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SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE (Adapted from Region V Modules)

Elements, Techniques and Literary Devices in Drama

What is Drama?
A drama, or play, is a piece of writing that is presented almost exclusively through
dialogue. The word drama comes from Greek word “dran” meaning “to act or to do.”
Hence, drama like other forms of literature which imitates life. It is a form of literature
which is played in a theatre, in which actors/ actresses take the roles of the characters, perform
the action, and express the written dialogue. It is designed for representation on the stage by
actors who act the parts of the characters of its story, and among whom the narrative and the
dialogue are distributed. Drama generally takes the form of the theatre performance but it can
as easily be transferred broadcasting to a home television screen, or to the printed page.
Finally, drama mirrors the life, customs, manner and general living habits of then
people.

What’s In
List down five (5) movies that you have watched either international or local film and then
identify the setting (time and place of the story), characters (actors and actress present), and
three (3) sentences which give the conflict or problem of the story.
Example:
Movie Title Setting Characters Conflict/ Problem
( at least 2)
The Plantation Noah The biggest conflict in "The
Notebook home in Calhoun Notebook" is when Allie has to go
New Bern, and Allison back to New York and has to leave
North Nelson Noah behind. Noah writes Allie
Carolina (Allie) everyday but Allie's mother Anne
hides them all from her and Allie
doesn't find out about them till she
goes back to where Noah lives. But
soon Allie tells Noah she is engaged
to be married. Allie has to make a
huge choice between Noah and her
new Fiancé James Marsden. James
has money, owns his own business
and is a very successful intelligent
young man. But as everyone
would assume, Allie picks the sweet
an amazing Noah Calhoun.

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What is It?
Elements of Drama
1. Characters – these are the people (actors) who portray roles in a play. It is the characters
who move the action, or plot of the play forward.
2. Setting – this identifies the time and place of the story. It consists of the historical period, the
moment, day, and season in which the incidents take place. It also includes the sceneries in the
performance.
3. Plot –this refers to the action which also connotes the sequence of events in the story.

Kinds of Plot
a. Dramatic or Progressive Plot- it happens in a chronological structure.
b. Episodic Plot- this consists of a series of loosely related incidents, usually of chapter length.
c. Parallel Plot- this consists two or more dramatic plots that are usually linked by a common
character.
d. Flashback- This structure conveys information about events that occurred earlier.

Elements of Plot
a. Exposition: At the beginning of the story, characters, setting, and the main conflict are
typically introduced.
b. Rising Action: The main character is in crisis and events leading up to facing the conflict begin
to unfold. The story becomes complicated.
c. Climax: At the peak of the story, a major event occurs in which the main character faces a
major enemy, fear, challenge, or other source of conflict. The most action, drama, change, and
excitement occurs here.
d. Falling Action: The story begins to slow down and work towards its end, tying up loose ends.
e. Resolution/Denoument: Also known as the denouement, the resolution is like a concluding
paragraph that resolves any remaining issues and ends the story.
4. Dialogue – This refers to the words written by the writer and spoken by the
characters in the play. It connotes action in the play

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Literary devices – these add texture, energy, and excitement to the narrative, grip the reader’s
imagination, and convey information as a form of a narrative technique.

❖ Intertextuality denotes the way in which texts gain meaning through their referencing or
evocation of other texts. Julia Kristeva, a poststructuralist, developed the term intertextuality,
in the 1960’s. Since then, this has been widely accepted by postmodern literary critics and
theoreticians. Basically, when writers borrow from previous texts, their work acquires layers of
meaning.

Different types of Intertextuality

These variations depend on two key factors: the intention of the writer and the significance of
the reference.
a. Obligatory – the writer deliberately invokes a comparison or association between two or
more texts.
b. Optional – has a less vital impact on the significance of the hypertext.
c. Accidental – it is when readers often connect a text with another text, cultural practice, or a
personal experience based on his/her prior knowledge.
d. Citation – happens when the author is borrowing an idea or phrase from someone else. It is
about giving credit to the original author.
e. Allusion – is a particularly common form of deliberate intertextuality – it’s when one text
makes a deliberate, but subtle, reference to another.
f. Plagiarism – is stealing another person’s work without giving them proper credit or
permission.
g. Parody – an imitation of another text for satirical purpose; usually to mock.

Example 1
Fan fiction is a great example of deliberate intertextuality. In fan fiction, authors enter the
fictional worlds of other authors and create their own stories. For example, a Lord of the Rings
fan fiction might tell the story of minor characters or add new characters to the world of Middle
Earth. Sometimes, fan fiction becomes extremely successful in its own right – 50 Shades of Grey
was originally written as Twilight fan fiction.
https://www.businessinsider.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-started-as-twilight-fanfiction-2015-6

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Example 2
Martin Luther King’s writing was heavily influenced by the work of Mohandas Gandhi, especially
in the area of nonviolent resistance. Much of this intertextuality was deliberate, with King
explicitly crediting Gandhi as one of his influences. Scholars, however, have debated whether
there might have been other aspects of Gandhi’s writing, such as his aesthetic style, that also
influenced King in a more latent way.
https://time.com/5221314/martin-luther-king-jr-speeches/

What I Have Learned

Fill in the blanks.
1. __________ are the people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors in the play.
2. __________ wrote the story “Crashing in my Ears”.
3. __________ identifies the time and place in which the events occur. It
consists of the historical period, the moment, day and season in which the incidents take place.
It also includes the sceneries in the performance.
4. __________ refers to the action; the basic storyline or the sequence of events inside a story.
5. __________ refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in
the play.
6. __________ are narrative techniques add texture, energy, and excitement to the narrative,
grip the reader’s imagination, and convey information.
7. __________ denotes the way in which texts gain meaning through their referencing or
evocation of other texts.
8. __________ is stealing another person’s work without giving them proper credit
9. __________ is an imitation of another text for satirical purpose; usually to
mock.
10.The first step in writing a script for one-act play is to outline the __________.
11.The second step in writing a script for one-act play is to develop the __________.
12. The third step in writing a script for one-act play is to decide on the __________.
13.The fourth step in writing a script for one-act play is to develop the __________ of the play.
14.The fifth step in writing a script for one-act play is to read the __________ of the play.

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15.The final step in writing a script for one-act play is to __________ the script.

SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE

Quarter 2
The Knights of the Pen and their Fashion In this module you will learn the following:
1. Definition of Intertextuality;
2. Types of Intertextuality; and
3. Importance of Intertextuality as a technique of drama.

Understand Intertextuality As a Technique Of Drama

LEARNING ABOUT IT
The word ‘intertextuality’ was derived from the Latin word intertexto meaning ‘to
mingle while weaving’. It was first introduced in literary linguistics by Bulgarian-born French
semiotician and philosopher Julia Kristeva in the late 1960s. In her manifesto which includes
such essays as "The Bounded Text" and "Word, Dialogue, and Novel," Kristeva broke from
traditional notions of the author’s influences and the text’s sources. She argued that all
signifying systems, from table settings to poems, are constituted by the way they transform
earlier signifying systems. A literary work, then, is not simply the product of a single author, but
of his/her relationship to other texts (both written and spoken), and to the structure of
language itself.

There are different types of Intertextuality:

Appropriation
Allusion
Parody
Quotation
Adaptation

Appropriation is where a text is adapted from the original text. It's important to note it isn't
just copied instead reimagined in some way to make it new whether it's for a different context
or a different audience.

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Allusion this is where you allude to something so it's referenced to another text so not only can
it be a reference to a text but it can also be a person a place or an event. The audience or
reader has to make the connection.
Parody is a funny interpretation of a text. It is mimicking or copying a text in order to comment
on it, a humorous interpretation of serious piece of literature, writing, art or music. Its main
purpose is to entertain the reader.
Quotation: A direct reference to another text with acknowledgement of its composer
Adaptation: A film, TV Drama, or stage play that is based on a written work.
Intertextuality also involves the reader, the situation being refer to and its context.
In traditional literary theory it is assumed that when we read a work of literature, we are
trying to find a meaning which lies inside that work. We extract the meaning of the text. This
process of extracting is called interpretation. Intertextuality in drama has been widely used
since then.
Here in the Philippines, one of the most renowned is drama specifically theater. Some of
the types of theater in the country are the epic poetry Biag ni Lam-ang, Senakulo or Passion
Play and Balagtasan. These theater plays have never-ending adaptations.

The Importance of Intertextuality

Intertextuality shows how much a culture can influence its authors, even as the authors
in turn influence the culture. It also shows how a similar cultural, religious, political, or moral
ideology can be expressed in very different ways through different cultural practices.
You are now halfway there to finish your training. You have learned the definition, types
and importance of Intertextuality. Now, I think you are more eager to pass this quest.
Direction: Read the questions carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space
provided.
_______1. What is intertextuality?
A. The relationship between texts.
B. Allusions from one text to another.
C. The translation of a text into a different language.
D. Copying of ideas and texts
_______2. Who introduced intertextuality in literary linguistics?

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A. Graham Allen C. Ferdinand de Saussure

B. Julia Kristeva D. Mikhail Bkakhtin
_______3. A filmmaker decides to make a remake of Senakulo . This is an example of
A. Allusion B. Appropriation C. Parody D. Citation
_______4. Which of the following would not be an example of intertextuality?
A. A translation of one work into a different language.
B. A poetic homage to an earlier writer by adopting that writer’s theme and tone.
C. The main characters of two unrelated works coincidentally both named Bob.
D. Movies having different titles but same characters and content.
_______5. Which of the following statements is not an example of intertextuality in Tom
Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead?
A. Tom Stoppard used the same character names as in Shakespeare’s original play.
B. The Disney movie The Lion King is also based somewhat on Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
C. Parts of the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead are exact quotes from Shakespeare’s
Hamlet.
D. None of the Above

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SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE

Quarter 2
The Story Factory; The Men, The Twist and The Abode
Conceptualizing Character/Setting/Plot in One-Act Play

VOCABULARY BUILDER
ONE-ACT PLAY is one of the principal divisions of a theatrical work (such as a play or opera) a
play in three acts
CHARACTER is a personage in a narrative or dramatic work; also a kind of prose sketch briefly
describing some recognizable type of person.
PLOT is the sequence of events that make up a story, whether it’s told, written, filmed, or sung.
SETTING is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It’s a literary element of
literature used in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and usually introduced during the
exposition (beginning) of the story, along with the characters.

Unlock the unfamiliar words that will be used in this lesson. Follow the directions to
help you find the hidden words in the puzzle.
Direction: Find in the puzzle the word being defined in each item. The words can be
read vertically, horizontally, or upwards. Write your answer on the space provided before the
number.

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_______________ 1. a file containing detailed records on a particular person or subject.

_______________ 2. a name that is used instead of someone’s usual first name to express
fondness or familiarity
_______________ 3. one’s distinct perspective on things
_______________ 4. having sufficient depth and substance to be believable
_______________ 5. foolish; stupid
_______________ 6. a person who writes plays
_______________ 7. not harmful or offensive
_______________ 8. a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected,typical one that is
unwelcome
_______________ 9. absolutely necessary
_______________10. required to be done

WARM UP

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Guide Questions
Have you ever watched a live or televised stage play before? If yes, how was your
experience watching it?
Look at the quotation above. According to Sir Ian Mckellen, who are the only persons
visible to the audience during stage play? You’re right! It’s the audience.
Do you agree with him when he said that it is only the actor who can take total control of
an ongoing show or performance and not anyone else? Why or why not?

LEARNING ABOUT IT
CONCEPTUALIZING CHARACTER
Character is the heart and mind of your story– John Gardner Characters are so vital. They
literally define the art of drama and distinguish it from all other literary genres. A one-act play is
9-12 pages with four characters or less.
Your main character is everything in your story. They might be likable or awful, yet we generally
emphasize with them because we feel what they feel too. You may also use pet names.
The viewpoint character may or may not be the main character. Nevertheless, we see and hear
the story through them and there may be more than one viewpoint character. They are the

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narrators. Generally, you rely on them to move the story along and tell the truth of it. However,
you may invent what is called an unreliable narrator. It is usually a character who we monitor
and soon learn to distrust, however much fun they are.
The most common and effective ways by which to present a character in a story
are:
1) through appearance or physical description;
2) through speech or dialogue;
3) through action; and
4) through the thoughts and feelings of the character.

It helps to further flesh out character in pre-writing by using a character profile - dossier.
Even if you will not include all the information on the character profile in your story, it helps to
make the character more real. You may include standard bio-data like the name, birth date or
birth sign, height, weight, and also more information, like favorite hang-out, least liked school
subject, dream car, etc. You can also write down the things the character is most likely to say in
given situations, such as when someone cuts in front of the line, when asked for an excuse for
tardiness in class, or when called to claim the grand prize in a raffle.

CONCEPTUALIZING SETTING
A basic formula to remember is: setting = scene (time + place) + mood/atmosphere.
For example, the combination of a time like “midnight” and a place like “a Gothic
cemetery” has a natural resulting atmosphere that is “eerie or scary”. This could be the static
backdrop of a novel on Dracula.
Unusual or unexpected details, however, may be added. Setting, then, becomes more
dynamic and ceases to be a mere introduction or decoration in the story. In our example, the
cemetery at night could be “invaded” by a group of teen-age Halloween revelers who bring
their class party to an authentic setting, thus waking up the dead, both in a literal and figurative
way. The niches could be lined with lanterns and the tombs laden with food.
Setting can also be treated like a character if it is made “to do things” in the story or to
the character that create tension or conflict. For instance, a stubborn wind in the UP Sunken
Garden messes up the hair of students and whips up a storm of loose sheets of xeroxed hand-
outs.
CONCEPTUALIZING PLOT

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A one-act play is a play that has only one-act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts.
One act play may consist of one or more scenes.
To begin your plot, you need to choose the genre of your story followed by these Guide
Questions:

✓ Romance: Do the lovers get together and live happily, or do they separate
and feel miserable?

✓ Mystery story or quest: Will the character solve the mystery or find what he
seeks?

✓ Adventure or war story: Does the character survive the hostile environment
he’s battling against or overcome the enemy?

✓ Rags to riches: Will the character succeed or fail?

✓ Redemption story: Will the character save others, or transform himself?

✓ Coming of age: Does the character grow up, and if so, how and why?
✓ Tragedy: Does the character escape his fate or not, and if not, why?

Ten Tips to Develop your Plot

1. Create a world that's true to real life or fantastical or that mixes the mundane with the
magical. But whatever set of rules you create for that world, make sure you follow them.
2. Write a conflict that builds as the play progresses. As you structure the conflict, think in
terms of your play having a beginning, a middle and an end.
3. Write characters that want something (which puts them in conflict with other characters)
and try to get what they want at every moment.
4. Make sure that each character has something at stake, a consequence if he doesn't get what
he wants.
5. Create a "ticking clock" that puts the characters under pressure to get what they want right
away.
6. Make sure there is a good reason, an "event," for your play. It's not enough for two
characters to sit around and talk for a while and then leave. There needs to be some important
reason why we're watching them now, at this particular moment.
7. Write dialogue that illuminates your characters and advances the plot at the same time.

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8. Make each character speak in a distinctive voice. If you have trouble with that, try imagining
a specific actor you know - even if it's someone who will never play the part - in the role.
9. Do not have a
character tell us
something she can
show us instead. For
example, it's much more
effective to hide under
the bed than to say "I'm
afraid."
10. Give each
character a "moment,"
something that
justifies the character's
existence in your play
and that makes him
attractive for an actor to
play.

One-Act play follows the standard format of short story. See the figure below.

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SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE

Quarter 2
On Exploring Different Staging Modalities vis-à-vis Envisioning the Script
Identifying the Parts of Greek Stage

I prepared a checklist of To-Dos so you will not be out of track.

To dos:
1. Identify the individual parts of the Greek stage;
2. Describe how actors move around the Greek stage during ancient
times; and
3. Create a miniature Greek Stage.

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VOCABULARY BUILDER

Literary Terms refer to the technique, style, and formatting used by writers and
speakers to show emphasis, beauty, and strength of composition.

Direction: Use a literary dictionary and search for the meaning of the following
terms. Write your answers on the space provided for each it

1. Greek - ___________________________________________________________
2. Greek tragedy -_____________________________________________________
3. Greek Comedy- ____________________________________________________
4. Athens- ___________________________________________________________
5. Polis- _____________________________________________________________

WARM UP
Have you ever heard of the Greatest Theater in the World? Unfold and be
amazed of the mysteries of this structure.
Direction: Watch the video The Greatest Theater uploaded by Discovery UK.
After watching, answer the questions that follow.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CVO9Vd067U

Guide Questions:
1. What makes the Greatest Theater mysterious?
2. What symbolisms were mentioned in the video?
__________________________________________________________________
3. What is the purpose of the snake in the Greek Stage?
_________________________________________________________________

LEARNING ABOUT IT

PARTS OF GREEK THEATRE

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Greek tragedies and comedies were always performed in outdoor theaters with
wonderful acoustics and seemingly open to all of the male populace (the presence of women is
contested). Early Greek theaters were probably little more than open areas in city centers or
next to hillsides where the audience, standing or sitting, could watch and listen to the chorus
singing about the exploits of a god or hero. From the late 6th century BC to the 4th and 3rd
centuries BC there was a gradual evolution towards more elaborate theater structures, but the
basic layout of the Greek theater remained the same. The major components of Greek theater
are labeled on the diagram
above.

Orchestra: The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was normally circular. It was a level space
where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near
the skene. The earliest orchestras were simply made of hard earth, but in the Classical period
some orchestras began to be paved with marble and other materials. In the center of the
orchestra there was often a thymele, or altar. The orchestra of the theater of Dionysus in
Athens was about 60 feet in diameter.

Theatron: The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron
was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion
of the orchestra (see the diagram above). Spectators in the fifth century BC probably sat on
cushions or boards, but by the fourth century the theatron of many Greek theaters had marble
seats.

Skene: The skene (literally, "tent") was the building directly behind the stage. During the 5th
century, the stage of the theater of Dionysus in Athens was probably raised only two or three
steps above the level of the orchestra, and was perhaps 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The
skene was directly in back of the stage, and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other
building,
depending on the needs of the play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make
entrances and exits through them. There was also access to the roof of the skene from behind,
so that actors playing gods and other characters (such as the Watchman at the beginning of
Aeschylus' Agamemnon) could appear on the roof, if needed.

Parodos: The parodoi (literally, "passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some
actors (such as those representing messengers or people ‘Due to the restricted number

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of actors each performer had to take on multiple roles where the use of masks, costumes, voice
& gesture became extremely important.’ returning from abroad) made their entrances and
exits. The audience also used them to enter and exit the theater before and after the
performance.

Staging a Play
Here are the basic parts of a greek tragedy, Agamemnon that will show you how actors move
around the stage with sample script. (line numbers correspond to Lattimore's Chicago
translation)

1. Prologue: 1-39
The watchman tells about the hardships of his long watch and jumps for joy when he sees the
beacon announcing the fall of Troy.

2. Parodos: 40-257
The chorus enters, dancing and singing. They describe the events surrounding the sailing of the
fleet for Troy ten years earlier, including Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter Iphigeneia.

3. First Episode: 258-354

The chorus tells Clytaemestra of the fall of Troy. Clytaemestra describes how she arranged the
relay of beacon fires that have brought the news.

4. First Stasimon: 355-474

Chorus tells how Zeus has punished the misdeeds of the Trojans, and reminds the audience of
how much pain the war has caused the Greeks.

5. Second Episode: 475-680

The herald arrives and tells Clyaemestra and the chorus about the victory at Troy
.

6. Second Stasimon: 681-781

The chorus reflects on the destructive power of Helen, and debates whether it is wealthby
itself, or only acts of evil induced by wealth, that causes disaster for humans.

7. Third Episode: 767-974

Agamemnon arrives, and Clytaemestra greets him. Clytaemestra convinces him to walk on the
tapestry into the house.

8. Third Stasimon: 975-1034

The chorus describes their fear about what might happen.

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9. Fourth Episode: 1035-1068

Clytaemestra reappears and tries to get Cassandra to go within. She fails, and returns alone into the
house.

10. Epirrhematic: 1069-1177

Cassandra sings cryptically about the history of the house of Atreus, and what is to occur.

11. Fifth Episode: 1178-1447

Cassandra stops singing, and begins to speak more clearly about the crimes of the house of
Atreus, and Agamemnon's and her own impending death. Cassandra goes into the house. The
chorus hears and reacts to Agamemnon's death cries, and Clytaemestra reappears and explains
her actions.

12. Epirrhematic: 1448-1576

The chorus and Clytaemnestra, singing, argue. Clytaemestra tries to justify her actions.

13. Sixth Episode: 1577-1673

Aegisthus appears and argues with the chorus. Aegisthus, Clytaemestra, and
the chorus leave the stage at the end.

KEEPING YOU IN PRACTICE

Direction: Read the questions carefully. Encircle your answer.

1. The Greek word "theatron" means:
a. Performance space c. Acting place
b. Viewing place d. Performance place

2. Greek theatre masks were created solely for entertainment purposes:

a. True b. False

3. Which is not a responsibility of the chorus:

a. Sets the overall mood of the play
b. Determines the fate of the protagonist
c. Serves as a character, giving advice, expressing opinions, asking questions, etc
d. Can establish the ethical or social framework of events

4. Who attended Greek theatre tragedies

a. Everyone c. Whoever could afford the ticket price
b. Only the rich d. Old Men and Children

5. Greek Theatres were located in temples.

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a. True b. False

6. Women roles in Greek theatre were always played by women.

a. True b. False

7. Greek gods were never portrayed on stage.

a. True b. False

8. What area is shown in red?

a. Orchestra b. Theatron c. Skene d. Parodos

9. What area is shown in red?

a. Orchestra b. Parodos c. Skene d. Theatron

10. What part of the Greek theatre is the blank box on?

a. Skene b. Theatron c. Parados d. Orchestra

11. The building in this picture was known as the:

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a. Theatron b. Parodos c. Orchestra d. Skene

12. Greek theatres had excellent acoustics despite being able to seat up to 65,000 people.
a. True b. False

13. What symbolic object was placed in the middle of the orchestra?
a. A goat b. A mask c. A bonfire d. An alter

14. Greek masks are thought to have included a sort of built in megaphone to
help audiences hear.
a. True b. False
15.To the Greeks, the "Chorus" meant
a. "The Priests" b. "Goat Singers" c. The Alters" d. "The Songs

COOLING DOWN

Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays
at religious festivals. These, in turn, inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays.

The parts of the Greek stage have different functions.

Direction: Identify the functions of each part of the Greek Stage. Use a specific
color for each part. Follow the legend below:

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1. It is also called
the dancing space. The
altar is also located on
this
part
2. It is where the spectators sat. It also known as ‘viewing place’

3. This part is the entrance and exit of the audience.

4. This is where the actors will act. It is made of tent.
5. It is usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra

LEARNING CHALLENGE (PERFORMANCE TASK)

Lessons are best understood when you experience doing it firsthand. At this point, show your
creativity by making your own miniature Greek stage. Follow the pointers below:

Pointers in Making a Mini-Theater

1. Use any scrap materials like paper, plastic containers, clay or anything that is available
near your home.
2. Create a three-dimensional replica or a drawing of a Greek theater. Size depends on the
availability of your materials.
3. Label all the parts of your Mini-Greek Stage.
(A rubric will be used to evaluate your output.
(To the teacher: See attachment in the Appendix)
Learning Activity Sheet in Creative Writing Conceptualizing
Character/Setting/Plot in One-Act Play)

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Name of Leaner:
Grade Level:
Section:
Date:

I. Direction: MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE. Read and understand each statement carefully. Write
TRUE if the statement is correct. If it is incorrect, replace the underlined word/s with the
correct one to make the sentence true.
____________1. A person portrayed in a literary work is called character. It is the heart and
mind of your story
____________2. PLOT is the sequence of events that make up a story, whether it’s told,
written, filmed, or sung.
____________2. SETTING is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It’s a literary
element of literature used in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and usually introduced
during the exposition (beginning) of the story, along with the characters.
____________3. Resolution is the part of the story that reveals the solution and takes care of
the conflict.
____________ 4. Rising action is the element of plot where the author introduces the
characters and setting.
____________ 5. In exposition, the problem/conflict is introduced.
____________ 6. Prewriting is essential to create believable characters.
____________ 7. Setting can be an antagonist because time and weather can affect the
character.
____________ 8. In a one-act play, there is only time for one significant event.
____________ 9. Your main character plays the most important role in your story.
____________10. The playwright arranges the dramatic action into a cohesive design also
known as setting.
II. Write a summary about a movie/teleserye that talks about Rags to riches story. Did the
character succeed or fail?
Creativity – 2
Originality -2
Appropriateness – 1
QUARTER 2
SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE

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The Playwright’s One-Act Stage

Write at least one scene for one-act play applying the various elements, techniques, and
literary devices.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Now that you and the quill are one dear playwright keep these terms close, you will use them in
creating your one-act play later!
✓ Antagonist: a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an
adversary.
✓ Back-story: Information about a character’s past that helps viewers to better understand the
story.
✓ Crisis: A point in the plot when two or more forces confront each other.
✓ Denouement: The period that follows the climax, when any remaining issues are resolved.
✓ Dialogue: conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play or movie
✓ Exposition: The parts of a script that show what happened previously and identify the
characters and the time and place of the action. Exposition shouldn’t be spelled out by the
characters, rather it should be an invisible part of the story.
✓ Log line: A compelling one- or two-line description of a screenplay that sells your idea.
✓ Master scene: All the action and dialogue that occurs within one setting at a detailed time,
preceded by a slug line (see below).
✓ MacGuffin: An object that moves a story forward: For example, a clue, such as Cinderella’s
glass slipper, or something desperately wanted by a character.
✓ Plot point: A specific occurrence within a script when something happens to change the
direction of the story.
✓ Protagonist/Hero: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie,
novel other fictional text
✓ Scene: One event in a screenplay, with a beginning, a middle, and an end; a scene often
contains a crisis or confrontation and always advances the story.
✓ Shot description: A description of the action in a scene. For example: “Trina, twenty-five,
dressed in nurse’s scrubs, enters the hospital corridor briskly, headed for her patient’s room.”
This information follows the slug line(see below) and is given in lowercase letters.
✓ Slug line: Identifies the time and location of a scene. Follow these guidelines:
INT. (interior) and EXT. (exterior) indicate whether the scene is
taking place inside or outside.
o Provide the scene’s location: BARN, BEACH, or LIVING ROOM, for example.
o Indicate the time of NIGHT or DAY.
o A slug line for one scene might read INT. LIVING ROOM—NIGHT. The slug line information is
always given in capital letters.

✓ Storyboard: Sketches of a script’s scenes that the director uses to plan

the making of the film.

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✓ Synopsis: A summary of a script, generally only a few paragraphs long.

✓ Treatment: A breakdown of a story that describes it in just a few pages (ten to twenty is
standard). Often a producer who is considering a script will ask to have a treatment written to
sell him or her on the story.
✓ V.O.: Stands for voice-over and entails commentary by a character or narrator that is heard
from off screen or that is set up as a character’s thoughts.

LEARNING ABOUT IT
THE SIMPLICITY OF THE ONE-ACT PLAY

All writing is performance. Style performs our voice. What makes the one act play
different from the short stories, novels, and poems is that this art form requires attention to
visual elements such as costumes, props, and the stage. But keep in mind that the one-act play
started with the richness of a script.
Live performance renders your writing into something provisional. The spoken performance of
your language escapes books by this means and audiences read you as the messenger, not the
message, of your writing. In that sense, you are being read as you stand before an audience.

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. 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. If plays are the small siblings of movies, then a one act play is the infant of
the family. One act plays are short plays, but complete stories.

How many scenes does the One-Act play have? There is no required minimal number
of scenes in the One-Act play. However, it is important that you finish your plot within the
scenes you have. It is a good idea to keep your play to one set and as few scenes as possible in
9-12 pages long.

• How long does the One-Act play last? One-acts can run anywhere from fifteen minutes to an
hour or more. Arguably the most popular length for one-acts is around a half-hour.
• How many characters should the One-Act play contain? One of the key elements of one-acts
is that it has a simple story plot. It generally has around 1-4 characters. Do not be misinformed
that because one-acts have simple story plots, it does not mean the theme is not as important
or grand.
• What is the One-Act Structure? This is the simplest way I can present to you the structure of
one-acts. Remember that it should have all the elements, encapsulated in this structure:
1. Set the Scene
2. Introduce the character goal(s)
3. Introduce an obstacle to the achievement of the goal(s)
4. Introduce a disaster (the result of a twist if your story has one)

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5. Let the character(s) react

6. Resolve the story

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THE ONE-ACT PLAY?

Like all drama, one act plays are made up of the same elements that are necessary for short
stories: Theme, Plot, Character, and dialogue.

1. 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 A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct
from plays that occur over several acts.
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.

2. 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 only time for one significant event. This is the determining place for the hero,
where all is won or lost. Events that led 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.

3. Character
In the short time that the one-act play is going, it is the hero's event that the audience is
experiencing; again, there is not time for more than that. Some characteristics of the
supporting 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.

4. 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

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONE-ACT PLAY?

1. A good one-act focuses on one main action or problem; there's not time to get into
complicated layers of plot.

2. Write your one-act with the most minimal set and technical demands possible. Do not
complicate your one-act play with so many set/scene changes.

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3. Choose a subject to cover in a brief one scene act play. A short story works best. Remember
to give the one act play the necessary plot, action and characters to make it a complete story.
Research other one act plays to get ideas and inspiration for yours.

4. Develop the action first, then compose the dialog before you decide anything else. Keep the
plot simple for a one act play and it should move consistently throughout the play.

5. Develop the characters. Write out a character sketch beforehand to help you flesh out your
characters and bring them to life. Give your characters a motive in life (or lack thereof) and up
the stakes by making them face a problem. This is central to any story.

6. Generate the setting. The setting for a one act play will be one scene, but you have to still
develop the scene so the audience sees everything about the story line. Include as many of the
five sense as you can. Lighting helps the setting. Make sure you write in notes about how the
lighting should look.

7. Add in the stage directions after you write the action. Write notes about how each character
should respond and what props you'll need. For example, if the characters should be facing
another direction and talking to another character, note it in the script.

SPICING THINGS UP WITH TWISTS

Twist endings are the result of a sudden reversal that prevents the outcome a
character has been working towards. There are five common types, three that depend on a
surprising revelation and two that depend on the intervention of a surprising event.

REVELATION TWISTS
1. Mistaken Identity: A woman plans her revenge on the man who cheated her. She crashes her
car into him only to discover it was the man’s twin brother who was responsible.
2. Deceit: A man thinks he is buying an elixir of life but has been lied to by a huxter and it is
actually poison.
3. Misperception: An old man, housebound by age, wants a final look at the world around him
only to discover the environment he roams each day is actually a pen in an alien zoo.

EVENT TWISTS
1. Accident: A bookworm succeeds in a plot to get locked in a special collection of books at the
library for one night… and breaks his glasses.
2. Competing goals: A couple are unhappily married and wish a divorce. Each wants to get the
bulk of the assets so would rather the other predeceased them. The woman tries to kill her
husband with poison, while he rigs the light switch to produce a fatal shock. He dies first but
when she goes in to check on the body she turns on the light and kills herself.

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Excerpt of a Sample Play with Twist:

[SETTING THE SCENE]

NARRATOR: Some say Hell is other people. Today’s story focuses on one such man, old and frail,
and just now questioning whether his self-imposed life-long isolation has been worth it. We join
him as he pushes his wheelchair around his yard on his bit of daily exercise.

SOUND: OUTDOOR AMBIANCE – BIRDS, A SLIGHT BREEZE, ETC. – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.

SOUND: SQUEAKING OF WHEELCHAIR – UNDER.

BOB: (MUTTERING) I hate bein’ old. I hate pushing this chair around. Time was, I hated the
world more, though. Built these high walls so’s I could keep it out. (SNEERING) No “junk mail”.
No “TV”. None o’ them blasted “sales-folks” hangin’ on the bell. I thought life was better
without seein’ people. Just me ‘n my books… [GOAL]

BOB: (CONTINUING) But now? Now I want to look outside. Jus’ one las’ time. Not for long, mind
you, just for a little, and say goodbye. I’m too sick and too tired for any lies about wantin’ to be
remembered. My passin’ won’t even get a notice in one o’ them “newspapers” people used to
be so fond of. But I still want to look.
[OBSTACLE]

BOB: (CONTINUING) If it weren’t for this chair it’d be easy… and that blasted grate! I put the
grate in across the entry to my property long ago. Didn’t want my neighbour’s cows wandering
in. Nice wide grate. The gaps are too wide for cow hooves to navigate. And too wide for this
chair to manage. I’d look pretty undignified if the folks who deliver my groceries each week
found me lying in the yard with my chair stuck in the grate. (LAUGHING) Heh! They’d love that.
They’d finally get to see the mysterious old man living in Chesterfield Lane. More entertainin’
than leaving the groceries on the steps… assuming I weren’t dead of exposure. They only come
once a week. But what do I care o’ dignity? I’m old. There ain’t much dignity in that… and life
works hard to steal what little dignity I’ve got left. Just going to the bathroom in this chair’s a
major production. Yeah, what do I care about dignity? I’ll do it! I’ll crawl if I have to. My arms
are still strong. I’ll crawl, dignity be damned, I’ll see the outside of this place one last time.

SOUND: TIPPING OF CHAIR. THUD OF BODY DROP – LET IT FINISH.

BOB: (IN PAIN) Aaaah. That hurt. Too old. Too old for falls. Still I can move. I can crawl…
(INTERMITTENT GRUNTS AS BOB CRAWLS) Ugh… Argh… Mmmpf… Aaah… Nnnng…
etc.
(PANTING) Here’s… the grate… Should’ve got a bit closer before ditching the
chair… ah… well… Live and learn.
INTERMITTENT GRUNTS AS BOB CRAWLS) Ugh… Argh… Mmmpf… Aaah… Nnnng…
etc.
(PANTING WITH EXERTION) What’s happening? There’s a slope. It feels like it’s curving
upwards… and it’s smooth, like glass… Let me just… clear some of this dirt off.

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SOUND: RUBBING SOUND – UNDER.

[DISASTER/TWIST]

BOB: What’s under here? It’s… what? No? This can’t be right. It’s a window… a
window to … to the stars!
www.shsph.blogspot.com
[REACTION]

BOB: (CONTINUING) (PANICKED) Where am I? It… it looks like my house… my yard…

but, it ain’t. How long? How long has it been like this? I’m in space, a bubble… a
zoo! I’m… (PAIN) My heart! My… Ugh.
[RESOLUTION]
SOUND: BOB COLLAPSES – LET IT FINISH.

ALIEN: (CHITTERING ELECTRONICALLY MODULATED) Oh well. It was getting old. Still it

will be hard to find another one to last so long. They tend to be so self-destructive
when they find out they’re no longer on earth. I’m surprised this one lasted so many
years. I guess we’d better flush the body into space.

NARRATOR: And so ends our little tale. We all know that peace and quiet is a good
thing. But when was the last time you had contact with another person? It’s grown
awfully quiet while you were listening to this, hasn’t it?

PLAY PLANNER
PEFORMANCE TASK

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Name_________________________________________________________________________

Instructions: Use the space below to make plans for the first act of your play. At the bottom of
your worksheets, get started on writing the lines and scripts for your play.

PlayTitle: ______________________________________________________________________

Who are the characters in your play?

Character #1 ___________________________________________________________________

Character #2 ___________________________________________________________________

Character #3 ___________________________________________________________________

Setting: _______________________________________________________________________

Problem: ______________________________________________________________________

Resolution: ____________________________________________________________________

ACT ONE

Write brief note about what you envision for each scene including main events, props, etc.

Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3

Write a few lines and scripts for your play.

Learning Activity Sheet in Creative Writing Conceptualizing Character/Setting/Plot in One-Act

Play)
Name of Leaner:

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Grade Level:
Section:
Date:
ONE ACT PLAY

Use your knowledge of Elements of Drama/ONE ACT PLAY. Match the definition to the correct
drama term. Write the matching letter in the blank.

________1. It is a point in the plot when two or more forces confront each other.
________2. It is the period that follows the climax, when any remaining issues are resolved.
_______3. It is a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an
adversary.
________4. It is a conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play or
movie
_______5. It is the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel
other fictional text
_______6. It is described as one event in a screenplay, with a beginning, a middle, and an end; a
scene often contains a crisis or confrontation and always advances the story.
________7. These are the parts of a script that show what happened previously and identify the
characters and the time and place of the action. Exposition shouldn’t be spelled out by the
characters, rather it should be an invisible part of the story.
_______8. All the action and dialogue that occurs within one setting at a detailed time,
preceded by a slug line
________9. It is an object that moves a story forward: For example, a clue, such as Cinderella’s
glass slipper, or something desperately wanted by a character.
______10. It identifies the time and location of a scene. Follow these guidelines:

A. DIALOGUE F. PROTAGONIST
B. CRISIS G. SCENE
C. SLUG LINE H. Denouement
D. MASTER SCENE I. ANTAGONIST
E. EXPOSITION J. MAC GUFFIN

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