Chapter 6Stage Directions
Traditional stage directions are written by the playwright to inform readers of time period, set considerations, production requirements, stage action, blocking, entrances and exits, line interpretations, and, in some cases, the style and tone of the play. They offer guidance and inspiration to the creative team and are not written to be spoken aloud in a full production. Stage directions are formatted differently from the dialogue, usually in italics and often in parentheses. No uniform rules exist about how to write or format stage directions. Playwrights should write their stage directions and format their plays however they like.
Playwrights shouldn’t be expected to follow any rules about formatting or stage directions. ...
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