Drama Notes

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Drama Notes
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Types of Acting Roles

• 1. Leading rolesmain/major characters.
• 2. Supporting rolesminor characters

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Four types of stages

• 1. Proscenium stage.
• Proscenium--the arch or frame enclosing the
  visible stage the opening between the stage and
  the house.

Proscenium Arch
Stage Floor
Curtain line
Apron
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Arena Stage
audience
audience
audience
audience
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Thrust Stage
audience
audience
audience
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Stage directions

• Stage directions instructions in parentheses ( )
  that show emotion or action

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Common Stage Directions

• enter- -coming on stage
• exit- -leaving the stage
• crossmoving from one side of the stage to the
  other

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Stages used to be built with a rake or slope
Back of stage
Front of stage (audience)
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• Why would they need a rake?
• So the whole audience could see the stage

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• Do most stages have a rake today? Why not?
• No the audience is raked (sloped) instead.

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• Today, upstage is the direction away from the
  audience.
• Downstage is towards the audience.
• Stage left and stage right are set to the actors
  perspective.
• The area in which the audience sits is called the
  house.

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The stage is divided into 9 main areas
Front of stage
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The stage is divided into 9 main areas
Center Stage CS
Front of stage
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The stage is divided into 9 main areas
Stage Right
Center Stage CS
Stage Left
Front of stage
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The stage is divided into 9 main areas
Up Stage
Stage Right
Center Stage CS
Stage Left
Down Stage
Front of stage
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The stage is divided into 9 main areas
Up Stage Center USC
USR
USL
Center Stage Right CSR
Center Stage CS
Center Stage Left CSL
Down Stage Center DSC
DSR
DSL
Front of stage
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Two Main Types of Drama

• Comedies are light, humorous stories with happy
  endings.
• Tragedies are serious stories that often end in
  the downfall or deaths of major characters.

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What do the two masks often seen as a symbol of
drama represent?

• They represent comedy (smiling mask) and tragedy
  (sad mask).

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• Mood is the feeling a story or perfomance conveys.

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What rescources can you use to create mood on
stage?

• Lighting
• Sound
• Set/Scenery
• Props
• Costumes
• Makeup and Hair

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• Costumesclothes actors wear, appropriate to
  their characters
• Make-upcan be used to enhance facial features or
  to change actors appearances
• Props--items carried on stage
• Setbackdrop and scenery for a play, movie, or
  similar performance.

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• Information ranging from specific details to
  general references to costuming, props, and set
  can often be found in the stage directions, but
  must be interpreted by designers.

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Set Design Basics

• Curved lines and round shapes are usually found
  in comedies.
• Straight lines and sharp angles are usually found
  in tragedies.

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Color and Emotions

• Happinessyellow, orange

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Color and Emotions

• Angerred, black.

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Color and Emotions

• Sadnessgray, blue

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Color and Emotions

• Calmnesslight greens, light blues

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Color and Emotions

• Lifegreen, yellow

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Color and Emotions

• Deathblack