Page 58 - Theatre_Arts_Form_5

Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

Characteristics of a stage play
(a) Stage plays are dialogue-driven, while screenplays rely on images to tell
the story and express characters.

(b) In the stage play, dialogue is a key. In this medium, characters use words
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to communicate their wants, dreams, manipulations and frustrations.

(c) In stage plays, characters often argue, shout and even break into
monologues or soliloquies.

(d) The dialogues, on stage plays, can be highly stylized with characters
speaking in sophisticated prose, rhythmic language and even poetry.

(e) Lastly, in most stage plays very limited locations are a norm.

Elements of stage play formatting

(a) List of characters: All characters that will appear in the script are
written on one of the preliminary pages and brief details about their
characterizations are provided.

(b) Acts: An act is a larger unit to which each scene makes its contribution.
Stage plays are structured into specific acts where each act has a specific
dramatization purpose, for example, Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3.

(c) Scenes: A scene is a subsection in an act which presents actions of a
character or characters at a specific time, specific place and intensity.
Examples of scenes are such as Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3 and the like.

(d) Stage directions: Stage directions are instructions provided in a script
to guide actors, directors and stage crew on where to go, what to do and
generally how to perform on stage. They describe the physical actions,
movements and positions of characters as well as provide details about
set design, lighting, sound effects and other technical aspects of the
production. Stage directions help playwrights to bring their vision on
stage to ensure the performance is performed as intended. Stage directions
are typically written in italics or parentheses and they are placed within
the script alongside the dialogue and in scene descriptions.

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THEATRE ART F5 fnl.indd 48 28/06/2024 15:04