Stage Directions and Monsters are Due

Stage Directions in Drama

What do they do?

​Stage directions develop:

• Setting

• Theme

• Conflict

• and they can impact the resolution of the story

How do I find them

​Look for:

• ( Parenthesis)

• [ Brackets ]

• Italicized Font
  

Stage Directions Example:

​Tommy. Mr. Brand—you’d better not!

Steve. Why not?

Tommy. They don’t want you to.

(Steve and Charlie exchange a grin, and Steve

looks back toward the boy.)

What do the stage directions show about Steve and Charlie?
The stage directions show that Steve and Charlie do not take what Tommy says seriously.

Multiple Select

How do I find Stage Directions (Pick Three)

• (Parenthasis)

• [Brackets]

• Italicized Words

• Bold words

Multiple Select

What do stage directions develop?

• Setting

• Conflict

• theme

• What the actors do

Multiple Choice

Steve. Well, I guess what we’d better do then

is to run a check on the neighborhood and see

which ones of us are really human.

(There is laughter at this, but it’s a laughter that

comes from a desperate attempt to lighten the atmosphere. The people look at one another

in the middle of their laughter.)

What do the stage directs show about the people on Maple Street?

• They think what Tommy said is funny

• They think that aliens exist

• They are nervous about the situation

• They want Steve to check for aliens

Multiple Choice

(Fade in on Maple Street at night. On the side-

walk, little knots of people stand around talking in

low voices. At the end of each conversation they look

toward Les Goodman’s house. From the various

houses, we can see candlelight but no electricity.)

What do the stage directions help develop?

• setting

• conflict

• hyperbole

• tension

Multiple Choice

Les. What is this, a gag? (He looks around the

group again.) This a practical joke or something?

(Suddenly the car engine starts all by itself, runs

for a moment, and stops. One woman begins to

cry. The eyes of the crowd are cold and accusing.)

What do the stage above stage directions help develop?

• Theme

• Setting

• Imagery

• Conflict

Multiple Choice

Select a theme from The Monsters are Due on Maple Street​ ​ ​ ​ ​

• Fear can cause people to make unwise decisions
• Aliens are dangerous
• Tommy is a creative child
• The neighborhood should have listened to Steve