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. 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






2. A robust and spectacular version of Noh; named after the characters for 'song' - 'dance' - and 'skill'; created by a woman named Okuni - owner of a brothel






3. French philosopher often called the Father of the Romantic movement; argued that people could find happiness in a 'state of nature' and that they should learn from nature rather than the artificial and corrupted teachings of society






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






5. Form of theatre that mixed traditional African ritual theatre and Western-style drama; encouraged African nationalism - glorified Africa's past - and advanced African customs - rituals - and culture; also dealt with serious political themes and appla






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






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






8. 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


9. Smaller - less expensive alternative experimental theatres; flourished in lofts - basements - coffeehouses and any found space usable






10. French philosopher and playwright; The Flies (1943) & No Exit (1944)






11. 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






12. Form of drama that dominated theatre in India for a thousand years; named for the ancient Indian language in which its plays are performed; combine the natural and the supernatural - the believable and unbelievable






13. Grew out of the theatre of Thespis in Ancient Greece; passed from the Athenians to the Romans to the medieval Europeans






14. 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






15. Result of western influence - a toned down version of Kabuki - told stories of everyday life - particularly those of women - women played women's parts (whereas Kabuki was all male)






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






17. First part had musical numbers with little comic dialogue; second part was full of songs - dance and standup routines; third part featured a one-act play






18. Most popular type of theatre during the Restoration; often featured great wit and wordplay and told stories about sexual gratification - bedroom escapades - and humankind's unrefined nature when it comes to sex






19. Based off the idea that before a problem can be solved - society must first understand that the problem exists; 'attack the message - not the messenger'






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






21. 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






22. Writes the lyrics






23. A popular form of stage entertainment from the 1880s to the 1940s; included a dozen or so slapstick comedy routines - song-and-dance numbers - magic acts and juggling or acrobatic performances






24. Third part of a Noh play - the protagonist appears as a new self - and the cause of torment is resolved






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






26. Most famous American expressionist playwright who won Nobel Prize for Literature (1936); A touch of the Poet (1935) - The Iceman Cometh (1939) - A Long Day's Journey into Night (1956) & A Moon for the Misbegotten (1952); The Hairy Ape (1952)

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


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






28. Named new 'photographic' realism NATURALISM and his phrase 'slice of life' is quoted description of it






29. Would be removed in the box set to give audience a real life look into the scene






30. Writes the music






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






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






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






34. The men who play female roles are called:






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






36. The first theatre in the world to be lit with electric lights






37. 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)






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






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






40. Writes the book






41. What western theatre is often called:






42. Unstructured theatrical events on street corners - bus stops and anywhere else people gathered






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






44. Musicals with a particularly well-developed story and characters






45. Uses rock music - the rock and roll of the 1950s (Grease) - the psychedelic rock of the 1960s (Hair) or contemporary pop and rock (Rent)






46. A medley of the show's songs played as a preview; usually the beginning of a traditional musical; lets the audience know that it's time to stop talking because the performance is about to begin






47. A big production number that usually receives a torrent of applause that literally stops the show






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






49. Peking Opera was dramatically altered when:






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