for SHS Learners

Creative Writing
Grade 11
Fourth Quarter, Week 5, Day 1-4
MELC: Explore different modalities vis-à-vis envisioning the
Script
MELC CODE:

Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the areas of stage;
2. identify the major types of stage;
3. describe its uses; and
4. learn about the process of blocking a scene for the stage and
creating a dialogue to envision the script based on the pictures
given.

Writer:
Jozanne D. Deloy
Kabasalan Science and Technology HS
DAY 1

MINI-LESSON

Staging is the position of the acting area in relation to the audience.

pinterest.ph

The Acting Area is the available space occupied by the set and used by the
actors when acting.

Areas of the Stage

The stage where the actors perform the drama in front of an audience is divided
into the following areas as described by Theatre Solutions, Inc (2017):
1.Upstage. It is the area that is considered the furthest from the audience. The
upstage is divided into upstage right (USR), upstage center (USC), and upstage
left (USL).
2. Acting Area/Center Stage (CS). This is the location where the actors are
expected to perform and where much of the set is placed.
3. Downstage. It is the area that is considered the closest to the audience. The
downstage is divided into downstage right (DSR), downstage center (DSC), and
downstage left (DSL).
4. Cross Over. This area is utilized by the performers as they travel from the left
side to the right side, the stage hands and the technicians which is purposely
concealed from the audiences’ sight.
5. Stage Right (SR) and Stage Left (SL). This is the area to the left and right of
the performers (audience’s right and left respectively) where it may be utilized as
the performers’ acting area if the need arises. It also has off right and off left
which may serve as points for the entrance and exit of the performers when they
need to. Both the off right and off left are hidden from the audience.

2
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1
Draw a stage diagram and label its acting areas.

Activity 2
Directions: Read the following sentences. Identify if each definition happens to be
upstage, downstage and center stage. Write US for Upstage, DS for Downstage and
CS for Center stage.

_____1. Front of the stage that is the end closest to the audience.
_____2. The very middle of the stage.
_____3. Refers to the section of the stage that was higher.
_____4. Furthest from the audience.
_____5. Refers to the section of the stage that was lower.

III. EVALUATION

Directions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided
before each number.

_____1. The following are areas of stage, EXCEPT ________.

A. Set Stage C. Center Stage
B. Upper Stage D. Off Right
_____2. What is the “conversation between actors on stage” called?
A. Dialogue C. Dialect
B. Stage D. Language
_____3. This is to make direction easier and determine precisely where
set pieces belong.
A. Center stage C. Crossover
B. Stage Direction D. Downstage
_____4. A position of the acting area in relation to the audience.
A. Acting C. Staging
B. Audience D. Blocking
_____5. In terms of drama, character refers to __________.
A. actor C. a director
B. structure of a person D. off-stage character

3
IV. REFLECTION

Being part of a play, how important it is to know the proper areas

for acting?
__________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.

DAY 2
MINI-LESSON
Can you still recall your lesson on the different types of stage in a drama? In this
lesson you will be learning the Major Types of Stage.
1.Proscenium Stage
The audience sits on one side only and they face one side of the stage directly,
and normally sits at a lower height. However, in some proscenium stage, the
stage is raised above the audience or they are in raked (this means that the
farther the seat is, the higher it becomes. The use of proscenium stage is
common in many high school stage or theaters where the actors perform in front
of the audience. The left and the right wing of the stage are reserved for the
scenes or acts.

2.Thrust Stage
The thrust stage - is the oldest known fixed type of staging in the world, and it is
thousands of years old. This type situates the audience in three sides of the stage
(front, left and right wings). Hence, it gives a closer and all-around view of the
action.

3. Traverse Stage
In the traverse stage, the audience sits on two sides and this is good for creating
an intimate atmosphere. This type of stage is considered unique since it is similar
to a fashion shows where the audience face each other and in between them is
the stage. This gives the performers no space for the wings and limit the size of
their props because of the size of the area for performance. Thus, the set must
work on all angles of the stage and require the set changes to be done in front of
the audience.

4. Round/In-the-Round Stage
A stage that is positioned at the center of the audience (audience is situated
around the whole stage). This creates intimate atmosphere and good for drama.
Also, in this case, the audience may feel that they are part of the action and there
is a natural performance. It has almost similar, but enhanced features of the thrust
stage. Because of its position, it opens to several entrance and exits for the actors
and actresses and the audience can see the act in many angles. With this, the set
designs must be intricate and must make use of the available spaces.

4
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1
Directions. Label the following illustrations by filling out the missing letters in the
bricks.

1.

R C N U

Theatreatthefort.weebly.com
2.

T R T

www.lcsd.gov.hk
3.

O N

www.pinterest.co.uk

4.

5
T V R E

emacoustics.co.uk

Activity 2.
Cite an example of an event to be presented on stage. Describe its
uses.

Types of Stage Event How it is being Used

III. EVALUATION
Directions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space
provided before each number.

____1.This refers to the stage which is positioned at the center of

the audience.
A. Round C. Thrust Stage
B. Proscenium D. Traverse
____2. There are how many types of stage?
A. 3 C. 5
B. 4 D. 6
____3. It is the oldest known fixed type of staging in the world, and
it is thousands of years old.
A. Proscenium C. Traverse
B. Thrust D. Round
____4. A stage where the audience sits on two sides.
A. Traverse C. Thrust
B. Round D. Proscenium
____5. This refers to the stage where the audience sits on one
side only.
A. Thrust C. Round
B. Traverse D. Proscenium

IV. REFLECTION
Why is it important to know these different types of stage?

6
 ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________.

Day 3

MINI-LESSON

The stage of a drama tells the flow of the play and how it will be presented
aside from its dialogue. These two (stage and dialogue) are important elements to
bring the characters to life.
Writing a one-act play is very limited in terms of its setting and staging so it
is necessary to utilize all the available resources. Adams (2014) pointed out that
the design of the set can dramatically alter how actors perform in the play. That is
why it is important to consider the stage layout that is much easier to follow.
Dialogue reveals character. The words of the characters tell much about the
character’s social/cultural background, education and emotional/psychological
state. In revealing a character through dialogue, a playwright must make
important artistic decisions to do with how a character speaks. Each time a
character exchanges word determines their identity as the protagonist and
antagonist of the story. Dialogue is considered as an important aspect that a
playwright has to achieve purposely in order to channel important idea towards
the audience.

Further, the following should be followed when writing a play according to Adams
(2014):

1. Create an interesting plot. The audience should be able to follow it from the
beginning to the end.
2. Decide on your structure.The location of the play should only be limited to be
able to translate on stage.
3. Decide how you want it to look Consider the different types of stage and decide
which one to use in the play. The author should visualize it when writing. The
layout must be easy to follow and the audience must not be distracted. An eye-
catching but not distracting backdrop can work better than lots of props on the
stage.
4. Know your audience The playwright should take note of the audience’s age,
gender, demographic, class, background, education and others.
5. Create interesting characters. Each of the characters should be unique and
easy for the audience to identify.

FACILITATING ACTIVITIES

Activity 1

7
Directions. Write T if the statement is true, and write F if otherwise.

____1. An eye-catching but not distracting backdrop can work better

than lots of props on the stage.
____2. In writing a play, the playwright must focus on developing the
story regardless of the stage layout because it will be a different task.
____3. Flexibility is an important factor in any play because it might
share set with others.
____4. In finding and developing the characters in a one-act play, it
should be limited to not more than 6-8 people.
____5. Each time a character exchanges word determines their identity
as the protagonist and antagonist of the story
Activity 2

Directions. Think of a words that would best describe each character.

Protagonist Antagonist
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.

III. EVALUATION

Directions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space

provided before each number.

____1. It is considered as an important aspect that a playwright has to

achieve purposely in order to channel important idea towards the
audience.

A. Character C. Dialogue
B. Setting D. Play
____2. The playwright should take note of the audience’s age, gender,
demographic, class, background, education and others.
A. Be insensitive to the audience
B. Limit the play
C. Know your audience
D. Know your characters
____3. These two are important elements to bring the characters to life.
A. Stage and Setting

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 B. Stage and Dialogue
C. Stage and Character
D. Stage and Plot
____4. The audience should be able to follow it from the beginning to
the end.
A. Create an interesting character
B. Create an interesting costumes
C. Create an interesting plot
D. Create an interesting backdrop
____5. Each of the characters should be unique and easy for the
audience to identify.
A. Create interesting characters
B. Create an interesting costumes
C. Create an interesting plot
D. Create an interesting backdrop

REFLECTION
What do you think will be your best way to come up with a better idea for your
one-act play?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________.

DAY 4

MINI-LESSON
Staging also becomes successful with the visual details involve in the drama
such as blocking (precise staging of actors in order to facilitate the performance of
a play), scenic background (setting of a production), stage directions and sound
effects.
Stage Directions is written inside round brackets, described how the actors,
in the portrayal of their characters, are expected to move, act, and speak. Stage
directions also describe other ‘movements’ on stage such as sound and light
effects. A writer must take note that the use of the present tense is observed in
writing stage directions. Also, stage directions may be inserted, as deemed fit,
before, in-between, or after the lines of the characters (Montenegro-Gasulas et al.
2017).
Although the one-act play is intended to be performed in a very limited time,
it must keep the audience given only an average of 30-minute performance time.
This may be considered an advantage to some writers because of its shortness in
length, producing a well-written one-act play may impose challenges. Solmerano
et al. (2017) added the following tips in writing
9 a One-Act Play:

1. Get to Know One-Act Plays As an aspiring one-act play writer, a

good start is through familiarity of one-act plays by reading and watching it.
 3.Setting your scenes The limited time of the one-act play also suggest a setting
that is few as possible or even limited to only one set. Flexibility is an important
factor in any play because it might share set with others. The writer’s task is to
make use of the characters’ obstacles and turn these into different scenes.

Read the following excerpt from Wilfredo Maria Guerrero’s Call Me Flory, a one-act
play.Take note of the dialogue and how can it be performed in the stage.

Call Me Flory
by: Wilfredo Maria Guerrero

STAGING: (When the curtain rises, we see Florencia and Matilde, seated
o on the sofa, in Matilde’s sala, talking.)
FLOR: Yes Matilde! I came right away when you called me up by
phone to come and see you.
MATIL: That’s nice of you Mrs. Delos Reyes.
FLOR: I hope you don’t mind but my last name is Caracoles. My full
name really is Florencia Aragon de Caracoles. But just call me
Florencia. It’s quite an honor to know you, Matilde. I’ve heard
you are one of the best known society women in Manila.
MATIL: Oh don’t mention it. It isn’t true, not true at all.
FLOR: You’re so modest Matilde.
MATIL: I was told by Marilu to get in touch with you. She said you’d
surely help.
FLOR: Did you say Marilu called you up? Marilu de Legazpi? Whose
husband is the owner of that big department store at Buendia?
MATIL: Yes. But the reason that I called you up was…
FLOR: Oh well my husband bought the Legazpi’s rice fields in
Pangasinan that cost us P100,000.00 but it was worth it.
MATIL: That’s nice.
FLOR: Well now, just how did you want me to collaborate—er—help?
MATIL: It’s a benefit show we are holding to collect funds for the
Sapang Palay people. You know the place?
FLOR: (With a gesture of disgust). Uff, yes. Those squatters who were
formerly in Intramuros. Thank God they are evicted. Can you
imagine? I used to hear mass everyday at the Cathedral and
whenever we passed in our Mercedes benz 600 by those
streets, I felt my self-suffocating with the smells and sights of
those horrible people. Uff, such disgusting squatters’ people. I
couldn’t hear the mass properly and I couldn’t pray because of
them.
MATIL: It’s not their fault, really. After the war thousands came from
the province and didn’t know where to settle.

https://www.coursehero.com/file/42250891/call-me-flory-play-scriptdocx/

10
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1. Think Through
Briefly answer the following questions:

1. What do you notice in the script?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________.
2. What type of stage may be used in performing the play? Why?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________.

Activity 2.
Directions. Make a story out of the pictures by placing their
dialogue inside the bubbles/callouts.

1.
approachingshakespeare.wordpress.com

2.
www.sdpb.org

11
 3.
www.shutterstock.com

III. EVALUATION

Directions: Write the letter of the best answer on the space

provided before each number.
_____1. Staging also becomes successful with the visual details involve
in the drama such as;
A. Memorizing C. Blocking
B. Playing D. Speaking

_____2. It is written inside round brackets, described how the actors, in

the portrayal of their characters, are expected to move, act, and
speak.
A. Blocking C. Role Playing
B. Stage Directions D. Acting
_____3. In terms of drama, character refers to __________.
A. actor C. a director
B. structure of a person D. off-stage character

_____4. This refers to the words of the characters which tell much about
the character’s social/cultural background, education and
psychological state.
A. Dialogue C. character
B. script D. set
_____5. The following are characters in the excerpt “Call Me Flory”
EXCEPT;
A. Flor C. Manny
B. Matilde D. Matil

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IV. REFLECTION

Now that you have been learning all of the information in the different modalities
in envisioning the script, how does it help you deepen your understanding?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________.

References

Act Play Performance Theatre Stock Photo

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/act-play-performance-theater-360347660

Aoyama Round Theatre.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/500955158530541714/

Autograph Provides Configurable Acoustic Solution : EM Acoustics Latest News.

https://emacoustics.co.uk/docs/latest-news/EuAyEFkpAEkXFwhdBy.shtml

Call me Flory Play Script.docx

https://www.coursehero.com/file/42250891/call-me-flory-play-scriptdocx/

Carper, Taylor. Fourth Wall- Photo Reference 1

https://www.pinterest.ph/carper0123/fourth-wall-photo-reference-1/

Create Your Own Shakespeare! ꟾ Approaching Shakespeare.

https://approachingshakespeare.wordpress.com/create-your-own-shakespeare/

Kwai Tsing Theatre – Black Box Theatre.

https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ktt/facilities/blackboxtheatre.html

One Act Play Festival. 2019

https://www.sdpb.org/blogs/sports-and-leisure/2019-one-act-play-festival-superior-
play-award-recipients/

Theatre at the Fort. “Intro to Creative Performance, Principles of Creative

Performance, Theatre Arts 7, Theatre Arts 8.
http://theatreatthefort.weebly.com/stage-areas1.html

Types of Performance Stages and Layouts ꟾ StageRight.

https://performance.stageright.com/blog/types-of-performance-stages/

13
 Development Team

Writer: Jozanne D. Deloy

Kabasalan Science and Technology High School

Editor/QA: Eden R. Ramos

Kabasalan Science and Technology High School

Evaluator: Estrelita Ampo-Pena

EPS English
Senior High School Division Coordinator

Reviewers: Evelyn F. Importante

OIC-CID Chief EPS

Jerry C. Bokingkito
OIC-SGOD Chief EPS

Layout Artist:
Management Team:

Aurelio A. Santisas, EdD

OIC-Assistant SDS

Dr. Jeanelyn A. Aleman, CESO VI

OIC-Schools Division Superintendent

14
Answer Key

Day 1 5. D
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
Day 3
Activity 1 FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
Sample of Stage Diagram with its labeled
acting araes. Activity 1
1. T
2. T
3. T
4. F – should be limited to not more than
4-5 people
5. T

Activity 2
Students’ answer may vary
Evaluation
1. C
2. C
3. B
4. C
Activity 2
5. A
1. DS
2. CS
Day 4
3. US
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
4. US
5. DS
Activity 1
Students’ answer may vary
Evaluation
1. D
Activity 2
2. A
Students’ answer may vary
3. A
4. C
Evaluation
5. A
1. C
2. B
Day 2
3. A
FACILITATING ACTIVITIES
4. A
5. C
Activity 1
1. PROSCENIUM
2. THRUST
3. ROUND
4. TRAVERSE

Activity 2
Students’ answer may vary

Evaluation
1. A
2. B
3. A
4. A

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