FOLK DRAMA. Although folk drama-drama performed by an ethnic or folk group that has developed traditional rules for time, place, and manner of performance-is relatively rare in the United States, some folk dramas have endured in Texas. They come from Old World religious drama and are staged as a part of the Hispanic Christmas celebration, especially along the Rio Grande border. In contrast to the static scripts of literary dramas, the dialogue and actions represented in these plays maintain a certain fluidity, especially when the "same" play is performed in two different communities. Variation is the rule rather than the exception in folk theater. Nevertheless, in Texas only two general plots produce the various texts. Both recount events surrounding the birth of Christ. The more elaborate of these plays, in terms of dramatic development, is usually referred to as the Pastorela, or Los Pastores. As the title suggests, the plot is drawn from scriptural accounts of the shepherds' adoration of the Christ in the New Testament. The core of the drama portrays the journey of a group of shepherds to the birthplace of the Messiah and the efforts of Satan and related forces of evil to block his coming. The action is confined to an informal stage, usually a patio. Costuming and masks are used. Dialogue is interspersed with song. As in European medieval drama that reenacts sacred episodes, broad comedy remains integral to the performance. In one text, for example, during the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem, Lucifer attempts to discover from a clownish member of the group whether the Christ child has been born. This shepherd drives Lucifer into a rage of frustration by his foolish prattle, which results from his misunderstanding of simple questions. The action of the play is usually localized, the stock characters are given common local names, and the props and costumes anachronistically reflect the area's Mexican-American culture and Spanish ancestry.