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Learning the unique structural elements of plays, such as stage directions and dialogue.
Imagine you are standing on a big stage with bright lights shining on you. How do you know where to walk or what to say without a book telling you exactly what to do?
Before a play even begins, we need to know who is going to be on stage! The Cast of Characters is a special list found at the very beginning of a script. It tells you the name of every person, animal, or creature in the story. Often, the list includes a short description to help the actors understand their roles. For example, it might say 'MAX: A brave boy who loves adventure.' This list is like a team roster, letting everyone know who is part of the performance and how they relate to one another.
Quick Check
Where is the Cast of Characters usually located in a script?
Answer
At the very beginning of the play.
In a regular storybook, a narrator often describes everything that happens. But in a play, the story mostly moves forward through dialogue. Dialogue is the set of words that characters speak out loud to each other. In a script, dialogue looks different than in a book. You won't see quotation marks! Instead, you will see the character's name in BOLD or ALL CAPS, followed by a colon (:). Everything after that colon is what the actor says out loud.
Look at how this script is written:
1. LILY: I found the golden key! 2. TOM: (Gasps) Where was it hiding?
In this example, Lily speaks first, and then Tom responds. You only read the words after the colons.
Quick Check
How can you tell who is speaking in a script without using quotation marks?
Answer
The character's name is written in bold or capital letters before their lines.
Have you ever noticed words in a script that are inside (parentheses) or written in italics? These are stage directions. These words are NOT meant to be spoken out loud. Instead, they are like a secret map for the actors and the director. They describe actions (like walking across the room), emotions (like saying a line sadly), or settings (like the sound of thunder). They help the actors know exactly what to do while they are speaking their dialogue.
Read this scene and notice the instructions:
SARA: (Whispering quietly) Do you hear that? BEN: (Trips over a chair) I don't hear anything!
1. Sara knows to speak softly because of the direction (Whispering quietly). 2. Ben has to physically fall because of the direction (Trips over a chair).
Let's turn a story sentence into a script format!
Story: 'Go away!' shouted the angry giant as he stomped his feet.
Script Version: GIANT: (Stomping his feet and shouting) Go away!
What is the main purpose of stage directions?
In the script line MOM: (Smiling) I missed you!, which part is the dialogue?
The Cast of Characters is usually found at the very end of a play script.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the three main parts of a script: the list of people, the spoken words, and the hidden instructions.
Practice Activity
Find a short story you like and try to rewrite one paragraph as a script. Remember to use a character name, a colon, and some stage directions in parentheses!