A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts. One-act plays may consist of one or more scenes. In recent years the 10-minute play known as "flash drama" has emerged as a popular sub-genre of the one-act play, especially in writing competitions. The origin of the one-act play may be traced to the very beginning of drama: in ancient Greece, Cyclops , a satyr play by Euripides, is an early example. Like all drama, one act plays are made up of the same elements that are necessary for short stories : Theme, Plot, Character, and dialogue.
Theme
The one-act needs to have a theme or thought just as a full-length does. What is the play about? Revenge? Self-discovery? Whatever your choice, it needs to be clear in your mind what your theme is. In a full-length play, all characters, plots, and subplots need to point to and support the theme. The one-act is not much different, except the subplots will likely be absent. Plot
This is much different in the one-act than in the full-length. For a full-length play, the plot is the series and sequence of events that lead the hero (and the audience) on the journey. In a one-act play there is really only time for one significant event. This is the determining place for the hero, where all is won or lost. Events that lead up to this must be incorporated into the script without the benefit of the audience seeing them. And any events that follow must be inferred or understood by the audience that they will occur.
Character
There is really only enough time in this to get to know one character well -- the hero. In the short time that the one-act play is going, it is the hero's event that the audience is experiencing; again, there isn't time for more than that. Some characteristics of the supporting
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characters, including the antagonist, will need to be portrayed for the story to move forward, but it is the character of the protagonist that is vital to the story line. Dialogue
Economy is the key here. Each line must be crafted carefully to focus on the theme, the incident, and the character of the protagonist. The dialogue need not be terse, but must be concise and full of meaning. Any lines that do not point to the focus of the play should be carefully considered whether they are needed.
Dramatic Analysis and Construction of the One-Act- Play
1. The Theme of the On-Act play 2. The Technic of the one act play a. The characters in the one act play b. The plot of the one act play 1. The beginning of the one act play 2. The middle of the play 3. The end of the play A. Dialogue of the play
THE INTERPRETATION OF DRAMA Interpretation is a series of intellectual and analytical mental acts that lead to a conclusion about the play’s meaning and significance. We can isolate four aspects of interpretation that we perform almost automatically. 1. Observe details of speech, setting, and action. 14
2. Connect these details into patterns; we relate them so they begin to make sense to us. 3. Draw inferences ----educated guess or hypotheses----- based on these connections. 4. Formulate from our inferences a consistent and coherent interpretation of the play. In reading (or viewing ) any play, it is important to distinguish between our experience of a play and our interpretation of it. Our experience concerns our direct apprehension of the ongoing performance either on stage or in our mind’s eye; interpretation concerns our comprehension of the work after we have finished reading or
seeing it
performed. Our experience of a play involves our emotions and subjective impressions of the plays dramatic action. Our interpretation of a play involves our ideas and thought about the meaning of that action. Our experience of a play is private, personal, and subjective: we discover how it entertains, moves, pleases, frustrates, or otherwise affects us. In interpreting a play, we try to discover what it might mean for others as well. We ask ourselves not so much:
How do I respond to the speech and actions of the characters?” but instead “ What do their speech and actions signify: what do they mean?”
THE EVALUATION OF DRAMA
What do we mean by the values displayed in a play? Generally speaking, we mean such things as cultural attitudes, moral dispositions, religious beliefs, and social norms. In considering such values as they emerge from our reading of any play, we should be careful to distinguish between the attitudes and dispositions of individual characters and those of the play (those of the author). We should also be aware of how our social and perspectives may differ in important ways from the social norms and cultural attitudes of earlier times. To acknowledge how our individual way of responding to a play is influenced by gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as religious and cultural identity, is important in assessing its worth both for ourselves and for others. Since the values a play’s characters display typically constitute an important focus of dramatic interest, our perception of the characters’ values will affect to a considerable degree, or own experience, interpretation, and evaluation of the overall work.
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Further complicating our evaluation of a play is the extent to which we appreciate and enjoy its literary and theatrical artistry. For example, we may admire the way playwrights structure plots, largely by dangling before us a series of temporarily unanswered questions. We may find merit in portrayals of characters or the symbolic use of costume and setting. We may be affected by the language of the play, both on long speeches and in briefer exchanges of dialogue. We may derive aesthetic pleasure from these and many other exhibitions of stagecraft. And the enjoyment we derive, coupled with our assessment of what we understand as the playwright’s central values or controlling idea, constitute the basis for our evaluation. So the evaluation of any play is tied to our interpretation of it. But our interpretation is affected by our perception of the moral and cultural values it exhibits. In identifying the play’s central concerns and in deciding which values are endorsed by the playwright, we shift back and forth between interpretation and evaluation. We do not first interpret the play and then evaluate it. We perform the two acts together. We evaluate and interpret a play, moreover, in conjunction with a subjective and immediate response to our experience of it. We can say, then, that each aspect of reading (experience, interpretation, and evaluation) affects the other, and the three aspects of reading drama taken together define or “reading” of any play. In the planning of a production there are several important steps.
1. Selection of the play 2. Casting of characters 3. The assignment and responsibilities 4. The preparation of the prompt book 5. Schedule of rehearsals. The play selected should be one in which everyone will enjoy working. A play having not more than five or six characters is usually most satisfactory, since larger groups find it difficult to schedule rehearsals; moreover, a small stage is inadequate for the movement of many people. The characterizations should be stimulating to all members of the cast and, if possible, should offer parts which are quite different from those played previously. 16
As soon as you have decided upon your play you will need to order additional copies from the publisher. While awaiting the arrival of these you will have an opportunity to plan all the details of the production. All production duties should be assigned to and agreed upon by a director, stage manager, prop manager, costume manager, sound and music manager, make-up manager, and business or publicity manager
Prompt book - is one of the important techniques to be learned from the project. It is
important because the production of a play is not a haphazard affair, but rather the result of organized planning, effective leadership, and coordinated responsibilities, without which there is chaos. The prompt book for a major production is compiled and kept by the director. It is a working handbook of all of the details connected with the play. Director A. Supervise the preparation of the prompt book, which will contain
1. Cast of characters and staging responsibilities. 2. Interpretation of the play—theme, mood, major conflict, climax 3. Style of production 4. Ground plan 5. Breakdown of the play 6. Rehearsal schedule 7. Prop plot 8. Costume plot 9. Make-up plots 10. Cue sheets for curtain , sound music, lights 11. Complete script with movement and business 17
12. Publicity management 13. Record of other details 14. Names, addresses, and phone numbers of entire cast B. Supervise rehearsals 1.
Conduct reading rehearsal, in which the play and character relationships are discussed and agreed upon.
2. Study the principles of movement and design; be responsible for unity, tempo and projection. II. Stage Manager
A. Draw the ground plan and make set sketch or model set if needed. B. Set up the stage for rehearsals and production. C. Supervise all backstage activity during rehearsals and production. D. Hold the prompt book during the rehearsals. E. Be familiar with the movement and business of each character so that you can take an actor’s play during the rehearsal. F. Make the cue sheet for curtain.
III. Prop Manager
A. Prepare for the set the prop plot, which lists all necessary props on stage and in the wings when necessary props on stage and in the wings when the curtain rises. B. Prepare the personal prop chat, which lists by character all props carried or handles by the actors. C. Supervise all the collection of necessary props and safe return of all borrowed items. 18
D. Supervise props used during rehearsals and productions.
IV. Costume Manager
A. Prepare the costume plot, do any necessary research on period costumes, and draw costumes sketches for each character. B. Coordinate the costume ensembles as to color and style. C. Supervise the collection of costume articles, the making and pressing of costumes, and the safe return of all borrowed items. D. Supervise the costume wardrobes during the dress rehearsals and production. Establish and maintain clean, orderly dressing rooms
V. Sound and Music Manager
A. Supervise the collection of sound-effect equipment. B. Supervise the selection and collection of music effects: 1. Music to establish mood. 2. Music required in the script. C. Make the cue sheets for sound and music effects. D. Operate the sound and music effects during the rehearsals and production. E. Be responsible for the safe return of all borrowed items.
VI. Make-up Manager
A. Design the make-up charts for each actor, specifying the exact materials used. B. Acquire the necessary make-up materials. C. Supervise the application of make-up. 19
D. Be responsible for the cleanliness of the make-up room and for returning make-up supplies. VII. Publicity Manager
A. Organize the development of publicity as to kind, amount, and tme. B. Make the posters and programs. C. See that royalty is paid, if this is required. D. Make necessary preparations if other cases or guests are to be invited. E. Provide ushers, a host for invited guests, and an announcer for the production.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
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Barnes,G and Sutcliffe, M.J.(1954) On Stage, Everyone. New York: MacMillan Company
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DiYanni, R. (1994) Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
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Kalaidjian, W.et.all ( 2004) Understanding Literature: An understanding to reading and Writing. Houghton Mifflin Company
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Kolin, P. ( 1998). Tennessee Williams: A Guide to Research and Performance. CT: Greenwood Pulishing Group
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“Aristotle’s Six Elements of Drama” (n.d.) Retrieved last August 8,2010 from http://www.kyshakes.org/Resources/Aristotle.html
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“Contemporary One Act Plays” (n.d) Retrieved August 8,2010 from http://books.google.com.ph/book 21
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“One Act Play” (n.d) Retrieved last August 8,2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-act_play
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“What’s in a One Act Play” (n.d.) Retrieved last August 8,2010 from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/playwriting/72788/1#ixzz0ufadW0I2
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