DRAMATIC STRUCTURE/

OOT/
BREAKING THE SCENE INTO
BEATS
 Vocabulary
Dramatic Structure: The plot structure of a play including the exposition,
conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (or denouement).
Plot: The arrangement of the incidents that take place in a play.
Exposition: The portion of a story/ play that introduces important background
information to the audience such as setting, events occuring before the main
plot, characters back stories, etc.
Conflict: The problem or obstacles a literary character must overcome. Often
a struggle between opposing forces.
Climax: Turning point in the action of a play.
Resolution: The action of solving a problem, dispute, or controversial matter.
Tactic: An action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end.
Beat: A completed transaction in stage dialogue.
Objective: The goal intended to be attained.
Obstacle: The thing that stands in the way of the objective.
 Lesson Objectives:
The student will:

recognize dramatic structure and plot.

understand (beats).

identify types of conflict.

distinguish character objectives.

establish tactics for reaching objectives.

The way plays are written is a special style
of writing called dramatic structure.
This style is different from the way a short story,
novel, or poem is written.
In a play, the talk, or conversation between two
or more characters is called dialogue.
Dialogue is not set in quotation marks. Instead,
the characters name appears before the
spoken part.
Plays are made up entirely of dialogue and stage
directions, additional information provided by the
playwright or author.
Stage directions help the actors know how to feel
or what to do when certain lines are spoken.
Such directions are usually printed in italics and
set apart from the dialogue by (parentheses.)
Plot Diagrams
Plot Diagrams
What is plot?
- The arrangement of the incidents that take place
in a play.
What should be covered in the exposition to a
story?
- Setting and Characters
What is the conflict of a story?
- The problem of obstacles a literary character
must overcome. Often a struggle between
opposing forces.
Plot Diagrams
What is rising action?
-The events leading from the conflict to the climax
of a story.
What is the climax?
-Turning point in the action of a play.
What is falling action?
-The events following the climax of a story before
the resolution.
What is the resolution?
-The action of solving a problem, dispute, or
controversial matter.
Plot Diagram Example
The Lion King
-Exposition:
Takes place near Pride Rock in the Pride Land (when
Mufasa takes Simba on the tour)
Mufasa and Sarabi are Simbas parents. He is friends with
Nala. Scar is Simbas uncle and he has 3 hyenas that
follow him around.

-Conflict:
Scar kills Mufasa and sends Simba away.
Plot Diagram Example
-Rising Action:
Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa
Scar takes over the Pride land and starves the
population of lions living there
Nala goes to look for help and finds Simba
Rafiki helps Simba realize he should go back home to
help his family

-Climax:
Simba kills Scar in battle
Plot Diagram Example
-Falling Action:
Simba reunites with his mom and Nala

-Resolution:
Simba takes his place as king, marries Nala, and
continues his family line
Types of Conflict
We see different kinds of conflicts every
day.
In theatre, it is important to know what
kind of conflict your character is facing
because we react to different conflicts in
different ways.
Types of Conflict
Man vs. man
Example: a fight with your parents
Man vs. self
Example: debating whether or not to cheat on a test
Man vs. supernatural
Example: a battle against the god you believe in, like
wanting to control your own destiny (as in Greek Mythology
Man vs. nature
Example: building a dam to stop a flowing river
Man vs. society
Example: should I join in on this bullying or stand
up for what is right?
 Objectives, Obstacles, Tactics

We have objectives, obstacles to those

objectives, and use tactics to achieve those
objectives in our lives every day.
These stories are also all around us: in the
media, the news, our daily lives, our friends and
familys lives and everywhere else.
It is important to know what your objectives,
obstacles, and tactics are when you are acting
so that you can act and react appropriately to
different situations.
Objectives, Obstacles, Tactics

What is objective?
-The goal intended to be attained. The
actor must find out what his or her
character wants. Using the following
statements help the actor to solidify the
objective of the character:
I want
I need
I must have
Example: I want to eat dessert before my dinner.
Objectives, Obstacles, Tactics

What is an obstacle?
Theobstacle is what stands in the way of the
objective.
Example: My mom wont let me have dessert until
Ive eaten my dinner.
Objectives, Obstacles, Tactics

What is a tactic?
An
action or strategy carefully planned to
achieve a specific end.
I try to give my food to my dog
I try to hide food in my napkin
I sneak food onto my sisters plate
I sneak bites of the dessert when my mom isnt
looking
Beats

A beat in a play is a completed

segment of stage dialogue.
For each beat in a play or scene, you
need to establish your characters
objective, obstacle, and tactic.
If you complete OOT, you have a
completed beat.
 Beats
A beat is the smallest structural unit of a script
defined as an exchange of action/reaction.

It's a line of dialogue, an action, or a reaction that

creates an emotional moment.

Some talk about beats whenever there's a pause in

a scene or a change of emotional mood and other
talk about beats in a play as a whole.

The original meaning of beats is whenever there's a

change of subject in a dialogue or a small action of a
scene.
 Essential Questions:
1. Create a plot diagram 4. What tactics does your
below by labeling the character use to
following plot points: Falling accomplish these
Action, Conflict, Climax, objectives and overcome
Exposition, Resolution, Rising the obstacles?
Action. You will add on to 5. What kind of conflict is
this after you have selected in your scene? Choose
a project. one of the following and
explain why:
2. Identify the beats in the Man vs. man
scene (mark on script and Man vs. self
turn in during performance).
Man vs. supernatural
Man vs. nature
3. What are your characters
objectives and obstacles? Man vs. society
 Project Ideas
Open Scene
Choose a partner and one of the "open scenes" included.
Discuss the piece together and answer the essential questions for your
specific scene.
Memorize your scene and perform it for the class.

Given Scene/Monologue
Either choose a duet scene with a partner or a monologue by yourself.
Discuss the piece with your partner or analyze it by yourself and answer
the essential questions for your specific scene.
Memorize your scene/monologue and perform it for the class.

Original Scene/Monologue
Either choose a partner to write a scene with or write your own monologue.
Discuss the piece with your partner or analyze it by yourself and answer the
essential questions for your specific scene.
Memorize your scene/monologue and perform it for the class.