5.03 Playwriting for Dummies

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

"As a playwright, you are a torturer of actors and of the audience as well. You inflict things on people."

- Tony Kushner

Aristotle's six elements of drama are

1. plot - the way the story is arranged, what happens in the story;

2. character - people presented in the play involving plot;

3. thought / theme / ideas - the idea of the play, the reason the playwright wrote the play;

4. diction / language - word choice made by the playwright, dialogue;

5. music - rhythm, melody, mood, and sound effects;

6. spectacle - sets, lighting, costume, and special effect, everything that is seen or heard.

Playwrights still follow these elements when creating a five act play or even a one act play.

 

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to... Develop character, dialogue, and stage directions. Create original and believable characters through characterization. The above objectives correspond with the Creative Writing Course Standards.