Exam #1 for Understanding Theater Flashcards
What is theater? Define “theatron”
“Theatron” means “seeing place”
What is theater? Define “Drama”
“Drama” means “a thing done”
Define Audience
“those who listen”
Summarize the idea of the Empty Space (Peter Brook)
“I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty
space, whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of
theater to be engaged.”
“A stage space has two rules: (1) Anything can happen and (2) Something must happen.”
Theatre as transitory & immediate
Theatre is transitory. Every production is different. Every performance of that production is different.
Theatre is immediate. Requires live interaction with an audience. The production is only half of the equation; the audience is the other half.
What is a play?
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What are the purposes of theatre?
The purposes of theatre are to entertain, educate, create community, and to disturb/disrupt
Define conflict
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What are Aristotle’s six elements of drama (see Cohen pp. 28-32)
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Climactic/linear vs. episodic/circular structure (see handout on Blackboard under Content – “Climactic and Episodic Structure”)
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Define tragedy
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Define comedy
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Define melodrama
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Define verbatim theatre/docudrama
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Review characteristics of ancient Greek theatre & acting style (Cohen p. 185-188)
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Plot summary of OEDIPUS REX
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Define representational vs. presentational (pp. 15-16)
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Plot summary of TWELFTH NIGHT
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Cover these key concepts and figures of realism (pp. 207-215): Émile Zola Henrik Ibsen August Strindberg Purpose & Conventions
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Script analysis includes style, form (structure and tone), and dramatic action. Cover the principles of style.
The relationship between the play and reality.
The means of sharing a vision of reality.
Gives coherence to the rules of the world of the play and the conventions employed by
the playwright.
Generally spoken of in terms of “isms.” (Realism, Naturalism, Romanticism, etc.)
Personal style can operate within an established style.
Script analysis includes style, form (structure and tone), and dramatic action. Cover the principles of form.
Tonal form equates to genre; the tone/attitude of the play.
Structural form – how a play organizes itself in time and space – climactic or episodic.
Script analysis includes style, form (structure and tone), and dramatic action. Cover the principles of dramatic action.
What happens in a play; there is beginning, middle, and end to an action
“What is the driving force taking this play from beginning to end?”
The dramatic action is the commanding form of the play, expressing the soul of the play
and informing all choices.
DIRECTING (see p. 136 – “Directors of Realism”). Cover these figures:
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
André Antoine
Théâtre Libre
The Director’s Concept (see pp. 145-149 “Conceptualizing the Production”)
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Plot summary of DEATH OF A SALESMAN
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What are the actor’s three tools?
body, voice, and imagination
Cover Constantin Stanislavski & Stanislavski’s System (see “External & Internal Methods,” pp. 38-41)
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Cover Uta Hagen’s essential questions
Who am I? What are the circumstances? What are my relationships? What do I want? What is my obstacle? What do I do to get what I want?
What is the function of the audience?
Audience is a participant-not observer -in the theatrical event; their presence affects performance
There are two types of audiences. What are they? Give a brief description of both.
Empathetic (Complete feeling for the character or situation) vs. distanced (Critical or intellectual engagement only; no emotional response)
What are some of the means of critical engagement that an audience can partake in?
Both generous and critical
Appreciates and evaluates what it sees
Willingly suspends disbelief, but not taste or judgment
Generally, what does a theatrical designer do? (see pp. 82-83)
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Specifically, what does the scenic, costume, lighting designer do? (refer to relevant sections in
Chapter 5)
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Tools of human behavior – dialogue and physical action
What are the qualities of a play (as described in chapter 5)
Credibility Intrigue Speakability Stageability Flow
Additional Question #1:
In the interaction between production and audience member, how and when is meaning
made? How is it possible that a performance can elicit varying responses among audience
members?
Additional Question #2:
Be prepared to name a play you believe the Department of Theatre should produce. In
addition, be prepared to offer the reason(s) you believe the show would be worthwhile. (Note:
this likely means that you should spend a bit of time online browsing plays. You might look
through offerings at the major theatrical publishing houses: Dramatists Play Services, Samuel
French, and Music Theatre International are a few useful sources.)
