Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition (Initial Situation)
The whole gang shows up at the Wrights' gloomy farmhouse, and we get a heaping scoop of back-story and also find out what everybody is here to do. Basically, Mrs. Wright is in the slammer because she most likely strangled her jerk husband with a rope. The County Attorney and the other men are here to find clues, and the women are going to collect some things for Mrs. Wright.
Rising Action (Conflict, Complication)
The menfolk hunt for clues that will convict Mrs. Wright, but take a few breaks to hurl sexist remarks at Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. Mrs. Hale gets more and more ticked at the men's drive-by misogyny, while she and Mrs. Peters grow to understand Mrs. Wright's bummer of a life with her awful husband. The first big complication happens when the ladies find a dead canary, most likely murdered by Mr. Wright, which is evidence of Mrs. Wright's motive for murdering him.
Climax (Crisis, Turning Point)
No doubt our point of highest tension is when Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters decide to hide the dead bird from the County Attorney and the other men. The ladies are taking a stand for Mrs. Wright… and women as a whole.
Falling Action
This is a super short one-act play. After the climax, we jump right to the end.
Resolution (Denouement)
Mrs. Hale delivers a snarky comment to the County Attorney while pressing her hand against the dead canary in her pocket. The men are clueless, but we know the women won this round. The story is resolved, and the case is closed—for the ladies and the audience at least.