performanc of a play

• Theater artists


  • Actors
  • Directors
  • Lighting technicians
  • Stage crew
• Thrust stage


  • The stage extends into the viewing area
  • The audience surrounds the stage on three sides
• In the round stage


  • Surrounded by an audience on all sides
• Proscenium stage


  • The playing area extends behind an opening called a "proscenium arch"
  • The audience sits on one side looking into the action
• Stage directions


  • upstage
  • stage right
  • stage left
  • downstage
• Stages in Shakespeare's time were thrust stages
• Scene design elements


  • sets
  • lighting
  • costumes
  • props
• Realistic and detailed set


  Transforms a bare stage into the world of the play
• Abstract and minimal set

  Transforms a bare stage into the world of the play
• Props


  Items that the characters carry or handle onstage
• Props person


  Makes sure the right props are available to the actors at the right moments
• Character speech forms


  • Dialogue
  • Monologue
  • Soliloquy
  • Asides
• Dialogue


  Conversations of characters onstage
• Monologue


  Long speech given by one character to others
• Soliloquy


  Speech by a character alone onstage to himself or herself or to the audience
• Asides


  Remarks made to the audience or to one character; the other characters onstage do not hear an aside
• A play needs an audience to experience the performance, understand the story, and respond to the characters
• performance of a play


  When you read a play, remember that it is meant to be performed for an audience
• Playwright (stage direction)


  describes the setting and characters’ actions and manner.
• Theater artists (performance)


  bring the playwright’s vision to life on the stage.
• audience (performance)


  responds to the play and shares the experience
• Theater artists include:


  Actors, Directors, Lighting technicians, Stage crew
• Stages can have many different sizes and layouts:

  “Thrust” stage

  The stage extends into the viewing area.

  The audience surrounds the stage on three sides.

  “In the round” stage is surrounded by an audience on all sides.
• scene design


  transforms a bare stage into the world of the play
• stage set


  might be realistic and detailed, abstract and minimal
• lighting director


  skillfully uses light to change the mood and appearance of the set.
• costume director


  works with the director to design the actors’ costumes: Like sets, costumes can be detailed and minimal.
• character's speech


  may take any of the following forms.
• The audience

  to experience the performance, understand the story, and respond to the characters.