How to Write a Play Script Based on a Story
Do you have a favorite story that you want to turn into a play? Or do you want to create your own original story and perform it on stage? Story play is a form of creative expression that involves using stories, characters, and imagination to create and perform plays. Story play can have many benefits for children, such as improving their language skills, stimulating their imagination and creativity, enhancing their memory and concentration, and promoting their emotional intelligence. Story play can also help children develop intercultural understanding and appreciation, as they can explore different cultures and traditions through stories.
In this article, I will provide you with some tips and examples on how to write a play script based on a story, and how to make it engaging and effective for your audience.
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How to convert a story into a play
Writing a play script based on a story is not as hard as it may seem. You just need to follow some simple steps:
Summarize and pick out the main plot
The first step is to summarize the story that you want to adapt into a play. You can use a story map or a story skeleton to help you remember the key events and characters of the story. A story map is a visual representation of the story elements such as setting, characters, problem, solution, etc. A story skeleton is a list of sentences that describe the main actions of the story. For example:
Once upon a time there was a girl named Cinderella who lived with her wicked stepmother and stepsisters.
They treated her very badly and made her do all the chores.
One day an invitation arrived for a royal ball at the palace.
Cinderella wanted to go but her stepmother said she couldn't.
Cinderella was very sad until her fairy godmother appeared.
She gave her a beautiful dress and glass slippers and told her she could go to the ball but she had to be back by midnight.
Cinderella went to the ball and danced with the prince who fell in love with her.
She forgot the time and ran away when the clock struck twelve.
She left behind one of her glass slippers on the stairs.
The prince picked it up and vowed to find the girl who fit the slipper.
He tried it on every girl in the kingdom but none of them fit.
He finally came to Cinderella's house and tried it on her stepsisters but they didn't fit either.
He saw Cinderella in the corner and asked her to try it on.
It fit perfectly and he recognized her as the girl from the ball.
He asked her to marry him and she said yes.
They lived happily ever after.
Once you have summarized the story, you can pick out the main plot points that you want to include in your play. You don't have to include every detail of the story, just the ones that are essential for the plot and the characters. You can also add or change some details to make your play more interesting or original. For example, you can change the setting, the time period, the names of the characters, or the ending of the story. You can also add some subplots or twists to create more drama or humor. For example:
The story is set in a futuristic world where robots are common and humans are rare.
Cinderella is a human girl who works as a mechanic for her stepmother and stepsisters who are robots.
The royal ball is a celebration of the prince's birthday and his coronation as the king of the robots.
Cinderella's fairy godmother is a hologram that appears on her smartwatch.
She gives her a high-tech dress and shoes that can change color and shape.
The prince is a human who disguises himself as a robot to escape his responsibilities and find true love.
Cinderella leaves behind her smartwatch instead of her shoe when she runs away from the ball.
The prince uses it to track her down and finds out that she is a human like him.
They face opposition from his robot parents who want him to marry a robot princess.
They overcome the obstacles and get married with the help of their robot and human friends.
Choose the style of your drama
The next step is to choose the style of your drama. This means deciding on the genre and tone of your play. The genre is the type of story that you are telling, such as comedy, tragedy, romance, adventure, fantasy, etc. The tone is the mood or attitude that you want to convey, such as serious, funny, sad, scary, etc. You can choose any genre and tone that suits your story and your audience. For example:
If you want to make your play funny, you can choose a comedy genre and a humorous tone. You can use jokes, puns, sarcasm, irony, exaggeration, etc. to make your audience laugh. For example, you can make fun of the stereotypes of robots and humans in your futuristic version of Cinderella.
If you want to make your play dramatic, you can choose a tragedy genre and a serious tone. You can use conflicts, dilemmas, obstacles, losses, etc. to make your audience feel emotional. For example, you can make Cinderella's life more miserable and hopeless in your original version of Cinderella.
If you want to make your play exciting, you can choose an adventure genre and a suspenseful tone. You can use action, danger, mystery, twists, etc. to make your audience feel curious and thrilled. For example, you can add some villains or challenges that threaten Cinderella and the prince in both versions of Cinderella.
List out the key characters from the story
The third step is to list out the key characters from the story. These are the people or animals or things that have an important role in your play. You can use your summary or story map or story skeleton to help you identify them. You should also describe their traits and roles in your play. For example:
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NameTraitRole
CinderellaKind, hardworking, braveThe protagonist who wants to go to the ball and find love
PrinceCharming, adventurous, rebelliousThe love interest who wants to escape his duties and find love
Fairy godmotherMagical, helpful, wiseThe helper who gives Cinderella the means to go to the ball
StepmotherCruel, greedy, selfishThe antagonist who prevents Cinderella from going to the ball and mistreats her
StepsistersMean, lazy, vainThe sidekicks who assist the stepmother and mock Cinderella
KingStrict, powerful, proudThe obstacle who wants the prince to marry a robot princess and rule the robots
QueenGentle, caring, supportiveThe ally who wants the prince to be happy and respects his choice of love
Robot princessCold, arrogant, manipulativeThe rival who wants to marry the prince and take over the kingdom
Cinderella's friendsLoyal, funny, helpfulThe supporters who help Cinderella with her chores and encourage her to go to the ball
Prince's friendsDaring, witty, adventurousThe companions who help the prince disguise himself as a robot and find Cinderella
NarratorInformative, engaging, humorousThe storyteller who introduces and concludes the play and provides commentary and transitions
Design your acts and overall layout of the play
The fourth step is to design your acts and overall layout of the play. This means deciding how many acts and scenes you want to have in your play, and how to arrange them. An act is a major division of a play that usually contains several scenes. A scene is a smaller division of a play that usually takes place in one location and time. You can use transitions and intermissions to move from one scene or act to another. A transition is a change of scene or act that can be indicated by a change of lighting, sound, or scenery. An intermission is a break between acts that allows the audience and the actors to rest and prepare for the next act. You can use your summary or story map or story skeleton to help you design your acts and scenes. For example:
Act/SceneSetting/TimeCharacters/Action
Act 1: Exposition (Introduction)
Scene 1: Cinderella's house in the future (Day)
Narrator introduces the story and the characters. Cinderella works as a mechanic for her stepmother and stepsisters who are robots. They treat her very badly and make her do all the chores.
Scene 2: The palace in the future (Day)
Narrator introduces the prince and his parents who are humans. The king wants him to marry a robot princess and become the king of the robots. The prince wants to escape his duties and find true love.
Scene 3: Cinderella's house in the future (Evening)
An invitation arrives for a royal ball at the palace. Cinderella wants to go but her stepmother says she can't. Cinderella is very sad until her fairy godmother appears on her smartwatch.
Act 2: Rising Action (Conflict)
Scene 1: The palace in the future (Night)
The ball begins. The prince disguises himself as a robot to avoid his parents and the robot princess. He sees Cinderella in her high-tech dress and shoes and falls in love with her. They dance together.
Scene 2: The palace in the future (Midnight)
Cinderella forgets the time and runs away when the clock strikes twelve. She leaves behind her smartwatch on the stairs. The prince picks it up and vows to find Focus less on descriptions and more on action
The fifth step is to focus less on descriptions and more on action. This means using dialogue, action, and stage directions to show the story rather than tell it. Dialogue is the spoken words of the characters. Action is the physical movements of the characters. Stage directions are the instructions for the actors and the crew on how to perform the play. You can use these elements to make your play more dynamic and lively. For example:
Use dialogue to reveal the personality, emotions, and motivations of the characters. You can also use dialogue to create conflict, humor, or suspense. For example, you can use dialogue to show how Cinderella and the prince fall in love, how they argue with their parents, or how they joke with their friends.
Use action to show what the characters are doing and how they are feeling. You can also use action to create drama, excitement, or surprise. For example, you can use action to show how Cinderella runs away from the ball, how the prince fights with the robot princess, or how Cinderella's friends help her escape.
Use stage directions to indicate the setting, time, mood, and atmosphere of each scene. You can also use stage directions to describe the appearance, voice, movement, and expression of each character. For example, you can use stage directions to show how Cinderella's house looks like, how the ball is decorated, or how the prince disguises himself as a robot.
Link the play well in order of the story events
The sixth step is to link the play well in order of the story events. This means maintaining coherence and continuity in your play. Coherence is the logical and clear connection between the scenes and acts of your play. Continuity is the consistent and smooth flow of the story and the characters throughout your play. You can use these elements to make your play more understandable and enjoyable for your audience. For example:
Use transitions to move from one scene or act to another. You can use words, sounds, lights, or scenery to indicate a change of time, place, or mood. For example, you can use a narrator's voice, a clock's chime, a spotlight's switch, or a curtain's drop to signal a transition.
Use intermissions to break up your play into manageable parts. You can use music, announcements, or activities to entertain your audience during the break. For example, you can use a song, a quiz, or a game to keep your audience engaged during the intermission.
Use flashbacks or flash-forwards to show events that happened before or after the present time of your play. You can use cues such as sound effects, lighting effects, or costumes to indicate a shift in time. For example, you can use a dreamy sound, a dim light, or a different outfit to show a flashback or a flash-forward.
Use foreshadowing or hints to prepare your audience for what will happen next in your play. You can use words, actions, or objects to suggest a future event or outcome. For example, you can use a prophecy, a warning, or a clue to foreshadow or hint at something.
Think out music, lighting, and timings
The seventh step is to think out music, lighting, and timings. These are the elements that can enhance your play and create different effects and emotions. Music is the sound that accompanies your play. Lighting is the illumination that sets the mood and atmosphere of your play. Timings are the duration and pace of your play. You can use these elements to make your play more appealing and expressive for your audience. For example:
Use music to create a background or a foreground for your play. You can use music to set the tone, convey the theme, emphasize the emotion, or highlight the action of your play. For example, you can use music to create a romantic, dramatic, or humorous mood for your play.
Use lighting to create contrast or harmony for your play. You can use lighting to show the time of day, the location, the mood, or the focus of your play. For example, you can use lighting to create a bright, dark, or colorful effect for your play.
Use timings to create rhythm or tension for your play. You can use timings to show the sequence, the importance, the urgency, or the suspense of your play. For example, you can use timings to create a fast, slow, or varied pace for your play.
Make a rehearsal and get feedback
The eighth and final step is to make a rehearsal and get feedback. This means practicing your play and improving it based on feedback. A rehearsal is a trial performance of your play before the actual performance. Feedback is the comments and suggestions that you get from others about your play. You can use these elements to make your play more polished and perfect for your audience. For example:
Use rehearsal to test and refine your play. You can use rehearsal to check your script, your props, your costumes, your music, your lighting, your timings, etc. You can also use rehearsal to practice your performance techniques and storytelling tips. For example, you can use rehearsal to improve the dialogue for the character. Use quotation marks to indicate the dialogue.
Write the stage directions for the action, reaction, and interaction of the characters. Use italics and parentheses to indicate the stage directions.
Character Name: Write the dialogue for the character. Use quotation marks to indicate the dialogue.
Write the stage directions for the transition to the next scene or act. Use italics and parentheses to indicate the stage directions.
And so on...
Thank you for reading my article on how to write a play script based on a story. I hope you found it helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear from you. Happy writing and performing! 44f88ac181
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