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 permanent - professional theatre outside NYC; founded in 1947 by Margo Jones; stage new plays alongside commercial hits and historical plays; appeal to the intellectual audiences that Hollywood seldom serves






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






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






4. 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






5. Writes the book






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






7. 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






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






9. 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






10. Including operetta - developed out of intermezzi






11. 'The Father of Realism'; was initially a Romantic writer and his early plays were verse dramas largely based on Norwegian history and folk literature; plays presented complex - sometimes distrubing - views of human society; A Doll's House (1879) - Gh






12. 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


13. 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






14. Three parts of a Noh play






15. 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'






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






17. More serious plot and theme; West Side Story (1957)






18. Goethe's most famous Romantic play






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






20. Elaborate geometrical designs were used for these roles which included supernatural beings - warriors - and bandits; the color of the make-up indicated the character's personality






21. Russian playwright whose play The Lower Depths (1902) took look at people living in cellar of Moscow flophouse






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






24. The men who play female roles are called:






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






26. 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






27. Highlights the insanity of life in a comical way






28. 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






29. 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






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






31. 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)






32. Feature the work of a director-choreographer






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






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






35. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. Elmer Rice; about a man named Mr. Zero Who is fired from his job and replaced by an adding machine






46. Type of Islamic theatre - religious drama of Iran which allowed for actors - both professional and amateur - and has been performed in open-air playing spaces and on some occasions in specially constructed indoor stages for hundreds of years

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


47. Most famous Restoration-era woman to make her living by writing plays






48. Peking Opera was dramatically altered when:






49. The first all-black show to pay at a top Broadway theatre






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






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