Test your basic knowledge |

Theatre Basics

Subject : performing-arts
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Writes the lyrics






2. Brought Western-style theatre to Africa to dramatize Bible stories in order to win converts






3. Light opera - differs from 'grand opera' because it has a frivolous - comic theme - some spoken dialogue - a melodramatic story - and usually a little dancing; The Mikado (1885)






4. Sigmund Freud's book which analyzes the character of Oedipus and Hamlet






5. In Sigmund Romberg's play the king young heir to the throne sacrifices his personal happiness for the good of the kingdom when he sorrowfully pulls himself away from his true love in order to marry a princess whom he does not love






6. Sell over $1billion worth of tickets annually - majority of those are for musicals






7. One of the most famous Sanskrit dramas - a love story in seven acts written by the playwright Kalidasa






8. Light opera - differs from 'grand opera' because it has a frivolous - comic theme - some spoken dialogue - a melodramatic story - and usually a little dancing; The Mikado (1885)






9. The realism of the play is expressed through lyrical language






10. A synthesis of music - dance - acting - and acrobatics; it was first performed by strolling players in markets - temples - courtyards - and the streets






11. A dialogue that captures the incoherence - broken language - and pauses of modern speech; usually marked by surreal distortion and impending danger; from writing of Franz Kafka






12. Only cost a nickel






13. Sell over $1billion worth of tickets annually - majority of those are for musicals






14. Sarcastic label of Scribe's plays; the sympathetic protagonist suffers at the hands of an evil antagonist in the course of intense action - suspense - and contrived play devices; ending is always happy and the loose ends are neatly tied up






15. Instead of learning how to conjure real emotions - actors of Sanskrit drama studied for many years to learn representations of emotions through:






16. Sigmund Freud's book which analyzes the character of Oedipus and Hamlet






17. The sung words






18. Any artist or work of art that is experimental - innovative or unconventional; some styles would be symbolism - expressionism - futurism - Dadaism - surrealism - and absurdism






19. Elmer Rice; about a man named Mr. Zero Who is fired from his job and replaced by an adding machine






20. Studied the history of class conflict






21. Built in Venice in 1637






22. Suggests we are trapped in an irrational universe where even basic communication is impossible






23. Would agitate the masses - attack the spectators' sensibilities and purge people of their destructive tendencies; wanted stylized - ritualized performances - not realism - which they felt restricted the theatre to the study of psychological problems






24. People who dismissed Traditional African Theatre because it was so unlike anything they knew






25. Plays without music






26. Estrangement; essentially the alienation effect






27. The first modern musical; a melodrama about black magic staged in NYC in 1866






28. Most famous English actress - born into poverty - started out singing in taverns and selling oranges in theatres - became the King's mistress






29. Composed and produced by Bob Cole - lyrics by Billy Johnson; story of a con man and used minstrel stereotypes and spoofed Chinatown; in one scene a young black man sings about he and his date were denied entry to a nightclub cuz He was black and this






30. Exposed the squalid living conditions of the urban poor and explores scandalous topics like poverty - venereal disease and prostitution; 'Sordid Realism'






31. Thought that inner truths could be hinted at only through symbols; sought to replace the specific and concrete with the suggestive and metaphorical; usually had little plot or action and tended to baffle the audience






32. Theatre was not seen as being of value to society - so plays were not an important part of:






33. Second part of a Noh play - protagonist performs a dance that expresses his or her concern






34. Type of theatre greatly influenced by Buddhism and Shinto; originates in ritual






35. A true-to-life interior containing a room or rooms with the fourth wall removed so that the audience has the feeling of looking in on the characters' private lives






36. Earliest form for photography






37. Three parts of a Noh play






38. Bandits discuss rival systems of goverment while waiting for an attack






39. Two types of traditional Japanese theatre






40. During the Enlightenment there were revolutions in: ... which had a profound effect on theatre






41. Writers who felt science was not adequate to describe the full range of human experience - and their writings stressed instinct - intuition - and feeling






42. Feature the work of a director-choreographer






43. Contemporary form of Sanskrit Theatre - dramatized version of the Hindu epic poems Ramayana and Mahabharata






44. Play that takes place in a mental institution - the audience sits on the stage with the actor-patients






45. The orchestrated melodies






46. The want for more 'genuine' sets - more 'honest' acting - and dialogue to be modeled after everyday speech - influenced by ideas of CHarles Darwin - Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx






47. One of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment - French poet - essayist - and playwright whose writing often got him in trouble with the church; built a theatre on his own estate so he could freely present his plays






48. Studied the history of class conflict






49. Wooden clappers used in Kabuki






50. The time period that glorified humans' power to reason and analyze - a period of great philosophical - scientific - technological - political - and religious revolutions