Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles . SHERIFF ( unbuttoning his overcoat and stepping away from the stove as if to the beginning of official business ) : What is the primary purpose of these stage directions?

The stage directions tell what the sheriff does: he unbuttons his overcoat and steps away from the stove. Stage directions commonly guide actors’ movements and actions onstage, so their primary purpose is to direct actions that take place onstage. They do not mainly describe his appearance or tone of voice.

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