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. 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






2. The men who play female roles are called:






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






4. Africa's greatest living playwright; born in Nigeria; plays combine symbolism - mysticism - beautiful dialogue - and they make strong political points; plays are deeply rooted in African myths - dance - and rituals but also influenced by Western dram






5. Spoken lines of dialogue as well as the plot






6. Closely tied to ritual - and it uses color - dance - song - and movements to exaggerate - stylize - and symbolically represent life






7. First part of a Noh Play - usually a chance meeting between two characters - introductions are made and the characters engage in a question-and-answer sequence that reveals the protagonist's concern






8. A sudden - striking pose (often with their eyes crossed - chin sharply turned - and big toe pointed towards the sky) in Kabuki accompanied by several powerful beats of wooden clappers






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






10. 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






11. 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






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






13. Divided into fatalist - hilarious and existentialist






14. 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






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






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






17. Africa's greatest living playwright; born in Nigeria; plays combine symbolism - mysticism - beautiful dialogue - and they make strong political points; plays are deeply rooted in African myths - dance - and rituals but also influenced by Western dram






18. Wooden clappers used in Kabuki






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






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






21. Used giant puppets and actors to enact parables denouncing the Vietnam War and materialism






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






23. Studied the history of class conflict






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






25. 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






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






27. 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






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






29. 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)






30. Writes the book






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






32. Holds that human beings are naturally alone - without purpose or mission - in a universe that has no God; not a negative - for without God humans can create their own existences - purpose and meaning






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






34. Highlights the insanity of life in a comical way






35. What western theatre is often called:






36. Feature the work of a director-choreographer






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






38. No protagonist; deals with a family of characters who tell many stories at once; the fact that characters on stage take no action may inspire audience members to be motivated for the opposite in real life






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






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






41. One of the most important French philosophers of the Age of Reason - wrote and edited the first encyclopedia; was also a dramatist who penned books on the techniques of acting; authored The Paradox of Acting - a book that attached the pompous declama






42. 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






43. One of the most popular Kabuki and Bunraku playwrights - who - like Shakespeare - wrote crowd-pleasing plays that combined poetry and prose in dramatic tales of comedy - tragedy - love - and war






44. 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






45. 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






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






47. 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






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






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






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