Midterm Flashcards
Responsibilities of an actor
o To study the text
o To memorize the lines and blocking quickly
o To bring new ideas to the rehearsal process on a daily basis
o To work openly with the director and other actors
o To be creative in rehearsal
o To constantly refine and adjust character development
o To maintain health and flexibility of voice and body
o To sustain freshness in performance and execute repeated performances at a consistent level of quality
In rehearsals, what is the purpose of table work?
o To discuss the play, share background materials on the play and establish the directorial concept
What is a “cold reading?”
o When an actor reads scenes from the play in an audition with little to no time to prepare
Skills and talents of an actor
o Interest in human nature o Keen observation o A good memory o Concentration o Imagination o Determination o Drive to appear onstage in front of an audience
What is your favorite acting game we have played? Why and how does it train an actor?
o 1 in 1 out improve game- trains an actor to be able to add their own creative spin on productions and prepare them for any unexpected occurrence onstage
Given Circumstances of an actor- name and describe
o Who ♣ Who am I? o What ♣ What do I want? o Where ♣ Where does the scene take place? o When ♣ What year does the play take place? ♣ What just happened before the scene started? o Why ♣ Why is it so important to get what I want?
Which of the following is not true in terms of color-blind / inclusive or non-traditional casting?
o American directors prefer to avoid color-blind/ inclusive and non-traditional casting
o There is increasing participation in the theatre of actors and directors from diverse ethnic groups
o Contemporary productions frequently combine actors from different racial backgrounds even when playing members of the same family
o Directors utilize color-blind / inclusive casting in an attempt to cast the best actor for the role
A
Why was the position of the director created in theatre?
With the advent of realism and a profusion of theatre styles that arose in response to realism the new the new plays required a director to stage them
What is the process of guiding the audience’s attention to a specific actor or point on stage called?
Focus
Director in Theory: The philosophy of a director
o Artist (Director stands back and considers the big picture) o Critic (Is this making any sense?) o Teacher o Scholar (dramaturgical research)
Directors in Practice: How stage directors train
o Analysis
♣ Defining the world and structure of the play
♣ The givens, dialogue, characters, idea, moods, tempos
o Staging
♣ Visual actions within the world
♣ Ground plan, composition, gestures and props, picturization, movement
o Coaching
♣ The essential action or the fighting for, character coaching, relationship, orchestration, moment to moment
Three different kinds of theater spaces (Draw and describe)
o Proscenium theatre
♣ Audience sits opposite of the stage, facing a rectangular form as if they were looking through one end of a box
o Thrust theatre
♣ A theatre space in which the audience is placed on three sides of the stage
o Arena theatre
A square (or round) stage completely surrounded by the audience
Which of the following responsibilities is not applicable to most theatre designers?
o Read the play carefully and research possible sources
o Prepare an appropriate breakdown of design elements
o Attend rehearsals and monitor changes in the designs
o Fix problems as they come up during performances
D
¬ Who calls the light cues when a show is in performance? o The director o The lighting designer o The stage manager o The light board operator
C
¬ What do the director and designers strive to accomplish in their collaborations before rehearsals begin?
o To arrive at a production concept
