Architecture of Drama

Many of the world's greatest dramas have sprung not only from the creative impulses of the authors but also from the time-honored principles of structure and design that have forged those impulses into coherent and powerful insights. An understanding of these principles is essential to the craft of creating and interpreting works of drama for the stage or screen.

The Architecture of Drama provides an introduction to these principles, with particular emphasis placed on how a drama's structural elements fit together to create meaningful and entertaining experiences for audiences. The book is arranged into five sections, each dealing with a separate component:

·Plot (the selection and arrangement of events in the story)
·Character (the choices and actions taken by the people in the plot)
·Theme (the artist's point of view on the topic addressed)
·Style (the characteristic mode through which the drama expresses itself)
·Genre (the type of story being presented)

Through a range of examples from Oedipus Rex to The Wizard of Oz, the authors examine these structural building blocks both separately and in their interdependent relationship to one another. Along the way they also illustrate how these principles reflect the innate human need for comprehension and order. The Architecture of Drama provides an accessible, straightforward insight for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of plays and films.

David Letwin teaches at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Joe Stockdale is Professor and Dean Emeritus of Theatre and Film, School of the Arts, SUNY, Purchase.

Robin Stockdale is a retired columnist for the Pawling News Chronicle.