Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. DON

And he never did come out to look at that thing that flew overhead. He wasn't even interested.

(he turns to the faces in the group, his face taut and serious)

Why? Why didn't he come out with the rest of us to look?
CHARLIE

He always was an odd ball. Him and his whole family. Real odd ball.

Which element of drama is highlighted in the stage direction?

plot
resolution
setting
character

The element of drama highlighted in the stage direction is:

D. character

Explanation:

Written by Rod Serling, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street was an episode of the first season of the famous series The Twilight Zone.

In this excerpt, the stage direction is:

(he turns to the faces in the group, his face taut and serious)

Notice that this stage direction highlights the element character. It conveys a direction on how the actor should perform this particular scene, on what feelings he should try to portray. It is not a type of direction that focuses on the plot (events), the resolution (the ending of the story) or the setting (when and where). It highlights the character, his emotions, and how those emotions should be conveyed.