The 9 most important elements of the theater with their characteristics

The theater elements They are each of the components that help the theatrical works work wonderfully and can reach the audience perfectly.

When we talk about the elements of the theater we refer to each of the details that arranged in a certain way allow us to understand in depth what a play has to tell us.

It should be noted that for a staging you need more than actors and a story derived from a dramatic text, if what we want is to carry a strong message. That is why theater involves other arts that allow it to convey the message in a way that shakes the deepest fibers of the audience.. 

Thinking about all this, today we want to share with you the most representative elements of the theater.

Main elements of the theater

If you are a lover of theater, learning a little more about the performing arts will delight you. That is why below you can understand what are the essential elements of the theater with its main characteristics. 

1. Actors

If something cannot be missing in a play, it is the actors. They are in charge of interpreting the characters. They are generally professionals educated in dramatic arts who develop skills in body language, mimicry, vocal technique and other disciplines, which allows them to get into the skin of the characters.

Each action of each of the actors at the precise moment is essential to carry the common thread of the play, direct the plot and keep the audience's attention latent..

2. Scenography

The scenography is one of the most important elements of the theater. This is because it is in charge of generating the atmosphere and recreating in the space where the functional facts of the work take place..

Within the scenography we find each of the elements of props, decoration or visual adaptation that allow to recreate different spaces within the stage. One of the remarkable facts within the works is that the scenery usually changes as the scenes change..

3. The public

Did you think you were not going to be included? Well no! the role of the public is little rescued in the different arts. However, it should be noted that there can be no play without the audience.

In technical terms, the entire play may be staged, but if there is no audience to whom each effort is directed, it loses meaning, beyond the aesthetic creation. It should be noted that in the different arts, it can be said that the work is finished by the interpretation of the spectators.

4. Script

A script is the script or text created in which the dialogues of the play are included. Here the voices are structured very well, specifically discriminating the lines of the narrator and the actors and other contextual information that directs the plot of the play from beginning to end..

In many plays the role of the narrator is omitted, and the actors are simply responsible for bringing the script to life. However, in some theatrical productions, a narrator is included that helps to give more consistency to the scenes.

5. Lighting

Lighting is another of the elements of the theater that seems not to be so vital, and yet it has a leading role. This is because with the management of lighting, different atmospheres are created that allow generating different types of emotions and highlighting the strength of the scenes..

For example, if the work is nocturnal, the dim lights and the play of shadows can help viewers to connect much better with the essence of the work..

6. Makeup

With makeup we refer to all kinds of artistic makeup that allows the actors to be transformed into a version more similar to that of their character. With makeup we achieve effects to highlight the age or status of the characters.

Think for example of a play in which the central actors are the animals, a good makeup can make us connect much better with the essence of the characters.

Makeup is also essential when playing with lighting, as it allows actors to stand out better in specific scenes.

7. Wardrobe

The costumes are one of the elements of the theater that cannot be missing because it highlights the spirit and the physical and aesthetic conditions of the authors. In each play there is a specialized wardrobe team that is responsible for adapting the clothing of each of the actors, according to their particular conditions.

For this, elements such as the era, the age of the characters, the profession or the social stratum are taken into account, and the clothing and accessories are chosen accordingly..

8. Sound

Within the sound we find the musicalization and the sound effects included within the work. The music is generally made up of instrumental tracks and songs that give force to the scenes. The sound effects for their part, range from lightning to door sounds and all those auditory effects that can contribute to a more complete atmosphere..

Within the elements of the theater this has a fundamental effect, because as we all know, music has the ability to generate different emotions.

9. Director

The director, as his name implies, is in charge of directing the play. Although he does not appear on stage, he is one of the fundamental characters, since he is in charge of choosing the characters and guiding them during the play. In the same way, it directly influences the choice of scenery, music, costumes, scripts and other elements necessary for the work to work perfectly..

We hope that with this article you have learned a little about the elements of theater and its importance within the play..