what is an act in a play

An act is a major division of a theatrical work, including a play, film, opera, ballet, or musical theatre, consisting of one or more scenes). It is a primary division of a dramatic work, like a play, film, opera, or other performance, and is made up of shorter scenes. The term can refer to a conscious division placed by the playwright or a later editor). An act is a part of a play defined by elements such as rising action, climax, and resolution). The opening act of the play usually introduces the characters and the problems they face. The middle acts further complicate the problems, and in the final act of the play, the problem is resolved. Until the 18th century, most plays were divided into five acts, and the work of William Shakespeare generally adheres to a five-act structure). However, modern works are sometimes divided into three acts. A scene normally represents actions happening in one place at one time and is marked off from the next scene by a curtain, a blackout, or a brief emptying of the stage). The scenes are the sections that make up the acts, and they change when the set of characters on stage changes or the set might change to indicate that the characters are in a new place.