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. 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






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






3. The sung words






4. 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)






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






6. First black woman playwright to be producted on Broadway; Raisin in the Sun based of her actual childhood






7. 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






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






9. A program of unrelated singing - dancing and comedy numbers






10. Life has no purpose and they confused and antagonized audiences by refusing to adhere to a coherent set of principles - mirroring the madness of the world






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






12. 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






13. Built in Venice in 1637






14. Staged inexpensive - noncommercial productions of artistically significant plays in small - out-of-the-way theatres






15. Two types of traditional Japanese theatre






16. 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






17. Have become living traditions that are handed down from father to son

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


18. Highlights the insanity of life in a comical way






19. Type of Islamic theatre which is created by lighting two-dimensional figures and casting their shadows on a screen; the audience watches the silhouettes while a narrator tells a story






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






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






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






23. 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






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






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






26. 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






27. French physicist - mathematician - and philosopher - expressed the essence of Romanticism






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






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






30. 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






31. Set out to break all the neoclassical rules - attacked the three unities






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






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






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






35. Three parts of a Noh play






36. Six characters take on life of their own when the playwright fails to complete the play in which they were supposed to appear






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






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






39. 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






40. 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






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






42. Plays without music






43. 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






44. Goethe's most famous Romantic play






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






46. 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'






47. 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'






48. 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






49. Writes the book






50. 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






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests