How to Write Climax Into a Play

Everybody knows the climax is one of the most (if not the most) important parts of a play. Most good script writers wouldn't complete a script for a theater presentation, even a one-act, without including some kind of climactic action. A climax is just one of the aspects that keeps plot tension in a play and keeps the audience interested. Here are some ways to effectively write a climax into your play.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Create a "point of no return." Many times, your climax in your play is identified as the pivotal moment where, after it happens, nothing can be "taken back." As the moment of highest tension, it should be clear to the audience that it's now all or nothing, and the rest of the production will play out accordingly.

2. Choose an on-screen or off-screen climax. The on-screen moment is generally more popular, but as the play writer, you can choose. If you want to create a kind of original structure, you can use climactic scenes to illuminate something that "just happened" between scenes. This kind of climax can, if well written, be just as effective as a conventional on-screen scene that demonstrates climactic action.

3. Get multiple characters involved. When it comes to the climax, it's "all hands on deck" and you should involve as many characters as possible in a short amount of time, especially if they share plot connections.

4. Show characters care with specially written monologues addressing their reactions to the climactic activity. This is both an exposition of the climax and an opportunity for good character development as you show candid reactions to a hugely defining event in the play.

5. Provide for the aftermath. As soon as a climax is written into your script, you'll be going on down the track of figuring out how to resolve any climactic aspects of the play into a cohesive resolution. Don't write yourself into a corner with the climax. As you write it, be brainstorming about how it will inevitably play out. This kind of thinking ahead is key for anyone working in Hollywood or a large theater community--good plot line arguments and provisions can get your scripts made.