ENGLISH 9
FIRST DAY | 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Topic Outline:
● Elements of Drama and Theater
● Steps in Writing a Dramatic Monologue
● Literary Devices
● Verbals and Kinds of Verbals
● Synopsis of a Play
● Steps in Writing a Synopsis by Vivian Beck
Elements of Drama and Theater
Elements of Drama
 Tension – times synonymous with conflict;
interchangeable terms
 Conflict – may be internal (man against himself) or
external (man versus society or man versus nature)
 Climax – one or more crises in the development of
the plot; the highest point of a drama
 Mood – the ambience or aura; it is the feeling or tone
of a performance
 Rhythm – timing and pace of the drama and the beat
or tempo of the performance
Elements of Theater
 Buck-and-truck-tour – low-budget tour of a play or
musical; often presented in smaller cities for only a
few nights
 Callback – request that an actor return for an
additional audition
 Cattle call – audition open to anyone, regardless of
experience
 Character role – supporting role with pronounce or
eccentric characteristics
 Chemistry – mysterious element that creates
excitement when two actors appear together
 Cold reading – delivering a speech or acting a scene
at an audition without having read it beforehand
 Cue – a line of dialogue, action, or sound; tells ab
actor it is time to enter, exit, move across the stage,
or begin speaking
 Curtain up – start of a performance
Steps in Writing a Dramatic Monologue
1. Begin with a strong opening sentence – start with a
shocking revelation
2. Use a powerful point of view – Get to know your
character’s voice since that is all you have got
3. Create a plot for your story – Although monologues
are often short, they can demonstrate the buildup to
decisive action, reference previous events, and even
further character development in the narrative
4. Recognize your style – The literary devices you
should utilize will depend on the style of monologue
you are composing
5. Finish with a few final words – Leave your audience
with something to ponder after your monologue.
Literary Devices
Allusion – references a person, place, thing, or event in the
real world.
Example:
“Careful, now. You do not want to go opening Pandora’s box.”
Symbolism – use of a situation or element to represent a
larger message, idea, or symbol.
Example:
Black is used to symbolize death.
Heart is also used as a symbol of love.
Soliloquy – a character speaks to himself/herself, relating to
the innermost thoughts and feelings as if thinking out loud.
Example:
"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in
the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
and by opposing end them. To die—to sleep, no more; and by
a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural
shocks That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd." – A famous soliloquy from the novel
“Hamlet” by William Shakespeare.
Verbals
A verbal is a verb that does not function as a verb.
Gerund – ends in -ing and acts as a noun.
1. As subject: Pretending innocent won’t help you.
2. As direct object: My father enjoys watching comedy
shows.
3. As a Predicate nominative: Even after her break,
Abby’s favorite hobby was still teaching.
4. As an object of the preposition: In making gourmet
dishes, you must take lessons from Gordon Ramsey.
5. As appositive: His stress-reliever, reading, is
enough to make his mood lighten.
Zik | 1
Participle – functions as adjectives that modifies nouns and/or
pronounces.
The melting icebergs in the arctics are one of the factors why
the sea levels are increasing.
The melted butter was so satisfying in the eyes.
Infinitives – used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
3. Construct the body of your synopsis – Use
chronological order, each scene should
include/indicate action, reaction, and decision.
4. Present the crisis and resolution of your story –
Show your main characters’ struggles or conflicts by
including relevant details.
5. Rewrite your synopsis until each sentence is
polished to the point of perfection – Use strong
adjectives and verbs and always write in present
tense.

1. As subject: To pretend innocent won’t help you.

2. As direct object: My father wants to watch comedy

shows.

3. As a Predicate nominative: Even after her break,

Abby’s favorite hobby was to teach.

Synopsis of a Play

A synopsis or plot summary is a crucial selling tool for the

play, as the intended audience may get a feel of the story at a
glance. Writing a synopsis is also a good exercise for drama
education. It demonstrates:

 The students’ understanding of the play;

 The students’ ability to put ideas into their words;
 The students’ ability to string together coherent ideas;
and
 The reinforcement of literacy skills.

Guidelines in writing a good plot synopsis

1. State the time and place at the beginning of the

synopsis.
2. Write a brief description of the main characters as
they appear in the story.
3. Begin the summary at the opening of the story and
present it in the same order—the play and end at the
play’s conclusion.
4. Describe the dramatic scenes that propel the story
forward and include climatic scenes.
5. It must be no longer than 250 words.
6. Use present tense and third person in telling the story.
7. Include dialogues in telling the story.

Steps in Writing a Synopsis by Vivian Beck (2005)

1. Start with a hook – Write a paragraph or two similar

to the blurb on the back of a book.
2. Introduction of Characters – Describe the main
characters.