
give the audience information they could not get from
straightforward presentation of action. Some of these
literary devices are the following:
A. Soliloquy: This is a speech by a single actor who
is alone on stage. The character speaks out his/her
thoughts aloud for the audience to know and
understand what he/she is thinking.
B. Monologue: This refers to a long speech made by
one actor which may be delivered alone or in the
presence of others.
TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY
C. Dramatic Irony: ThisDEVICEOF DRAMA
occurs when a character’s
words or acts carry a larger meaning that the
character does not perceive. He/she expects the
opposite of what fate holds in store, or unknowingly
says something that has a double meaning. The
audience, however, is fully aware of the character’s
situation.
D. Foreshadowing: This is the playwright’s use of
“hints” or “clues” which prepares the
audience/reader for future events or the outcome.
E. Imagery: This is creating images in the
audience’s/readers’ mind through the use of vivid
words. The use of figurative language is a good
technique to stir and challenge the readers’
imagination.