Features of Drama: Play Director, Audience, and Performance – JSS1 Literature-in-English Lesson Note (Third Term)

A play director is the person in charge of a whole production, from reading the script to the final performance.

• Subject: Literature in English
• Class: JSS 1
• Duration: 40 minutes
• Topic: Features of Drama (Continued): Play Director, Audience and Performance

Behavioural objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Explain who a play director is and list what a director does.
2. Describe the role of the audience in drama.
3. State the features of a good performance.
4. Explain how the director, audience and performance work together.
5. Show teamwork by planning a short scene as a group.

Previous knowledge

• Students have learned about theme, stage and costume in drama.
• They know that drama is written to be performed.
• They know basic drama words and have probably watched a play before.

Teaching aids

• Pictures of directors at work.
• Diagrams showing the director’s position during rehearsal.
• Photos of different audience setups.
• Video clip of a rehearsal or performance (if available).
• Chart showing the elements of a good performance.

Introduction (4 minutes)

The teacher asks the class these questions:

• When you perform a play at school, who tells you where to stand and what to do?
• Who watches when you perform?
• What makes a performance good or bad?

• The teacher shows a picture of a director with actors and asks: “What do you think this person is doing?”
• The teacher then states the three features for the day: the director (the leader who guides everyone), the audience (the people watching) and the performance (the act of presenting the play).

Who is a play director? (13 minutes)

A play director is the person who interprets the script, guides the actors and brings every part of a production together.

• Comparison: the director is like the captain of a ship or the coach of a football team.
• Big picture: the director sees the whole play while everyone else focuses on one job.

What does a director do?

A director has seven main duties: interpreting the script, casting, rehearsing, coordinating, directing actors, solving problems and keeping the vision.

1. Interprets the script

The director reads the play carefully and decides:

• Meaning: what the play is really about.
• Presentation: how it should be shown.
• Message: which idea to emphasise.
• Style: serious, funny, modern or traditional.
• Example: for a play about greed, the director decides whether to show it as a tragedy or a comedy, and whether to set it in a village or a city.

2. Casts the play

Casting is the choosing of actors for the characters in a play.

• Voice: can the actor speak clearly?
• Look: does the actor suit the character?
• Emotion: can the actor show the right feelings?
• Teamwork: does the actor work well with others?
• Example: for a king, the director may choose a tall student with a strong voice. For a funny servant, the director may pick someone naturally humorous.

3. Conducts rehearsals

A rehearsal is a practice session held before the real performance.

• Blocking: teaches actors where to stand and move.
• Character: helps actors understand the people they play.
• Delivery: shows actors how to say their lines well.
• Correction: points out and fixes mistakes.
• Timing: times the scenes and the whole play.
• Cues: makes sure everyone knows when to enter, speak or exit.
• Example: “John, move to the left when you say that line. Mary, say it louder and with more anger. Peter, enter from the right door.”

4. Coordinates all elements

The director makes sure every part of the production fits together.

• Stage design: works with set builders to create the right setting.
• Costumes: approves what actors will wear.
• Lighting: decides when lights are bright, dim or change colour.
• Sound effects: chooses when to use music or sound.
• Props: makes sure actors have the objects they need.
• Makeup: supervises how actors look.
• Example: “When the ghost appears, dim the lights to blue and play eerie music while the actor enters in the white costume.”

5. Gives direction to actors

Directions are instructions that help actors improve their acting.

• Voice direction: “Speak louder”, “Say it more slowly”, “Whisper this part”.
• Movement direction: “Walk faster”, “Sit down here”, “Exit through that door”.
• Emotional direction: “Show more sadness”, “Act more surprised”, “Smile when you say that”.

6. Solves problems

The director finds answers to the problems that arise during production.

• Forgotten lines: the director helps the actor to memorise them.
• Costume does not fit: the director adjusts it or finds another.
• Scene too long: the director cuts it or speeds it up.
• Quarrel between actors: the director settles it.
• Missing prop: the director finds a replacement.

7. Keeps the vision

• Focus: the director keeps everyone working towards the best possible performance.
• Meaning: every choice must help to express the meaning of the play.

What are the qualities of a good director?

A good director has eight main qualities.

1. Leadership skills: guides and inspires many people doing different tasks.
2. Creative vision: imagines how the final performance should look and feel.
3. Communication skills: explains ideas clearly so everyone knows what to do.
4. Patience: stays calm when things go wrong.
5. Organisational skills: manages schedules, people and details.
6. Knowledge of drama: understands acting, staging, costumes and technical work.
7. Decisiveness: chooses clearly between options.
8. Flexibility: adapts when plans change.

What tools does a director use?

• Script: the director’s copy with notes and markings.
• Blocking notation: drawings showing where actors move.
• Rehearsal schedule: the plan for practice sessions.
• Production notes: ideas about costumes, set and lighting.
• Stopwatch: used to time scenes and the whole play.

Who is the audience? (12 minutes)

The audience is the group of people who watch a performance.

• Other names: viewers and spectators.
• Comparison: a play without an audience is like a football match with no spectators.

Why is the audience important?

The audience is important because it gives drama its purpose, its reaction and its communication.

1. Gives drama its purpose

• Purpose: drama is created to be seen, so actors perform for the audience.
• Example: a cook prepares food for diners. If nobody eats it, the cooking has no purpose.

2. Provides reaction

Audience reaction is the way viewers respond to what happens on stage.

• Laughing: at funny parts.
• Gasping: at shocking moments.
• Crying: at sad scenes.
• Clapping: at exciting moments.
• Silence: during tense scenes.
• Effect: reactions encourage actors, show what works and give the theatre energy.
• Example: when the audience laughs loudly at a joke, the actor feels successful and performs even better.

3. Completes the communication

Drama is communication between performers and watchers.

• Actors send: they pass the message through performance.
• Audience receives: it takes in the message by watching and listening.
• Without an audience: the circle of communication is broken.

4. Influences the performance

The way an audience behaves affects how the actors perform.

What are the types of audience?

Audiences can be grouped by how they watch, by age and by culture.

1. Live theatre audience

A live theatre audience is a group of people watching a play in person in a theatre.

• Sees everything: watches the action as it happens.
• Close view: can see the actors’ expressions.
• Atmosphere: feels the mood of the room directly.
• Reaction: responds at once.
• No replay: cannot pause or rewind.

2. Audiences of different ages

• Children: enjoy simple, colourful, active plays, get restless if a play is too long or serious, and react loudly and honestly.
• Teenagers and youth: prefer modern, relevant themes, enjoy humour and romance, and can follow complex ideas.
• Adults: appreciate subtle acting, understand deep themes and can sit through longer plays.
• Mixed audience: the director balances the content and includes something for everyone.

3. Audiences of different cultures

• Traditional audience: may expect familiar stories and styles, enjoys cultural references, and understands local languages and proverbs.
• Modern or Western audience: may prefer realistic, present-day settings and be used to technical effects.

How should a good audience behave?

A good audience behaves politely before, during and after a performance.

• Before: arrive on time, switch off phones, find seats quietly and read the programme.
• During: sit quietly, pay attention and react naturally (laugh or gasp) without talking.
• During: stay in your seat, do not eat noisily and watch the stage, not your phone.
• After: applaud, leave calmly, discuss the play thoughtfully and give kind feedback if asked.

What is a performance? (9 minutes)

A performance is the act of presenting a play to an audience.

• Where: on a stage, in a hall, in a classroom or in an open space.
• Who: actors perform, the director has prepared them, and the audience watches.

What are the stages before a performance?

1. Reading the script: the director and cast study the play.
2. Rehearsals: actors practise lines, movement and cues.
3. Dress rehearsal: the cast practises once in full costume with props, lights and sound.
4. Performance: the play is shown to the audience.
5. Feedback: the cast and director talk about what went well and what to improve.

What makes a good performance?

A good performance has clear speech, believable acting, good timing and strong teamwork.

• Clear voice: every word can be heard and understood.
• Movement and gesture: actors move with purpose and use their hands and bodies to show meaning.
• Facial expression: the face shows the character’s feelings.
• Memorised lines: actors know their words and speak with confidence.
• Timing and cues: actors enter, speak and exit at the right moment.
• Believable character: the actor behaves like the person being played.
• Teamwork: actors listen to one another and support each other.
• Use of stage elements: costume, props, lighting and sound match the scene.

What should an actor do if they forget a line?

1. Stay calm and stay in character.
2. Pause briefly and listen for a cue from another actor.
3. Use a prompter (a person with the script who helps from the side) if the production has one.
4. Say something that fits the scene in your own words, then return to the script.
5. Continue the play without showing panic.

How do the director, audience and performance work together?

The director prepares the actors, the actors give the performance and the audience receives it and reacts.

Evaluation (2 minutes)

1. What does a play director do?
2. Name three qualities of a good director.
3. Who is the audience, and why are they important?
4. State three rules of good audience behaviour during a performance.
5. What should an actor do if they forget a line during a performance?

Assignment

Director simulation: Imagine you are directing a short play about a student who learns that honesty is important. Write instructions for the following:

1. What three actors should do, including their movements and how they say their lines.
2. What the stage should look like.
3. What costumes the actors should wear.
4. One problem that might occur and how you would solve it.