Minds On
Warm up
Don’t forget to do your safety check!
Warm Up
Breathing activity
Find a comfortable position. Focus your attention on one part of the body at a time.
How does that part of your body feel? If possible, take a deep breath and allow your lungs to expand.
Focus your attention on one part of your body. Allow that part to relax before moving on to the next. As you scan through your body, keep breathing deeply.
Once you have completed the scan, take a moment to stretch.
Check out this audio recording entitled “Breathing Activity” to learn more about how to complete this warm up exercise.
Breathing Activity
Drama game
Explore this video entitled “Follow the Leader” to play a game. In this video, one actor is leading, and one actor is following. They explore different movements and facial expressions together. Try following the leader but create the actions in your own way.
You might try this game with a partner and create your own actions. To end the game, either of you can use the words “end scene.”
Story time
Explore the following story.
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
After exploring the story, consider the following questions. Record your ideas using a method of your choice and consider adding your thoughts to your drama portfolio.
- What is the setting of the story?
- Who are the characters?
- What happens in the story?
- How could we take the story and transform it into a play?
Action
Get ready, get set…
A script is a story that has been written for actors to perform. They are important so that everyone who is involved in a drama production can learn the story.
Scripts focus on dialogue and stage directions so that the actors know what to do with their characters on stage.
Features of a script
Let's explore the different parts of a script.
- Character list
- This lists all the characters in the story.
- Scenes and setting
- Scripts usually include a setting description so that actors know where the story takes place.
- Dialogue
- These are words spoken by the characters in the drama.
- Stage directions
- These tell the actors what to do, like how to walk, move, speak, or even what mood the character is in.
Explore this video entitled “Dialogue” to learn more about how actors use dialogue to communicate on stage.
A dialogue can tell a story, explain a character’s reaction to an event, and help the audience understand what different characters are thinking.
What did you learn about dialogue?
Press ‘Answer’ to learn more about what dialogue means.
Dialogue means a conversation between people. It’s the type of conversation that is in a book, play, or movie.
“Goldie and Little Red”
Character list
First, we need a character list:
Goldie: She is a young girl, full of mischief, who forgets what doesn’t belong to her.
Little Red: She is a sweet, young girl who loves her Granny.
Scenes and setting
In a script, a playwright starts with the act number, scene number, and the name of the scene. Each scene is a specific part of the drama story. The act will contain a few or many scenes. For example, there might be two acts in a play, and each act contains four scenes.
A scene is a specific part of the drama story. Similar to how there are chapters in a chapter book, there are scenes in a play. At the beginning of a scene, a playwright would add a description of the setting.
Press ‘Setting’ to access an example of how a playwright might describe a setting.
Act 1: Scene 1: “Goldie and Little Red”
In a forest, with lots of trees. It is afternoon. Little Red is walking by, carrying her basket of goodies for Granny.
From the description, we know the story is set in a forest with lots of trees during the afternoon.
Dialogue
In a script, a playwright would add the name of the character at the centre of a page. Underneath the name, they would provide lines of speech for that character.
A playwright will add punctuation to instruct the actors how to deliver their line. This helps the actors to understand what they need to say or do as that character. When characters are speaking together in a play, it is called dialogue.
Press ‘Dialogue’ to access an example of dialogue in a script.
GOLDIE
Will you help me? My name is Goldilocks. You can call me Goldie.
LITTLE RED
I’m Little Red. I don’t know if I can help you though.
GOLDIE
All I need you to do is go to the edge of the forest and see if there are any talking bears coming.
Pause and Reflect
Quotation marks in scripts
Did you notice that the quotation marks were removed in the script? In books or other texts, an author will use quotation marks around a character’s lines. However, they are not required in a script.
Stage directions
Lastly, there are stage directions. One way that a playwright can help actors understand what they are meant to do and/or how they should move onstage as their character is through stage directions.
Playwrights add stage directions in italic font after the character’s line.
Here is an example of stage directions in italic font.
Press ‘Sample’ to access an example of stage directions.
LITTLE RED
What are you doing?
Goldie looks up guiltily, with a smear of jam on her face.
GOLDIE
I was hungry… all I’ve had all day is some porridge.
Little Red stomps her foot.
LITTLE RED
(angrily)
Those were for Granny! You need to leave now!
Goldie shrugs, stands up, and marches off.
After each line of speech, the character has an action to complete. This helps the actor understand how they might use their body movements and facial expressions to act out their character.
Explore the following image to learn how to format your script.
This is part of the Goldie and Little Red script. The text is as follows: LITTLE RED: What are you doing? Goldie looks up guiltily, with a smear of jam on her face. GOLDIE: I was hungry… all I’ve had all day is some porridge. Little Red stomps her foot. LITTLE RED: (angrily) Those were for Granny! You need to leave now! Goldie shrugs, stands up, and marches off. There is an arrow pointing to the first line, “LITTLE RED”. The arrow is connected to a box with the following text: Name of character is capitalized and centred in the middle of the page There is an arrow pointing to the second line, “What are you doing?” It is connected to a box with the following text: Dialogue does not have quotation marks There is an arrow pointing to the third line, “Goldie looks up guiltily, with a smear of jam on her face.” It is connected to a box with the following text: Stage directions are in italics and are centred in the page There is an arrow pointing to the eighth line, “angrily”. It is connected to a box with the following text: How the character feels is put in brackets and italicized
Go!
Time to create your own story! You may also use a story that is familiar to you to complete this exercise.
Your story can be as short or as long as you want it to be, but it must include:
- a setting
- at least two characters
- dialogue
Complete the Story Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
For each term, select the corresponding definition.
Create your script!
Now it’s time to take your story and create your script. If possible, you may read aloud your dialogue, or work with a partner to act it out. Revise and rewrite your dialogue until you are satisfied with your draft. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
Part 1: Format and add the dialogue
Using what you know about dialogue, record the dialogue in a script format.
Press ‘Tips’ for ideas about how to put your dialogue in a script format.
In a script, a playwright adds the name of the character at the centre of a page. Underneath the name, they provide lines of speech for that character.
A playwright also adds punctuation to instruct the actors how to deliver their line. This helps the actors to understand what they need to say or do as that character. When characters are speaking together in a play, it is called dialogue.
Here is an example of dialogue in a script format.
GOLDIE
Will you help me? My name is Goldilocks. You can call me Goldie.
LITTLE RED
I’m Little Red. I don’t know if I can help you though.
GOLDIE
All I need you to do is go to the edge of the forest and see if there are any talking bears coming.
Complete the Script Format in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
|
Character: (Blank) Character: (Blank) Character: (Blank) |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Script Format.
Part 2: Add stage directions (optional)
Now, take your script and add stage directions to it. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
Press ‘Stage Directions’ to learn more about how these directions are added to scripts.
One way that a playwright can help actors understand what they are meant to do and/or how they should move onstage as their character is through stage directions. Playwrights add stage directions in italic font after the character’s line.
LITTLE RED
What are you doing?
Goldie looks up guiltily, with a smear of jam on her face.
GOLDIE
I was hungry… all I’ve had all day is some porridge.
Little Red stomps her foot.
LITTLE RED
(angrily)
Those were for Granny! You need to leave now!
Goldie shrugs, stands up, and marches off.
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.