Creative Writing

Quarter 2
Module 4: Stage and Script
 Creative Writing
Quarter 2
Module 4: Stage and Script
About the Module

This module has one lesson: Stage and Script. A captivating way to spend one’s
leisure time is watching dramatic performances. Yet, when one indulges into the
world of drama, you will see the other side on how dramatic performances are
prepared. Upon exploring this module, you will be introduced to the different
staging modalities, means to gain drama’s popularity and appreciation and lastly,
script writing and its parts. Getting familiar with these aspects of drama will guide
you in appreciating performances and will shape your heart, mind, and action to be
involved in any dramatic performances in store for this semester.

Pretest

Directions: Read the statements carefully and identify the right term being
described. Write the CAPITAL LETTER of the correct answer for each
item on a separate paper. Label your paper as Pretest Module 4
in Creative Writing- Quarter 2.

1. This refers to the overall preparation done in the performance area of film or play
A. Script C. Staging
B. Casting D. Production

2. This cliche means that the performance has received great amusement to
audience.
A. Curtain call C. Curtain-up
B. Bring down the house D. Break the ice

3. It is the type of stage that has gained the taste for fashion shows.
A. Environmental C. Thrust
B. Arena D. Transverse

4. This electronic delivery has been the mainstream in presenting public

entertainment, information and alike.
A. television C. radio
B. Film D. Smartphones

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5. This known actor has emphasized that scripts are foundation in any blockbuster
performances.
A. Brad Pitt C. Chris Evans
B. Robert Downey Jr. D. George Clooney

6. This part of the script presents where the scene occurs.

A. Action C. Scene Heading
B. Parenthetical D. Transition

7. This added look on a stage gives aesthetic view on both the production and
audience.
A. Proscenium Arch C. Lightings
B. Skene D. Apron

8. These are pieces of writing meant to be performed for its purpose.

A. Dialogues C. Skene
B. Scripts D. Films

9. This script part initially reveals characters of the play.

A. Scene Heading C. Transition
B. Dialogue D. Action

10. It is deemed to be the window of a character's soul.

A. Action C. Dialogue
B. Fade out D. INT

11.These are the possible ways to name a character in a play except one.
A. Real Name C. Description
B. Occupation D. Pronoun

12. These are shown on cinema or television which are visually pleasing for the
viewers due technical effects.
A. Thrust C. Videos
B. Film D. Drama

13. This stage type has been imitated in most theaters.

A. Proscenium C. Arena
B. Transverse D. Thrust

14. An additional part of a stage which represents Home of the Gods.

A. Proscenium Arch C. Skene
B. Arena D. Apron

15. This technical note denotes a character is speaking while not in the scene.
A. O.S. C. EXT
B. INT D. V.O.

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 Lesson Stage and Script

What I Need to Know

After completing this module, you are expected to:

 define stage and script in dramatic contexts,
 identify the different staging modalities and script parts, and
 revise the script by applying a suitable type of staging

Guess Who?

What’s In

Directions: Guess the personalities in the photos below and give one unforgettable
line they uttered in their movies or dramatic performances.

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 What’s New

"I was never your partner. I'm just your wife." – Sharon Cuneta
"My Brother is not a pig! My brother is not a pig! “– Nora Aunor
” I’m indestructible.”- Maja Salvador

Have you heard those lines upon watching dramas? Have you happened to feel like
you were the one speaking those? Those lines were uttered with great charisma and
emotions which have captured viewers to track the recent scenes or episodes they
were part of. Whether we are spectators or performers, we are enchanted to be part
of a success of any dramatic performances.

Behind every exuberant production, a long and arduous preparation has been
done. From the auditions, casting, acting and down to the production, all is
calculated and organized. Led by a director and followed by production staffs of any
performances consider what type of staging to use. Staging in dramatic context is
the selection, designing, adapting or enhancing the performance area of a film or
play. It also refers to the outcome of the process. The magic of captivating
audience in a dramatic presentation starts on a curtain-up.

William Shakespeare had refueled drama by this line "all the world's a stage." This
has placed drama in all forms into a limelight that everyone has admired, felt, and
believed. Typically, stage is where performances are presented. These are prevalent
in theaters.

Theater is a structure built indoor or outdoor where dramatic performances,

tragedies, comedies, dances, musical presentations, and other shows are staged.
There are several types of stages where dramatists have performed on. Let us be
acquainted with some.

Types of Stages Features

1. ARENA STAGE
- oldest type of stage; other name (theater in the
round); holds 100-200 seats
- gained popularity in Greece
- entrances are used by audience and actors
-props are limited; employ systematic scene
shifting; audience sits around the stage
- actors face each other upon acting
-athletic venues adapt this style

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2. THRUST STAGE
-spectators sit on the three sides of the
stage
-Greeks added “skene”(narrow building at
the platform’s back consisting doors and
roof representing home of the Gods)
-popular in Italian Renaissance
-Stage can be level with the audience or sit
higher.

3. PROSCENIUM STAGE -most popular type of stage to date

-developed during the Italian Renaissance
-stage resembles a picture frame look
embellish with “proscenium arch” which
add an avant-garde view from the audience
-audience sits in front of the stage
-With the advent of lighting controls, better
illusions have been experienced by viewers

4. TRANSVERSE STAGE
-known as Traverse Stage ; developed in
1960s-1970s
-founded in Edinburgh, Scotland year 1963
-common in Europe
-has a sort of U-shaped seating
-familiar arrangement for “cat walks” on
fashion industry
-seats are on two sides

5. ENVIRONMENTAL STAGE -either outdoor or indoor setup

-developed in USA ,1960s of the New
Theatre Movement
-a flexible type of stage; establish to debar
the distinction of actors and viewers’ space
-audience may move during the
performance

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Based on the table, theater’s layout has changed to suit the type of production to
be presented. Thus, staging modalities are crucial parts to be organized in any
dramatic performances. Theaters are not the only venues to watch calibre drama.
Films and television have taken the mainstream to reach more audience to even
distant parts of the earth for the aim of entertainment, information, and
appreciation of dramas.

Films
It is called movie, motion picture. It is visual art-form stimulating experiences that
convey life stories, hopes, beauty, ideas and emotions taken and captured through
cameras and videos shown in cinema or televisions.

Television
It is a device that broadcasts shows for entertainment, facts, documentaries, and
educational shows captured live, recorded, or replayed on the site or studios.

Apart from staging modalities, scripts play a vital role on the dramatic
presentation. Spectators are not just looking forward to watching spectacles but
also wanting to be moved from the powerful lines which will be spoken by actors or
actresses. In producing any performances from live to screens, scripts are prepared
beforehand.

Script
After familiarizing the types of stages, script writing will add to the preparations. In
drama, scripts are pieces of writing meant to be performed either for stage, radio,
television or in motion picture. It consists of dialogues (characters speaking lines),
stage blockings and pointers to actors, actresses and directors.

Scripts are often read aloud on initial rehearsals. Upon the practices commence till
the final rehearsal, dramatists ultimately memorize and portray with right
emotions, gestures, and choreography over the watchful eyes of directors. Before
these will happen, scriptwriters are in-charge for the scripts to be fully realized and
later handed down to actors or actresses. George Clooney stated, “it’s possible for
me to make a bad movie out of a good script, but I can’t make a good movie from a
bad script.” This remark has summed up how essential scripts are as foundation in
any dramatic performances.

Script Writing Tips

In addition to the writing tips mentioned in Module 3, consider the following Dos
and Don’ts of script/dialogue writing that are useful as you attempt to write about
Drama (Aguila, Galan and Wigley, 2017).

1. Write dialogues which speakers utter in real life. Observe and apply how
individuals speak and answer. Include realistic-sounding speech
patterns and even defects of responses for people naturally meddle
one another.
2. Get the feel of the rhythm of real speech. Doing so prevent making

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 characters deliver long, unrealistic speeches. The tip is to use
common expressions spoken by people.
3. Avoid using cliches and outdated words or phrases.
4. Halt overusing names in dialogues. Use names early and sparingly.
5. Let the characters speak reflecting their identity by including their voices,
delivery, diction upon the play’s stage directions.

Script Writing Format & Parts

Scene Heading
(slug line) tells the reader of the script
where the scene is; divided into
scenes; written in all caps; use period
after INT (indoor venue) or EXT
(outdoor venue); time of the day
(night, day, dawn, morning)

Action
sets the scene, describes setting and
allows introducing characters. It is
real time. Use Present tense; keep
paragraph short (do not exceed 5
lines)

Character Name
type in Uppercase letters; 3.5”
indention left margin; writer may use
actual name (RUFUS), description
(Handsome man) or occupation
(Engineer)

Parenthetical
contains instruction for the dialogue
delivery; can be attitude, verbal
directions, or action direction for the
character’s speaking part

Dialogue
speaking lines; great dialogue is a
window to the soul of a character. Let
it sound real and conversational

Extension
technical note places right of the
character’s name. Example: O.S – off-
screen (voice which heard from a
patterned from: screencraft.org character out of the camera range);

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Scriptwriter’s job is a Herculean task. Some have V.O.- Voice over (character is
waited years for their works to be eyed by speaking while not in the scene)
producers or directors. According to Mandell
(2017), an estimation of 2000 writers (1:200,000) Transition
can produce good to great scripts while 8,000 refer to special passage from a scene
writers (4:200,000) who publish good scripts. to other; formatted in all caps; follow
an action and precede Scene
Writing career can be promising once hits big yet a
Headings. Some transitions: Cut to –
writer may feel lost once opportunity does not
simple direction to change of
knock. Nevertheless, writing career will never lose
scene/location; Fade out – used at
its track for it has performed colossal roles in the beginning of a screenplay’s end
mirroring human life experiences, victories, part
struggles, hopes and dreams.

What I Can Do

Directions: Using one of the scripts composed on Module 3 entitled “Love in

times of Covid19”. Choose one scene. Identify and label the parts of the script
present on it. Follow the layout in answering this activity on a separate paper.

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 What I Have Learned

Directions: Fill in the missing terms to complete the idea of the paragraph. A box
of choices is provided for you.

Podium arena stage scripts play

theaters stage dramatist environmental stage
Transverse stage proscenium stage scriptwriter thrust stage
dialogues

Most performances are shown on____________. In __________, they vary in layouts as

to meet its audience, productions, and dramatic impact. Among the types, I prefer
_____________. I realize how vital ________ in any dramatic performances. I hold the
view that a ___________ should be given opportunities to share in the entertainment
world their dramatic crafts.

What’s More

I. Directions: Read the statements carefully and write the desired answer on the
crossword puzzle. (Scoring: 1 correct word=1 point)

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II. Directions: Read the statement carefully and identify whether the statement is
true or false. Write FACT if it is true and BLUFF if it is not.
Write you answer on a separate paper.

______1.All the world's a stage is a line taken from Sonnet 18.

______2.Theaters are venues for presenting different forms of entertainment.
______3.In script writing, it can use description under the character name.
______4.Dialogues must always use formal language.
______5.Bewitching audience in a play starts in a curtain call.
______6.Most athletic venues follow arena stage.
______7.In scene heading, words are in toggle case.
______8.Traverse Stage started in Scotland.
______9.Actors and actresses are in-charge of employing the choreography of
actions in a play.
______10. Thrust stage was famous in Italian Renaissance.

III. Directions: Revise your original composition of the one-act play used on “What
I Can Do” activity by adding the missing parts of the script. Include
at least two scenes and select the type of stage to be used. Then,
write your script for this activity following the layout below on a
bond paper. Rubric is given as guide in scoring.

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CATEGORY 10 8 6 4 2 SCORE

Speaking Dialogues are Fairly Speaking lines Minimal

lines are satisfactorily contribute to are crafted yet efforts are
well- developed and the the structure done
DIALOGUES
structured able to build character's and
and fully characters. development. contribution to
added character
character's development
development. is obscure.
Script Script shows Ideas are
manifests good ideas of evident yet Ideas exist yet Minimal
intelligible the writer which organization organization efforts are
Script
ideas, uses aligned with the of script is and staging done for
Format most of the chosen staging. sufficient. modality are the
and parts of script Vital parts of the Some parts questionable. scriptwriti
Staging and suitably script are of the script ng.
aligned with present. are existing.
dramatic Chosen
staging. staging is
fairly in line.
The crafted Writer's
drama is an Composition Creativity is imagination is Few
original one. presents writer's present yet partially efforts are
Creativity The work is creativity in a the play evident due to done.
evidently satisfactorily structure is some missing
crafted way. slightly elements in
intelligibly distracting. script-building
and
creatively.
Characters Characters are Characters Names of
are definitely adequately are named. character exist Difficult to
named and described. Their Yet their yet their identify
Character described. dialogues actions are portrayals are who the
Their actions sufficiently aid in somehow partially character
are lucidly their scenes. restricting contributing to s are and
portrayed. their their their
character development. roles.
development.
Spelling, Few errors are Several
punctuations, spotted on errors exist in Errors on No
Language and grammar spelling, the script yet spelling, proofreadi
Conventions are well punctuations, keep the punctuations ng has
checked, and and grammatical ideas of the and grammar been
no errors structure in the drama. are noticeable done on
made. script. and have the
affected the output.
script.
TOTAL:
___/50

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 Post Test

Directions: Read the statements carefully and identify the right term being
described. Write the CAPITAL LETTER of correct answer for each
item on a separate paper. Label your paper as Post Test- Quarter 2
Module 4 in Creative Writing.

1. This expression means performers appear after the performance to receive

compliments from audience.
A. Bring down the house C. Be on stage
B. Curtain-up D. Curtain call

2. This is where entertainment shows are presented from ancient to present times.
A. Arena C. Theater
B. Stadium D. Television

3. This type of stage has been adapted in constructing sport venues.

A. Arena C. Proscenium
B. Thrust D. Environmental

4. It contains instruction for the dialogue delivery that pertains to verbal

directions or action direction for the characters’ speaking part.

A. Scene Heading C. Dialogue

B. Parenthetical D. Transition

5. It contains characters’ speaking lines, blocking and other important notes for
performers and director.
A. Cue cards C. Script
B. Transition D. Subtitles

6. These are DONT'S in writing a dialogue except one.

A. Use cliches and old-fashioned expressions
B. Create dialogues which characters utter in reality
C. Mention names fairly
D. Employ common expressions in dialogues

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7. It is the speaking lines of the characters in drama.
A. Parenthetical C. Action
B. Character Name D. Dialogue

8. This stage type is designed to remove the difference of actors and audience
space.
A. Thrust C. Proscenium
B. Environmental D. Transverse

9. He was a brilliant playwright who brought a good name for drama.

A. Ernest Hemingway C. William Shakespeare
B. Herman Melville D. Elizabeth Browning

10. This kind of stage lets viewers sit on the three sides.
A. Thrust C. Arena
B. Proscenium D. Environmental

11. It tells the reader of the script where the scene is.
A. Action C. Transition
B. Scene Heading D. Parenthetical

12. This expression pertains to the point when a show begins.

A. Break a leg C. Curtain call
B. Bring down the house D. Curtain-up

13. He is in-charge of the overall interpretation of a dramatic work to create a

unified production.
A. Stage Manager C. Director
B. Props Manager D. Actor

14. This kind of stage has the setup where audience sits in front of the stage.
A. Environmental C. Thrust
B. Proscenium D. Arena

15. It is the art of composing, writing, acting, or producing plays.

A. Drama C. Theater
B. Film D. Script writing

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References

Aguila, A., Galan, R. & Wigley, J. (2017). Wording the World: The Art of Creative
Writing. C & E Publishing,Inc.
BBC. (n.d.). Scripts. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zqwycdm/revision/6
Blood, M. (n.d.). Theatre Spaces.
Https://Www.Geneseo.Edu/~blood/Spaces1.Html. Retrieved October 19, 2020,
from https://www.geneseo.edu/~blood/Spaces1.html
Britannica. (n.d.) THEATERS. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/art/theater
Hall, G. (2020, October 17). TYPES OF STAGES [Slides]. Wsfcs.
https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Industrial Scripts. (2014, December 4). QUOTES ABOUT SCREENWRITING.

https://industrialscripts.com/quotes-about-screenwriting/
LifeNews. (2020, July 13). BeautyLife. BeautyLife.
https://life.abo3antar.com/?p=397

Literary Devices Editor. (2014, November 4). LITERARY DEVICES.

Literarydevices.Net. https://literarydevices.net/all-the-worlds-a-stage/#

Mandell, C. (2017, July 5). What Are Your Real Chances of Screenwriting Success?
Script.https://scriptmag.com/features/what-are-your-real-chances-of-
success
Mendoza, A. (2007). Get into Acting. Worldlink Books.
Reyes, W. (2008, November 27). Himala Tribute [Photograph]. Pep.Ph.
https://www.pep.ph/guide/movies/2994/himala-tribute-held-at-titus-
brandsma
Sasahara, Y. (n.d.). Script writing rubric. StudyLib. Retrieved November 10, 2020,
from https://studylib.net/doc/25255855/script-writing-rubric--1-
Screencraft. (2015, May 7). Elements of Screenplay Formatting. Screencraft.
https://screencraft.org/2015/05/07/elements-of-screenplay-formatting/
Screenwriting. (n.d.). SCRIPT ELEMENTS. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
https://www.screenwriting.info/script-elements-and-scene-heading/
Sharon Cuneta. (n.d.). Twitter.Com. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from
https://twitter.com/sharon_cuneta12/status/1070375106541576192/photo/2
THEATRE SPACES. (n.d.). Ia470. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.ia470.com/primer/theatres.htm
The Core. (n.d.). THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPT.
Https://Collegeofrealestate.Net/201549the-Importance-of-Scripts. Retrieved
October 21, 2020, from https://collegeofrealestate.net
Theatres Trust. (n.d.). Discover Theaters. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from
http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/discover-theatres/

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Acknowledgements:

Creative Writing- SHS (Specialized Subject)

Quarter 2- Module 4: Stage and Script

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Compiler: Sarah U. Recuerdo, TII, Talamban National High School

Editors: Marijune I. Torreon, MT11- Abellana National School

Mary Jane M. Acusar, MT1- Abellana National School
Alice C. Bordadora, MT1, Talamban National High School

Management Team:

Rhea Mar A. Angtud, Schools Division Superintendent

Danilo G. Gudelosao, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Grecia F. Bataluna, Curriculum Implementation Division Chief
Norman R. Gabales, EPSvr-English
Vanessa L. Harayo, EPSvr-LRMS

scriptwriter
scripts
(answer varies)
theaters
stage

What I Have Learned

Answer Key
choose a drama to work on.)
(Students are given the freedom to
What I Can Do

(Answers vary.)
What's In

15
None

Pretest
16