PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY DRAMA

• drama


  • literary form or composition intended to portray life or character or tell a story, involving actions and dialogues
  • comes from the GREEK WORD "DRAN" MEANS "TO DO" OR "TO ACT"
  • originally performed or enacted at theatrical stage
• HISTORY

  • pre-colonial
  • spanish regime
  • american colonization
  • japanese occupation
• pre-colonial period


  • drama was in a form of ritual, songs, and dances to praise God by the indigenous people
  • "PAMANHIKAN" or asking for woman hands in marriage, could also be considered as a form of drama
• spanish regime


  • spaniards used dramas such as ZARZUELAS, as a pedagogical tool to influence the pagan tribes and teach them about Christianity and religion
  • another kind of drama that was introduced was COMEDIA
  • moro-moro was also introduced in this period
• american colonization


  • influence in the PH theatre through introducing BODABIL/VAUDEVILLE was a mixture of skits, comedy acts, songs, dances, and sometimes magical acts
  • mainly introduced in a form of entertainment for american soldiers
• japanese occupation


  • bodabil lost its charms since japanese comfiscated and stop all of the practices that is related to american
• elements of drama


  1. plot
  2. characters
  3. thought
  4. diction
  5. music
  6. spectacle
• literary techniques 


  1. dialogue
  2. soliloquy
  3. staging
  4. dramatic irony
  5. tragic irony
  6. foreshadowing
  7. flashback
  8. motif
  9. symbolism
• dialogue


  • conversation between characters that reveals thought, emotions, and relationships
• soliloquy


  • speech where a character expresses thought aloud while alone on stage
  • providing insights into the inner conflicts and motivations
• staging


  • refers to the visual presentation of the play
  • including set design and actor's movement
• dramatic irony


  • where the audience knows than the characters
  • creating tension and anticipation
• tragic irony 


  • which are the consequences that are the tragic and contrary to what the character desire or intentions
• foreshadowing


  • a hint or clues about what will happen later in the story to build a tension
• flashbacks 


  • scenes that interrupt the present action to depict an earlier event
  • providing a piece of background information
• motif 


  • refers to recurring theme in the literary work
• symbolism


  • used when an object is meant to be a representation of something or an idea greater than the object itself
• kinds of drama

  1. comedy
  2. tragic
  3. farce
  4. melodrama
  5. tragicomedy
  6. musical drama
  7. opera
• comedy


  • aims to entertain audience
  • often featuring humorous situations and light-hearted tone
• tragic


  • explores serious theme often depicting the fall of protagonist due to the tragic flow of circumstances
• farce


  • subgenre of comedy that characterized by the exaggerations and improbable situations, relying heavily on physical humor or SLAPSTICK
• melodrama


  • appeal to the audience emotions through sensational storytelling
• tragicomedy


  • blend elements of both comedy and tragedy presenting serious theme with the moment of humor
• musical drama


  • dramas incorporate songs and dances into a narrative
• opera 


  • entire performance is sung combining singing, music, and dancing to convey a story
• moro-moro


  forbidden love between christian and muslim