Reading Plays
A play (also called drama) is a story written to be acted out. Instead of paragraphs, it has a cast of characters, scenes, dialogue (the words characters say) and stage directions (instructions for the actors).
How plays are different
In a story, a narrator tells you what happens: "Mia ran in, out of breath." In a play, there is no narrator. You learn everything from what characters say and from the stage directions, usually in italics or parentheses: (Mia runs in, out of breath.)
A play starts with a cast list naming the characters, and usually a description of the setting. It's divided into scenes (and in longer plays, acts), much like chapters. Each line of dialogue starts with the name of the character who speaks it, with no quotation marks.
Cast, setting, scenes, dialogue, stage directions.
No narrator: read what they say and do.
3rd graders talk about plays using words like scene (RL.3.5), and 4th graders explain how drama differs from stories and poems, using terms like cast, dialogue and stage directions (RL.4.5). Reading plays aloud with different voices also builds fluency.
Parts of a play
Look for each one in the play below.
| Part | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cast of characters | the list of people in the play | MAX, LUNA, GRANDPA |
| Setting | where and when the play happens | A backyard. Saturday morning. |
| Scene | one part of the play in one place and time | Scene 1, Scene 2 |
| Dialogue | the words the characters say | LUNA: Look at this! |
| Stage directions | instructions for actors, in italics or parentheses | (Max trips over the hose.) |
| Act | a big section of a long play | Act 1, Act 2 |
Stage directions are not read aloud. They tell actors how to move and speak, and tell readers what's happening.
The Lost Ball (a short original play)
CAST: MAX, LUNA, GRANDPA. SETTING: A backyard on a sunny Saturday. / (MAX kicks a ball. It flies over the fence.) / MAX: Oh no! That was my new ball. / LUNA: (peeking through the fence) It's in Mrs. Park's garden. / MAX: (worried) What if she gets mad? / GRANDPA: (smiling) The best thing to do is knock and ask nicely.
- Cast: Max, Luna and Grandpa.
- Setting: a backyard on a sunny Saturday.
- Stage direction: (Max kicks a ball. It flies over the fence.)
- Stage direction showing feeling: (worried)
- Dialogue: MAX: Oh no! That was my new ball.
- Problem: the ball went into a neighbor's garden.
- How we learn Max is worried: the stage direction and his words.
- How Grandpa feels: calm (he's smiling).
- Not read aloud: the words in parentheses.
- As a story: "Max kicked the ball, and it flew over the fence."
Try reading it aloud, with each person taking a part. Skip the stage directions but act them out.
How to teach plays
Five short steps, about 10 minutes each.
- Read the cast list first. Who's in this play?
- Find the setting. Where and when does it happen?
- Spot stage directions. Underline them; act them out, don't read them.
- Read in parts. Each person reads one character.
- Rewrite as a story. Turn a few lines into paragraphs with a narrator.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Why it happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Reads stage directions aloud | Not knowing they're instructions. | Act them, don't say them. |
| Reads character names aloud | Thinks they're part of the line. | The name tells who speaks. |
| Looks for a narrator | Expecting a story. | Plays tell everything through dialogue and directions. |
| Mixes up scene and setting | Similar words. | Setting is where; a scene is a part of the play. |
Practice: reading plays quiz
10 questions. Your child can tap the speaker to hear a question read aloud. The first try on each question counts toward the score.
-
1.What is dialogue in a play?
Show answer
The words characters say.
-
2.What are stage directions?
Show answer
Instructions for how actors move and speak.
-
3.What is the cast of characters?
Show answer
The list of people in the play.
-
4.A play is divided into...
Show answer
scenes.
-
5.(Max trips over the hose.) This is...
Show answer
a stage direction.
-
6.Should you read stage directions aloud?
Show answer
No, act them out.
-
7.Tap the word that tells who is speaking.
!
Show answer
LUNA.
-
8.How is a play different from a story?
Show answer
A play has no narrator.
-
9.In The Lost Ball, how does Max feel when the ball goes over the fence?
Show answer
worried.
-
10.What does a play have that a poem doesn't?
Show answer
Stage directions.
Reading Plays worksheet (free PDF)
Reading Plays Worksheet, 3rd–4th grade
Read a short play, find the cast, setting, dialogue and stage directions, and write the next lines. Prints on US Letter paper, with an answer key.
Download the PDFTry it at home
- Family play: everyone reads one part.
- Puppet show: write a short play for puppets.
- Story to play: turn a fairy tale into dialogue.
- Act the directions: no reading them aloud!
- Watch a play: school or community theater.
What comes next
That completes the reading comprehension lessons. Go back to reading comprehension. Earlier: reading poems. Related: point of view and quotation marks.
Practice with a game
Free, no sign-up, and they work on phones, tablets and computers.
How Do They Feel?
Genre SortLast reviewed: November 11, 2026
Questions parents ask
What are the parts of a play?
The cast of characters, setting, scenes (and acts), dialogue and stage directions.
What are stage directions?
Instructions in a play, usually in italics or parentheses, that tell actors how to move, speak or feel. They aren't read aloud.
How is a play different from a story?
A play has no narrator; everything comes through dialogue and stage directions. It's written to be performed.
What grade learns about plays?
3rd grade refers to scenes (RL.3.5); 4th grade explains how drama differs from poems and prose (RL.4.5).
What is a scene?
One part of a play that happens in one place and time, like a chapter in a book.