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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. 1. theatre has an actor who plays a character - theatre is artificial - and 2. theatre usually has a story with a conflict - conflict is key to all drama






2. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (2005); The Dumb Waiter (1957)






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






4. Records of this type of theatre are fragmentary - but we do know that it grew out of regional religious rituals related to Confucianism - Taoism - and Buddhism - and ritual dances performed during the Shang dynasty






5. Book - music - and lyrics






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






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






8. An early form of theatre; it used theatrical techniques such as song - dance - and characterization - but it was still firmly rooted in religion






9. 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






10. Attacked the evils and restrictions of society; tried to reveal the higher reality of the unconscious mind with fantastic imagery and contradictory images; performances were often violent and cruel as they tried to shock the audience into the realiza






11. Showed middle-class characters finding happiness and true love (Enlightenment)






12. Two types of traditional Japanese theatre






13. First female theatre manager in London; was also an actor and singer; managed first theatre to have a box set; Olympic Theatre in London






14. Founded in 1946 by Julian Beck and Judith Malina; dedicated itself to contemporary social issues and highly political - easthetically radical plays






15. Argued that the prime function of playwrights is to expose the social and moral evils of their time






16. 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)






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






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






19. Greatest of the Sturm und Drang playwrights; was also a critic - journalist - painter - biologist - statesman - poet - novelist - philosopher - scientist - and the manager of the Duke of Weimar's playhouse






20. Wrote plays about the rugged lives of Irish peasants using their dialect; Riders to the Sea (1904) & The Playboy of the Western World (1907)






21. A period of licentious gaudiness inspired by the elaborate styles that Charles II brought with him from the French Court






22. 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






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






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






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






26. A repetition of the song - sometimes with new lyrics - sometimes with the same lyrics but with new meaning or subtext in order to make a dramatic point






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






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






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






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






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






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






33. Divided into fatalist - hilarious and existentialist






34. 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






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






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






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






38. No spoken dialogue - entirely sung; comes from the Latin word 'work' and may have originally meant 'works in music' or 'musical works for the stage'; first operas were in Italy in late 1500s






39. The orchestrated melodies






40. A German poet - director and playwright who challenged traditional ideas about theatre; became a communist after watching policement shoot 4 unarmed civilians; The Life of Galileo (1938) - Mother Courage and her Children (1939) & The Caucasian Chalk






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






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






43. A German poet - director and playwright who challenged traditional ideas about theatre; became a communist after watching policement shoot 4 unarmed civilians; The Life of Galileo (1938) - Mother Courage and her Children (1939) & The Caucasian Chalk






44. Feature the work of a director-choreographer






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






46. Plays without music






47. Comic operas that mixed popular songs of the day with spoken dialogue






48. Records of this type of theatre are fragmentary - but we do know that it grew out of regional religious rituals related to Confucianism - Taoism - and Buddhism - and ritual dances performed during the Shang dynasty






49. The sung words






50. Spoken lines of dialogue as well as the plot






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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