c10 Flashcards
These two dramatic forms of theatre, or combination of the two, have dominated western theatre practice since fifth century Greece.
climactic
episodic
In climactic structure the plot begins
late in the story
A type of climactic play structure, Blank______ were popular nineteenth century dramas with carefully and tightly constructed, although contrived, plots.
well-made plays
Plots that begin early in the story and expand rather than compress the action are characteristics associated with
episodic
form of theatre first appeared in Greece in the fifth century, and again in altered form in seventeenth-century France, and later in Norway in the nineteenth century.
climactic
Information from the past that is important to understand the plot or characters is called
exposition
True or false: contemporary climactic plays are usually performed employing anywhere from three to five acts.
false
literally meaning ‘god from the machine’ ______ _____ _____is a device first used in ancient Greek theatre to resolve the action of the play.
deus ex machina
Unlike climactic structure, episodic plot structure:
begins relatively early in the story.
often employs subplots.
Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, as are many of his plays, an excellent example of a(n) Blank______ drama.
episodic
The high point in climactic dramatic structure, the _______ is when past events intersect at a critical moment in the present.
climax
Which terms refer to a secondary narrative that runs alongside of, or reinforces the main plot?
parallel plot
subplot
Characteristics associated with climactic structure include:
no more than a handful of characters
scenes restricted to a single location
a few long scenes or acts
There are a number of ways a playwright can create juxtaposition or contrast in episodic drama. These include:
public scenes alternating with private scenes
short scenes alternating with longer scenes
comic scenes alternating with serious scenes
A type of climactic play structure, Blank______ were popular nineteenth century dramas with carefully and tightly constructed, although contrived, plots.`
well-made plays
Which of the following are part of climactic plot structure?
covers a short period of time
plot begins late in the story
a limited number of characters
occurs in a restricted locale
Plots that begin early in the story and expand rather than compress the action are characteristics associated with
episodic
in episodic drama, there is a ______ effect on the audience due to the impression created by all the events piling up.
cumulative
The overall cumulative cause and effect found in episodic play structure may be described as
a tsunami or tidal wave of events that overwhelm the characters.
Action in an episodic play:
will often take place over many locations
may extend over a lengthy period of time stretching many years
True or false: climactic and episodic plays cannot be combined because they have their own internal logic that govern plot structure.
True false question.
False
Parallel plot is often referred to as
subplot
Parallel plot is often referred to as
subplot
A repetition or reenactment of a proceeding in a prescribed sequence is called
ritual
A repetition or reenactment of a proceeding in a prescribed sequence is called
ritual
When a playwright alternates between elements such as alternating shorter and longer scenes or public and private scenes this is referred to as ___ or contrast
juxtaposition
similar to ritual, ____ is a type of dramatic structure that has a repeated sequence of events with its own unique order and logic.
patterns
in ____ structure the plot begins late in the story, whereas in _____ structure the plot begins early in the story.
climactic
episodic
Markers that are closely identified with or indicate serial dramatic structure include Blank______.
a central theme or common thread
a series of acts or episodes offered in a single presentation
in episodic drama, there is a _____ effect on the audience due to the impression created by all the events piling up.
cumulative
Theatre practitioners in the second half of the twentieth century seeking to break from traditional forms of theatre, and thus seemed to be ahead of their time, were referred to as
avant-garde
These kind of plays or playwrights represent good examples of dramatic works that combined elements from climactic and episodic forms.
Chekhov plays
restoration plays
Ritual has structure. What are some of the elements associated with ritual?
ritual has a beginning, middle, and end
ritual has action that is repeated in a specific manner
events in ritual progress naturally
A type of structure where sequences of events may be repeated or duplicated rather than adhering to a traditional plot structure is called Blank______.
pattern
A dramatic structure of individual episodes or segments held together by a central theme or common thread of some sort, offered as a single presentation, is called Blank______ structure.
serial
______ was effective in using tableaux in plays such as Einstein on the Beach by presenting them one sequence after another in which the static performers broke into activities associated with the image.
robert wilson
Late twentieth-century theatre practitioners seeking to discover new forms of theater developed a number of innovative strategies that countered traditional theatre practice. Some of these include Blank______.
the use of improvisation rather than rely on the written text
stressing the spatial relationship between the audience to the performers
a stronger focus on nonverbal gestures and body movements
The traditional structure used in musical theatre, as exemplified by My Fair Lady, relies on
alternation and juxtaposition
True or false: climactic and episodic plays cannot be combined because they have their own internal logic that govern plot structure.
false
By rejecting the Aristotelian concept of play structure as inherently male oriented, feminist playwrights and philosophers offered a “new poetics” to explore a “woman’s form” of drama. These include:
creating a language that was suggestive and ambiguous
cyclical forms that are open ended rather than having a single climax
creating a contiguous dramatic form that was fragmented rather than whole or complete
A repetition or reenactment of a proceeding in a prescribed sequence is called
ritual
True or false: Extraordinary characters can only be observed in serious dramas such as tragedies. Comic characters are never extreme.
false
is a technique used by experimental theatre artists Robert Wilson and Richard Foreman that features a static scene of performers in costume.
tableaux
Which of the following are true of representative characters?
have personalities that capture the essence of a certain type of person
are in many respects ordinary or not particularly exceptional
In musical theatre, the process of alternating scenes and characters, as well as the juxtaposition of action, Blank______ are interspersed with musical numbers and dances.
spoken scenes
Characters most closely associated with commedia dell’arte are:
Dottore
Capitano
Harlequin
Feminist plays often are written with a Blank______ structure that does not focus on a single climactic event.
Multiple choice question.
cyclical
Extraordinary characters often share common traits. These can include:
Multiple select question.
representing men and women at the best or worst
being larger than life
possessing exceptional personalities or achievements
being of noble birth
Characters with a dominant trait or stock characters should not be confused with ____characters who play a small part in the overall action.
minor
Characters with a dominant trait or stock characters should not be confused with ____characters who play a small part in the overall action.
minor
A type of structure where sequences of events may be repeated or duplicated rather than adhering to a traditional plot structure is called Blank______.
pattern
In ancient Greek drama the _____ was made up of more than one performer and, through song and dance, reacted to and commented on the action of the play
chorus
Nobility as leading characters were replaced by those from everyday life who embody an entire group of people called _____ or ____ characters
quintessential or representative
Human performers are sometimes required to play ____characters such as animals and robots in order to emphasize the human characteristics.
nonhuman
characters lack a fully rounded, three-dimensional personality and are, instead, noted for one particular characteristic to the exclusion of everything else.
stock
When should an audience member focus on character types?
In studying a play before seeing it
Analyzing the performance after seeing it
The terms protagonist and antagonist–in which their individual qualities are developed and contested–come from Blank______.
ancient greece
The minor character is one the playwright may use to:
play a small part in the action of the play
help further the story
support more important characters
Characters that are placed side by side rather than in opposition to each other are called ______ characters
contrasting
is a character that speaks directly to the audience who sometimes may take on a dramatic personality.
narrator
When playwrights such as Chekhov attempt to create characters each with their own distinctive voice around a particular theme, this is called an _____ of characters
orchestration
Performers have often played animals, robots, and other nonhuman dramatic characters yet
Multiple choice question.
it is the their human qualities that are emphasized.
What are some of the reasons for the audience to reflect on various character types?
Multiple select question.
character types are part of the essence of various dramatic forms; understanding them helps the audience to understand the play better
if the audience is aware of the character type it helps them understand the dramatic form better
The main character in a play is the _____ and the main character’s rival or opponent is the
protagonist
antagonist
Characters placed side by side for purposes of contrasting representations that can strengthen and clarify the lead characters are known as:
contrasting characters
The various ways in which a playwright may orchestrate their characters include:
creating an arrangement of characters that collectively work together toward a cumulative effect
rendering a variety of characters with a common problem
giving each character his or her own distinctive voice around a single theme
rue or false: It is important to realize that not every character type fits neatly into a single category.
true
