Features of Drama: Theme, Stage, and Costume – JSS1 Literature-in-English Lesson Note (Third Term)

Theme, stage and costume are three features of drama.

• Theme: the main idea or message of a play.
• Stage: the space where actors perform.
• Costume: the special clothing actors wear to show who characters are, when they live and what they are like.

• Subject: Literature in English
• Class: JSS 1
• Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural objectives

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

1. Explain what theme means in drama.
2. Identify common themes in plays.
3. Describe the stage and its importance.
4. Explain the role of costumes in drama.
5. Explain how theme, stage and costume work together to create effective drama.

Previous knowledge

• Drama is literature meant to be performed.
• Students know basic drama terms such as character, dialogue and plot.
• Students have learned about the types of drama.

Teaching aids

• Pictures of different stage types
• Sample costumes or pictures of theatrical costumes
• Chart showing common drama themes
• Props and costume pieces (if available)
• Video clips of stage performances (if possible)

Introduction (4 minutes)

The teacher begins by asking these questions:

• When you watch a play or movie, what is the story really about?
• Where do actors perform plays?
• What do actors wear when they perform?

1. Show pictures of actors on stage in different costumes.
2. Ask: “What do these pictures tell you about the play?”
3. State the lesson: theme (what the play is about), stage (where it happens) and costume (what actors wear).

What is theme in drama? (13 minutes)

Theme is the main idea or message of a play.

• Meaning: it is what the play is really about beyond the story.
• Takeaway: it is the lesson or truth you remember after watching.
• Heart of the play: it is the important idea the playwright wants you to understand.

How do you find the theme?

Ask yourself these questions:

• What is this play really teaching me?
• What message does the writer want me to understand?
• What truth about life does this play show?
• What do the characters learn?

What is the difference between theme and subject?

• Subject: what the play talks about, such as love, war or family.
• Theme: what the play says about that subject.

What are the common themes in drama?

Ten common themes in drama are listed below.

1. Good and evil: good characters struggle against evil ones, and good usually wins in the end.
   Example: an honest man refuses to join corrupt friends. He suffers at first but later succeeds, while the corrupt friends are punished.
2. Love and sacrifice: true love means putting others first.
   Example: a mother works many jobs to send her children to school, giving up her own comfort.
3. Tradition and change: many Nigerian plays show the conflict between old ways and new ways.
   Example: young people want to choose their own marriage partners, but elders insist on arranged marriages.
4. Greed and its consequences: wanting too much leads to problems.
   Example: a man cheats others to become rich, but loses his family, friends and respect.
5. Family loyalty: characters choose between family duty and personal desires.
   Example: a daughter must choose between her career in the city and staying home to care for ageing parents.
6. Justice and injustice: plays show fairness and unfairness in society.
   Example: a poor man is falsely accused of stealing and struggles to prove his innocence.
7. Pride and downfall: as in tragedy, excessive pride destroys people.
   Example: a wealthy man looks down on poor people. When he loses his wealth, no one helps him.
8. Courage and bravery: plays honour characters who stand up for what is right, even when it is dangerous.
   Example: a young girl tells the truth to powerful people who are doing wrong, though she could be punished.
9. Betrayal and forgiveness: plays show how betrayal hurts and whether people can forgive.
   Example: a friend betrays another friend’s trust but later asks for forgiveness.
10. The power of education: many Nigerian plays show how education changes lives and communities.
    Example: an educated person returns to the village and solves problems using what they know.

How is theme shown in drama?

Theme is shown through five things: characters, dialogue, plot, conflict and the ending.

• Characters: how they behave and change shows the theme.
• Dialogue: characters say things that express the theme, sometimes directly.
• Plot: what happens to characters proves the theme. If greed is the theme, greedy characters suffer.
• Conflict: the main struggle relates to the theme, and its resolution teaches the lesson.
• Ending: who succeeds and who fails makes the final message clear.

Why is theme important?

1. Gives meaning: it makes a play more than entertainment.
2. Connects to life: it helps us understand our own lives and society.
3. Unifies the play: all parts of the play work to express the theme.
4. Makes plays memorable: we remember plays that teach important lessons.
5. Creates discussion: themes make us think and talk about important issues.

Class activity: finding a theme

The teacher reads this short story:

• A boy lies to his parents about where he goes after school.
• He secretly plays football instead of attending extra lessons.
• When exam results come, he fails. His football friends pass because they attended their lessons.
• He realises honesty and education are important.

Students identify the theme. (Honesty is important, or education should be taken seriously.)

What is the stage? (13 minutes)

The stage is the platform or area where actors perform.

• Purpose: it is the space the audience watches, the “world” where the play happens.
• Any space can be a stage: if actors perform in the street, that space becomes their stage.

What are the parts of the stage?

A stage has seven main parts or areas.

1. Performance area: the main space where actors stand, move and perform.
2. Wings: the sides of the stage, hidden from the audience. Actors wait here and exit through them.
3. Backstage: the area behind the stage where actors prepare and change costumes.
4. Curtains: large cloths that open to reveal the stage and close to hide it. They mark the start and end of acts.
5. Front stage (downstage): the part closest to the audience.
6. Upstage: the part farthest from the audience.
7. Centre stage: the middle of the stage, a strong position for important action.

What are the stage positions?

Stage positions are the terms directors use to tell actors where to stand or move.

• Why these names: in old theatres, stages sloped down toward the audience so everyone could see.
• Result: the front was “down” and the back was “up”, and we still use the names today.

What are the types of stages?

There are five types of stage: proscenium, thrust, arena, flexible (black box) and open-air.

Proscenium stage

The proscenium stage is the most common type, with the audience on one side looking through a frame called the proscenium arch, like a big window.

• Scenery: good for scenery and backdrops.
• View: the audience has a clear view.
• Backstage: backstage areas are easy to hide.
• Curtains: curtains can be used effectively.

Thrust stage

The thrust stage pushes out into the audience, so people sit on three sides.

• Closeness: the audience feels closer to the action.
• Involvement: it is more intimate and involving.
• Contact: actors can interact more with the audience.

Arena stage (theatre in the round)

The arena stage has the audience sitting all round it in a circle, with actors in the middle.

• Advantage: the audience is very close to the actors.
• Advantage: there are no bad seats.
• Advantage: the play feels real and immediate.
• Disadvantage: scenery is hard to use.
• Disadvantage: some of the audience always sees the actors’ backs.

Flexible or black box stage

The flexible stage is a plain room where the stage and seating can be arranged differently for each performance.

• Flexible: it can be changed for different plays.
• Use: it is often used for experimental drama.

Open-air or outdoor stage

The open-air stage is used for performances outside with no roof, and traditional African drama often used it.

• Advantage: natural setting.
• Advantage: it can hold large audiences.
• Advantage: no expensive building is needed.
• Disadvantage: weather can be a problem.
• Disadvantage: lighting is hard to control.

What is the stage set (scenery)?

The stage set is everything on stage that creates the environment of the play.

• Backdrops: painted cloths showing the location.
• Furniture: chairs, tables and beds.
• Features: trees, rocks and other parts of the environment.
• Structures: buildings or room structures.
• Doors and windows.

The set does four jobs:

• Shows where the scene takes place.
• Creates the right atmosphere.
• Helps the audience understand time and place.
• Makes the performance look realistic.

Example: a village scene may have a thatched hut, some stools, a cooking pot and a backdrop painted with palm trees.

What does stage lighting do?

Stage lighting does more than help the audience see.

• Time of day: bright for morning, dim for night.
• Mood: for example, red for danger and blue for sadness.
• Focus: it draws attention to important areas.
• Change: it shows changes in location or time.

Example: lights dim slowly to show evening coming. A spotlight on one character shows they are thinking alone.

What are stage props?

Props (short for “properties”) are the objects actors use during a performance.

• Papers: letters, books, newspapers.
• Weapons: swords and guns, but fake ones.
• Food and drinks.
• Tools: hammer, hoe, broom.
• Personal items: bags, phones, jewellery.

Props are important for four reasons:

• They make actions realistic.
• They help tell the story.
• They give actors something to interact with.
• They show character traits, since what someone carries tells us about them.

Why is the stage important?

1. Creates the world: it brings the play’s setting to life.
2. Focuses attention: stage design directs where the audience looks.
3. Supports the story: good staging helps tell the story clearly.
4. Creates atmosphere: stage elements set the mood.
5. Improves quality: good use of the stage makes the performance better.

Class activity: sketching a stage

Students sketch a simple stage layout for a play set in a classroom. They label where actors would stand, where the door is and where the teacher’s desk should be.

What is costume? (10 minutes)

Costume is the special clothing actors wear during a performance.

• Purpose: it is chosen to show who characters are, when they live and what they are like.
• Difference from everyday clothes: it is designed specifically for the play.

Why are costumes important?

Costumes are important for five reasons.

1. Costumes show who the character is

Costumes tell the audience about a character’s status, job, age and personality at once.

2. Costumes show the time period

3. Costumes show cultural background

Example: in a play about cultural conflict, one character wears full traditional dress and another wears a Western suit. This shows their different values.

4. Costumes create visual interest

• Colourful, varied costumes make a play exciting to watch.
• Plain, similar costumes make a play dull.

5. Costumes help actors feel the character

• The right costume helps actors behave like their character.
• A person wearing a king’s crown tends to stand taller and more proudly.

What are the elements of costume?

There are five elements of costume: clothing, footwear, headwear, accessories and make-up.

1. Clothing: shirts, trousers, skirts, dresses, traditional robes and wrappers, uniforms and ceremonial dress.
2. Footwear: shoes, sandals, boots, slippers, or bare feet for some traditional or poor characters.
3. Headwear: hats, caps, crowns, head ties (gele), turbans and helmets.
4. Accessories: jewellery (rings, necklaces, bracelets), belts, scarves and bags.
5. Make-up: face paint, traditional marks and designs, age make-up and special effects such as scars and bruises.

What should a costume designer consider?

A costume designer considers the character, colour, fabric, comfort and visibility.

• Character: who is this person, and what would they wear?
• Colour: different colours create different feelings (see the table below).
• Fabric: rich characters wear silk or velvet, poor characters wear cotton or rough fabrics, and traditional characters wear native weavings.
• Comfort: actors must move easily, so costumes should not be too tight, too hot or dangerous.
• Visibility: the audience must see faces and important actions, so costumes should not hide actors.

What are examples of effective costume use?

• Class difference: the rich man wears a fine three-piece suit, a gold watch and shiny shoes. The poor man wears a torn shirt, patched trousers and worn slippers. The contrast shows inequality.
• Character change: a character starts in bright, happy colours. After tragedy, they appear in dark, dull clothes. This shows their emotional change.
• Traditional and modern: a father wears full traditional attire and his daughter wears jeans and a T-shirt. This shows generational conflict without words.

How does costume differ in different types of drama?

What are simple costume solutions for schools?

Schools that cannot afford elaborate costumes can use five simple solutions.

1. Use everyday clothes creatively: regular clothes work if chosen carefully.
2. Add key pieces: one special item, such as a crown, cap or scarf, can transform a character.
3. Use fabric: simple cloth can become a wrapper, a cape or a head tie.
4. Make props: cardboard crowns, paper jewellery and painted fabric.
5. Borrow and adapt: ask parents and community members for suitable items.

How do theme, stage and costume work together?

Theme, stage and costume are connected, and all three work together to show the message of the play.

Take a play about greed:

• Theme: “Greed destroys happiness.”
• Stage: the set moves from a simple, happy home to a cluttered, luxurious but empty mansion.
• Costume: the character starts in simple, clean clothes. As greed grows, costumes become more expensive but less comfortable, with heavy gold jewellery that weighs them down.

Class activity: costume for a village chief

The teacher describes the character: “A proud village chief in a traditional African setting.” Students discuss:

• What costume would this character wear?
• What colours?
• What accessories?
• How would the costume show he is proud?

Evaluation (2 minutes)

1. What is theme in drama, and how is it different from subject?
2. Give three common themes in plays.
3. What is the stage? Name three parts of the stage and three types of stage.
4. Why are costumes important, and how can they show a character’s social status?
5. How do theme, stage and costume work together in a play?

Assignment

Think of any story, play or movie you know. Write a short answer that gives:

1. The title.
2. What it is about (the subject).
3. What it teaches (the theme in one sentence).
4. How you know this is the theme.
5. The costume of one main character: clothes, colours, accessories and why they fit the character.
6. A simple labelled sketch of the stage for one scene, showing where actors would enter, exit and stand.