Act I

E1013678

Act I is the opening section of a stage musical or play, where the main characters, conflicts, and setting are first introduced and developed.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf dramatic structure element
narrative division
theatrical term
associatedConcept dramatic arc
exposition phase
rising action
audienceRole first engagement with story
contrastsWith denouement
final act
createdBy composer
lyricist
playwright
follows curtain rise
hasPart scenes
isPartOf stage musical
stage play
theatrical performance
language varies by production
mayContain major plot point
opening number
prologue
medium live theatre
scripted drama
narrativePurpose to motivate audience investment in characters
to orient the audience
performedBy actors
positionInWork opening section
precedes Act II NERFINISHED
intermission
requires script
structuralPosition beginning of performance
temporalOrder occurs before climax of story
typicalFunction establishment of setting
establishment of tone
exposition
introduction of central conflicts
introduction of main characters
introduction of themes
presentation of inciting incident
setup of plot
world-building
typicalLength longer than a single scene
usedIn classical drama
modern drama
musical theatre
three-act structure
two-act structure

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.