DRAMA:

MAKING UP STORIES.
By now you know that improvising means
inventing or performing something with
little or no preparation.

WHEN IMPROVISING YOU STILL HAVE TO…

-Create different spaces and times on stage.
-Use symbolic language when performing.
-Build dramatic tension in your performances.
-Find important moments to show and emphasise.
-Focus on the topic and think about what you are going to say.
Make your voice clear and audible for the audience to hear.
THE STRUCTURE OF A STORY:

 Every story has a specific structure and it is

always in that specific order.

 Middle
(Conflict)

 Beginning  End
(Set up) (Resolution)
IN THE PREVIOUS DRAMA LESSON YOU LEARNED THE DEFINITION
OF THESE 3 TERM. NOW YOU WILL LEARN TO USE THEM IN
CONTEXT.
 The structure of any story can be divided into 3 parts: SET-UP,
CONFLICT, RESOLUTION.
 1st. Set-up: Is the first part of the story, where all the main
characters and their situations are introduced – who they are,
where they live, what kind of people are they. A problem is
introduced and this drives the story forward.

 2nd. Conflict: Is the biggest part of the story, where the

characters go through major changes in their lives as a result
of what is happening in the story.

 3rd. Resolution: Happens when the problem in the story boils

over, forcing the characters to confront it. This makes the
elements of the story come together and generally leads to
the ending.
 ACTIVITY 1: MAKING UP STORIES.
 Copy the following table in your book, filling in all the blank spaces with your own words,
creating a different story.
Person 1 Once upon a time there was Person 1 Once upon a time there was a
a_______(Character) young man called Sipho
Person 2 He/ she/ they Person 2 He lived on top of a hill far
lived_______(somewhere) away with his mother Thandi.
With_______(someone)
Person 3 He/ she/ they longed Person 3 He longed to visit a big city
for__________(something) But couldn’t do it because the
But couldn’t do/have it city was so far away.
because of___________
(something.)
Person 4 One day________ Person 4 One day a stranger came to
(something) happened which the village to fix his car which
changed their lives has broken down, which
forever________ in this way. changed their lives forever
because now Sipho had a way
to get to the city.
Person 5 So ________(character and Person 5 So Sipho) decided to fix the
someone else) decided to strangers car if he would give
_______(do something) them a lift to the city for the
weekend
Person 1 And_________(this is how it Person 1 And the stranger had to agree
ended) and Sipho and Thandi visited
Cape Town for a weekend
and had a wonderful
time_________(this is how it
ended)
ACTIVITY 2: CREATE YOUR OWN STORY FROM A
PICTURE.
 1. From the picture on the next slide, create
your own story, look carefully at what is
happening in the picture. Your story must be at
least 5 sentences long. Think creatively, your
story must have a beginning, a middle and an
end.
 2. Swop your books and evaluate what you
friend wrote in activity 1 and 2, give feedback,
write in a different coloured pencil or pen.