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. Included comic scenes - dance interludes and sentimental ballads all based on white stereotypes of black life in the South






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






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






4. Kabuki borrowed many of these movements to make Kabuki acting highly stylized and almost puppet-like






5. 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






6. Improved the daguerreotype and created modern photography; was also an English physicist






7. Two types of traditional Japanese theatre






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






9. Comedies forced Victorian society to reexamine its hypocrisies; Lady Windermere's Fan (1892) - A WOman of No Importance (1893) - An Ideal Husband (1894); advocated 'art for art's sake'; The Importance of Being Ernest






10. Romanian-born French playwright best categorized as a hilarious absurdist; The Bald Soprano (1949) & Rhinoceros (1959)






11. One of the most valuable historical records of Indian theatre; an encyclopedic book of dramatic theory and practice; has 37 chapters and covers every aspect of classical Indian drama - also a treatise on dramatic theory and philosophy - states that t






12. Told stories about common people who felt grand emotions and suffered devastating consequences (Enlightenment)






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






14. Said that the free enterprise system is seriously flawed and is a cause of great human misery because it exploits the poor






15. Islam's holy book - contains a warning about 'graven images' similar to the one in the Bible - prohibition applies to dolls - statues - portraits - and people playing a character






16. Including operetta - developed out of intermezzi






17. What western theatre is often called:






18. Play by Wole Soyinka; celebrates Nigerian independence but also warns against returning to Nigeria's violent past






19. 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






20. Wooden clappers used in Kabuki






21. The sung words






22. Includes all other forms of drama - from the ancient ritual theatre of Africa to the traditional theatre of Asia to the shadow and puppet theatre of Muslim lands






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






24. Characterized by a light-hearted - fast-moving comic story - whose dialogue is interspersed with popular music; Guys and Dolls (1950)






25. Term used to describe performances that mix theatre - visual arts - music - dance - gesture and rituals; often use multimedia effects - sounds and lighting effects to make a point and allow the audience to understand its deeper implications; often re






26. Earliest form for photography






27. 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






28. Characters were not individuals but types; standard roles included scholar - lover - hero - maiden - old woman - coquette - virtuous wife - and acrobatic warrior-maiden






29. Said that the free enterprise system is seriously flawed and is a cause of great human misery because it exploits the poor






30. Grew up in poverty and put himself through medical school and set up free clinics in Russia to help the poor; The Seagull (1896) - Uncle Vanya (1899) Three Sisters (1901) & The Cherry Orchard (1904); placed on stage the lazy chaos of lives crushed by






31. Proclaimed 'God is dead...and we have killed him.'; felt taht absence of God was a tragedy - but believed human beings needed to accept the tragedy and move forward in a world that was unjust and meaningless






32. Plays about the issues of the day that were in Manhattan neighborhoods






33. Most famous surrealist and was a French writer and director; studied Asian religions - mysticism - and ancient cultures; declared theatre should should wake the nerves and heart; argued that proscenium arch theatres create a barrier between the audie






34. A form of musical entertainment featuring bawdy songs - dancing women - and sometimes striptease






35. Term used to describe performances that mix theatre - visual arts - music - dance - gesture and rituals; often use multimedia effects - sounds and lighting effects to make a point and allow the audience to understand its deeper implications; often re






36. The audience remains alienated from the performance so they could critically consider the play's themes






37. Writes the lyrics






38. Most famous of the absurdist playwrights; best considered a fatalist - although work is sometimes hilarious and can ask existential questions; Endgame (1957) Krapp's Last Tape (1958) and Happy Days (1961); Waiting for Godot (1953)






39. An extreme form of realism; an acurate 'documentary' of everyday life - including its seamy side






40. All lines are sung - usually to grand classical music; Madama Butterfly (1904)






41. Comedies forced Victorian society to reexamine its hypocrisies; Lady Windermere's Fan (1892) - A WOman of No Importance (1893) - An Ideal Husband (1894); advocated 'art for art's sake'; The Importance of Being Ernest






42. 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)






43. History plays about major political events of the past - domestic plays about the loves and lives of merchants and townspeople - and dance-dramas about the world of spirits and animals






44. The first 'talkie' movie; featured white actor Al Jolson in blackface performing in a minstrel show






45. A blend of melody and drama and refers to the background music often played during these performances






46. Type of theatre that grew out of ritual - incorporated acting - music - storytelling - poetry - dance - costumes - and lots of masks to create a theatre that combined ritual and ceremony with drama






47. Recorded conversations of slum dwellers in Dublin and used their words verbatim in his plays

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


48. Nigerian playwright that was executed for trying to protect the Ogoni people against encroachments of Shell oil company






49. The men who play female roles are called:






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