Final answer:
Stage directions in a play serve various purposes, including directing actions, specifying effects, establishing settings, and guiding dialogue.
Step-by-step explanation:
Stage directions serve multiple purposes in a play. They are used to direct actions that take place offstage and onstage, specify lighting or sound effects, establish the time period, describe a character's appearance, build the setting, and indicate dialogue. However, they do not describe a character's thoughts. These stage directions provide guidance to the actors, directors, and production team, ensuring the play is performed as the playwright intended.
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