Theatercraft -Study cards Flashcards
In general, where did theater/drama begin?
Ancient Religious Festivals
Where did drama begin in ancient Greece?
Dionysian festivals
Who is Dionysus?
God of wine and fertility
What was the area around the altar where the wooden statue of Dionysus was placed called?
The Orchestra
Who is considered to be the first actor?
Thespis
Who is considered to be the first playwright
Thespis
What does the word thespian mean?
Actor/Theater lover
Who introduced the use of masks?
Thespis
What was the name of the place where ancient Greek actors changed their costumes?
Skene
What modern word comes from the answer to the previous question?
Scene
One of the earliest “special effects” was the entrance of a god lowered by machinery. What is the Latin expression for this special effect which literally means “god from the machine”?
deus ex machina
Who are considered to be the triumvirate of ancient Greek playwrights?
Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Who introduced the first actor to the stage?
Thespis
Who introduced the second actor to the stage?
Aeschylus
Who introduced the third actor to the stage?
Sophpcles
What did the introduction of the second actor enable?
Human Conflict
Who reduced the chorus from fifty to twelve men and yet maximized its use to get his point across?
Aeschylus
Which ancient Greek playwright is noted for his psychological insights?
Sophocles
Who wrote Hippolytus which many consider to be the first love story in a play?
Euripides
What created the need for ancient Greek comedies?
audience members committing suicide in response to tragedies
Who is the most famous of ancient Greek writers of comedy?
Aristophanes
Who conquered the ancient Greeks and adopted many of their traditions?
The Romans
What was the primary purpose of Roman theater?
Entertainment
During which historical period was the chorus eliminated?
The Roman Era
Who did away with the use of masks and emphasized real facial expressions and feelings?
Romans
What stage practice lead to the gladiator games?
Real Fighting
From where did the most significant changes in theater come in the Middle Ages?
The Church
In what language were the first church plays of the Middle Ages written?
Latin
Why were plays likely pushed out of the church during the Middle Ages?
Rowdy and inappropriate behavior
Who eventually took over the responsibility of producing religious drama after it was forced out of the church during the Middle Ages?
Regular Folk/ The Guilds
What is the name of the Biblical dramas that included local places and events and were performed on pageant wagons?
Mystery Plays
Why did pageant wagon plays become less associated with religious holidays?
So they could be performed more frequently
By the middle of the 16th century, it had become traditional for traveling theater companies to perform where?
Courtyards of Inns
What is the most famous London theater that incorporated design elements from the courtyard performing space and originally staged many of Shakespeare’s productions?
The Globe
After which British monarch was dethroned was all entertainment forbidden and all the theaters closed?
Charles I
What happened to British theater when the monarchy was restored in 1660?
Theaters reopened
During which period was the proscenium introduced?
The Restoration period
What is a proscenium?
The archway around the opening of the stage
During which historical period was the actress introduced?
The Restoration Era
What part of theater achieved greater importance with the introduction of the actress?
Costumes
When was electrical lighting first used in a theater production?
1880
Which Norwegian playwright noted for social realism was the forerunner of twentieth century drama?
Henrik Ibsen
What did this Norwegian playwright raise through the use of dialogue?
Moral Questions
What was the name of Thornton Wilder’s experimental play that was produced in 1938?
Our Town
What was experimental about Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play?
Bare stage/ No scenery
What is the name of the experimental theater movement whose playwrights are often propelled by the notion that man occupies a position of helplessness in the universe?
Theater of the Absurd
What is the name of the theater movement/plays that self-consciously comment on the process of theater?
Metatheater
What are the three main parts of theater?
1) Actor
2) Audience
3) Literature
