  Drama
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| The play's the thing, and there's plenty involved in making it succeed. While dialogue is crucial to the stage script, there are other factors that should also be considered. Some factors the writer can control, while others are determined by those that produce the play. Nonetheless, the playwright ought to keep these in mind at every stage of writing a play. In my 25th issue of the drama newsletter, I'll shed some light on these often neglected aspects of playwrighting. |
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While I have emphasized dialogue's role in scripts (especially in stage plays), there are other important factors to consider. Let's have a look at them.
 stage directions: Stage directions have come a long way since Shakespeare's heyday. During the Elizabethan era and for a couple centuries after, stage directions were sparse and concise. Here's a typical example of a Shakespearian stage direction.
[They fight.]
Stage directions have become more specific since the late Victorian Era, and we can thank playwrights such as Henrik Ibsen for this change in how stage directions are written out. Here are two quoted stage directions from his most well-known play, A Doll's House.
NORA
[playing with his coat buttons, and without raising her eyes to his]
*-from Act I
[She slams the door shut]
*-from Act III
When writing stage directions, do not attempt to choreograph every single move to be made by the actors. Allow a little room for improvisation so the scripted directions have a greater impact on the play. Remember, stage directions highlight moments of particular importance in a script. From what I've read, this is more applicable to plays than works written for the screen, but it can apply to both. And one final tip; if you wish to have a character speak a particular way, you can get away with using adverbs. I realize many advise against using adverbs except in very particular situations. However, with plays, there's less stigma attached to those "-ly" words.
setting: When developing setting in a play, you have to approach it differently than you would for writing a prose piece. Setting isn't unimportant in a play. It just might seem that way when you consider how it is established. Most plays have a paragraph at the beginning of each act describing what should be on stage, and there's a reference to the time and general place in that paragraph. However, much of the setting development rests in the hands of those putting the play in production. Why's that? When the play is performed, the greatest sense of setting is established in the set construction (props, backgrounds) and the costumes. When I was part of my middle school's production of Annie, I usually only saw a couple sentences describe the various settings, such as the alley where Annie meets Sandy and the Warbucks mansion. This allows for some flexibility with the staging of the production. Sure, you can specify that a character wears a particular item of clothing, but dictating how every aspect should appear would waste time and valuable script space. Now if you're directing the play yourself, you can be picky about those particular aspects of setting development.  If all else fails, look at it this way. The playbill usually gives a time and place description of the setting, so the audience has an idea of where and when the play takes place before the curtain rises.
location/audience: So...who exactly is going to be seeing this play, and where would they go to see it? This is actually something you should decide during the planning stages of the script. Otherwise, you could run into major problems if you put an elaborate set on a tiny stage. Your play should be proportional to the setting in which you choose to produce it. Likewise, in order to determine where you're going to produce the play, you have to have at least some idea who you want to see it. A middle aged person might not be thrilled with a musical version of Barney and Friends. Actually, neither would I, but that's a whole different story. Likewise, Dreaming of the Bones by W.B Yeats would go over many teenagers' heads. Once you have an idea for your audience, you can get a sense of where your play would be performed. Yeats' plays were often held in the tea rooms of aristocratic families, while the works of Tom Stoppard and Tennessee Williams were written for the Broadway stage. Depending on your audience, the potential venues for your play are endless. Plays can take place in a small auditorium, an outdoor stage, the pulpit of a church and even classrooms. Sure, this sounds like a lot of work, but determining who your audience is and getting an idea for venues will help determine the length of the play, the number of potential characters/actors involved and how to develop your setting. It will also save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
As you can see, playwrighting possesses its own set of challenges unique to the craft. However, these challenges are not entirely different from those you would encounter in prose writing. In the end, there are some things beyond the author's control when it comes to plays. I just hope I've been able to shed some light on facets authors can more easily manipulate.
Until next time,
(sig by nextmrsgoins) |
This month I've assembled a collection of scripts and monologues for your perusal.
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And for kicks and giggles, here's a freshly minted word search for your entertainment.
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From the looks of the inbox, you're out there enjoying what's left of your summer. I can't blame you. I've been working my summer away myself, so I can't say anything.  That said, let's take a look at the replied I did receive.
From Anne Light  : A very good newsletter, Elisa. An interesting perspective on writing and character, thought-provoking and inspiring - event though I don't write plays, or intend to. Anne
I'm glad you found the newsletter helpful even if you don't intend to write a play. I think that the lessons I learned from Stoppard can apply to any time of fictional writing. After all, there are times when no matter the type of writing you're doing, settings with multiple roles can save you from a sticky plot development situation. 
From ushouldnome: Thank you so much for the information. I am a playwright with no formal training, but a gift from God and a nice following. I wrote, directed, and produced my first stage play two years ago. This newsletter is a gem. I am going to purchase the book that you suggested.
It's good to see playwrights with followings, no matter how small. And it's also nice to see someone with experience in not only writing but directing and producing plays as well. Plays are a wonderful, if woefully underrated, form of writing and entertainment. I wish you the best of luck in your future playwrighting endeavors. Glad you found my newsletter helpful.
Next month I'm going to move from stage scripts to screenplays. In particular, I'm going to take a look at scripts adapted from previously written works (novels, short stories, etc.). Is there a story you'd like to see on the big screen? Is there a particular adaptation you feel was particularly solid or particularly horrid? I'd like to hear your opinions on this subject. I know you have them. 
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+] |
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Drama: August 22, 2007 Issue [#1903]
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