Elements of a Play

This is the element that makes the play come to life. This element moves the story forward. In this element, actors portray the roles of other people, animals, inanimate objects, or even ideas.

• character

• theme

• setting

• conflict

This is the time and place that a story occurs. Authors often use descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, seasons, or weather to provide a strong sense of this element

• plot

• setting

• dialogue

• theme

It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and it makes the character move. The character must overcome these opposing forces to achieve the goal.

• theme

• music or rhythm

• conflict

• spectacle

It is the central idea of the play. These are always relatable to human experiences, for they are universal in nature.

• themes

• plot

• spectacle

• music or rhythm

This a series of events and character actions that relate to the central conflict.

• music or rhythm

• setting

• plot

• spectacle

These are the lines written by the playwright that are spoken and acted by the characters in play. Even when there is a plot or a story line already set, it would come to life more vividly by having an exchange of lines and conversations among characters in the story.

• dialogue

• spectacle

• props

• stage design

In modern theater, this refers to the musical scoring, but in the earliest forms of drama, this

refers to the harmony of voices presented by the actors during the performance.

• music or rhythm

• stage design

• props

• spectacle

This refers to the overall visual representation of the story that is seen through the set design, costumes of the actors and actresses, and even the special effects used that will make the performance seem real.

• props

• spectacle

• character analysis

• costumes