Two Act Structure
From Guidevines, a user-editable wiki for writersFrom Guidevines
The story structure of many plays and musicals.
If Act One is the rise, Act Two is the fall.
If Act One is the pursuit of a goal, the goal reversal heralds Act Two.
Often: Act One is a straightforward, traditional tale with a beginning, middle, and end. Things often take a dark turn either just before the end of the act, or just as the second act begins. Act Two has a shift in tone, sometimes deconstructing the previous Act.

