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Theatre History > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the origins of theatre?

A

Hard to point to a direct origin. However, there was a discovery in South Africa where there was the first abstract mark.

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2
Q

What are epics?

A

Recited stories, narration and dialogue, narration gives you subtext.

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3
Q

What are rituals?

A

a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

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4
Q

What is drama?

A

theatre, art that imitates every day life. Contains dialogue, up to actors and directors to read between the lines

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5
Q

What did the Cambridge anthropologists do?

A

These translators, archaeologists, theoreticians posited that theater has its origin in seasonal rituals

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6
Q

What are some examples of human action and nature combined for the Greeks?

A
  1. Prayers for rain, sun, etc. (Zeus provided storms, Persephone/Demeter spring)
  2. Corn King - coming of spring and generation of new grains in the fields, related to fertility.
  3. Burning of a wickerman then rebuilding (regeneration)
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7
Q

What is the critique of the idea that theatre has its origin from seasonal rituals?

A

Cultural Darwinism - Things evolve from simple to complex. This origin of theatre has been discounted, yet we still have rituals like weddings

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8
Q

What has been the source of art for forever?

A

Primitive Stories

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9
Q

In the study of ritual, what can human action be considered?

A

A tool

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10
Q

The Shaman Theory

A

certain figures who are identified by the community who is the conduit between humans and nature (or the divine).

  • Allows the human to ‘speak’ to the cosmos and cosmos speaks back.
  • Sort of like actors(?)
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11
Q

Differences between Ritual and Theater

A

In rituals, all participants contribute to the activity.

In theater, audience is separated from the performance

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12
Q

How different people are drawn to the theater

A

Greeks: theater was connected to religion
Romans: same as the Greeks
Medieval peoples: Still somewhat religious, but starting to move away.
Renaissance: Theater breaks loose and becomes a meeting place
Loses its ritual function and becomes more of a social event.

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13
Q

Theatron

A

Literally “The place for viewing”

Theater is a visual event (duh)

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14
Q

Skene

A

The place where the actors would go to change between scenes

Origin for the word scene.

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15
Q

Orchestra

A

Circular dancing floor for the chorus

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16
Q

Thymele

A

Center of the orchestra where we believe a statue of Dionysus was placed.

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17
Q

Parados/Paradoi (plural)

A

Entrance gate at the side of the stage for the chorus

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18
Q

Crane

A

Machine used to raise and lower actors playing gods and goddesses
Where the term “Deus ex Machina” came from.

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19
Q

Ekkeklyma

A

Cart that was used to reveal a pictorial event (usually a bloody scene of death)

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20
Q

Periaktoi:

A

3 sided scenic pieces, rotated to show different locations.

Scenery is introduced by Sophocles

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21
Q

Organic Development of Types of Theater

A

Tales and stories > Epics
Dithyramb (Choral song for rituals) Chorus > Tragedy
Phallic Song > Comedy

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22
Q

Chronicles

A

Fact after fact without much expanding with details.
List of dates and events
Earliest examples goes back to Middle Eastern Courts
Chronicler makes an account of the story.
History elaborates chronicles into a story while keeping the information into an accurate form.

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23
Q

Chorus

A

a homogeneous non-individualized group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action.
Originally 50 then down to 12 with the addition of a second actor.

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24
Q

Who was the first to introduce the second and third actor?

A

Aeschylus

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25
Q

Protagonist

A

1st Actor

26
Q

Antagonist

A

2nd Actor

27
Q

Tritagonist

A

3rd Actor

28
Q

Who were the actors?

A

originally citizens actively participating in their community and religion

29
Q

Hypokrites

A

The answerer [in other words: actor]. The one who answers the other one.

30
Q

Dramatis personae

A

the masks of the drama’s list of characters.

The roles in a play.

31
Q

Didaskalos

A

Trainer of the chorus; author/composer/director in earliest days (ie. Aeschylus)

32
Q

What are the scenic units?

A

The chorus and the episodes

33
Q

Episode

A

When someone leaves or enters
Scene
Act
Section

34
Q

Strophe

A

moving from right to left during a part of a choral section

35
Q

Antistrophe

A

moving left to right during a part of a choral section

36
Q

Epode

A

last part of the choral ode. Standing still

37
Q

Six Elements of Tragedy - what are they?

A

Plot, character, thought, diction, music spectable

38
Q

Plot:

A

central core of the dramatist (the action)

39
Q

character

A

supports the plot - the driving forces of the action

40
Q

thought

A

supports the characters - manners of dialogue

41
Q

diction

A

supports the thought - how that dialogue is expressed

42
Q

music

A

supporting to diction/ to all - storytelling through song, whether with or without vocals

43
Q

spectacle

A

supporting to all - providing the visuals for the performance (design)

44
Q

Stichomythia

A

single line dialogue between 2 characters

45
Q

Loxias

A

Apollo

46
Q

Bromius

A

Dionysus

47
Q

Important festivals

A

Rural Dionysia, Lenaea, City on Great Dionysia

48
Q

Rural Dionysia

A

midwinter festival - fertility festival

Dedicated to Dionysus as the god of fertility

49
Q

Lenaea

A

January - staged comedy and tragedy

50
Q

City on Great Dionysia

A

April

National and international event

51
Q

Choregus

A

Private citizen patron
Plays were funded by this person
The city funded the actor

52
Q

Archon

A

Government Official, overseeing the festival

53
Q

Didaskalos

A

Trainer of the chorus; author/composer/director in earliest days (ie. Aeschylus)
Those duties eventually became a specialty

54
Q

Thespis

A

The name of the first person to step away from the chorus and be the actor. Thespis, the leader of a dithyrambic chorus whose name has become synonymous with acting - The “Thespian Art” - just as “robes of Thespis” means theatrical costume. Thespis is said to have traveled from Icaria, his birthplace, with his chorus, carrying his belongings on a cart whose floor and tailboard could form and improvised stage. In the course of his wanderings from one festival to another he eventually reached Athens, and there, he was the first to win a prize at the newly established dramatic festival, the City of Dionysia. He was the first actor, and the first manager.

55
Q

Craftsmen of Dionysus

A

craft union of actors

56
Q

Organon

A

ancient Greek word for ‘instrument’ or ‘tool’

57
Q

Spaces of Festivals

A

Religious - Dionysus - Priests would sit up front.

Civic - honoring the city of Athens

Political - Politicians would sit up front.

Local - You would sit with your deme (neighborhoods or neighbors)

International - people (honored visitors) would visit from abroad

58
Q

Aeschylus

A

Individuals in balance with the cosmos and the gods - part of a “larger plan”

59
Q

Sophocles

A

Individual is affected by fate (and the gods) but it’s ‘shadowy’ how so. Less specifically religious; narrows in on the importance of individuality

60
Q

Euripides

A

Unknown relation with the gods - asking “what’s out there?” Questioning the meaning of things

61
Q

Aristophanes

A

Comedy, Satire, Parodies about contemporary culture. Jokes are not subtle. Usually starts with grand plan, happy endings abound.

Theatre History (1 decks)

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