Chapter 3 SmartBook Theatre Appreciation

While there can be a group of artists that create a script, this is usually accomplished by the

playwright

Which of the following are possible dramatic purpose of a playwright

To explore the human condition to teach to entertain to provide escape

True or false: Modern playwrights often begin writing a play without a clear plan and only later make discoveries about structure, focus, and purpose.

True

The dithyramb was a

chorus of men singing in honor of Dionysus

A greek festival held in honor of Dionysus and featured the performance of plays

city dionysia

which plot structure limits the number of characters and locales and has a very compact construction.

climatic

characters with a dominant trait are most often found in

comedies

Which of the following are included in the dramatic structure of a play

conflict how long the action lasts where the actions takes place numbers of characters

the crises that arise in a play are a result of which of the following

conflicts, complications, obstacles

which structure replaces a traditional plot with an open-ended serial structure

cyclical

A device used for flying in the gods in Greek drama. The term is now used for any arbitrary device used for unraveling a plot.

deus ex crane

This theory argues that theatre originated with large choral odes that were sung by a chorus of fifty men as part of religious festivals.

duthyrambic

A platform on wheels was used to reveal climactic offstage events

ekkylema

which structure contains parallel plots, a mixture of serious and comic scenes, and a cumulative effect

episodic

in a play, the opposing forces must also be _______ so that there is the possibility of victory on either side

evenly balanced

the structure is born out of ritualistic religious roots, and practiced by the Living Theatre and the Wooster Group

expreimental

wen characters are of the nobility and are extreme in their behavior they are called

extraordinary characters

which of the following are often the subject matter of theatre

fantasy or nightmare resembling life human history biography

when a playwright communicated who the play is abut, and how we are to view them, this is called _____.

focus

when a playwright communicates who the play is about, and we are to view them, this is called ____.

focus

some plays address issues of a particular group, this is an example of _____.

focus or purpose

which of the following is true about action in dramatic structure

the actions of characters lead to conflict, it is an essential element in dramatic structure, and all dramatic characters need to do something

Plot

the sequence of events in a play.

Stage Directions

the sets of bracketed information that tell what the stage looks like and how the characters should move and speak. MAYA: [looks concerned as she walks toward the ringing telephone] Maybe that's Gina calling. I hope she's not lost!

What was the "viewing place" of the early greek theatres called?

theatron

He is said to be the first actor and playwright

thespis

which of the following is true of the new plot structures that developed in the modern theatre

they sometimes come from ancient practices adapted for modern life the appeared during the 20th and 21st centuries

The center of the Greek orchestra; a reminder that Greek drama was rooted in religious rituals.

thymele

True or false: Modern playwrights often begin writing a play without a clear plan and only later make discoveries about structure, focus, and purpose

true

True or false: Modern playwrights would write a play without a clear plan and only later make discoveries about structure, focus, and purpose

true

which of the following is true of segment of tableaux structure

used by robert wilson and richard foreman, frequently involves several actions occurring simultaneously, and included other art forms like dancing and painting

Under a dramatists guild contract, when can a playwright's dialogue in a production be deleted or changed

when the author grants permission

the very beginning of a play that thrusts the characters into a situation that they must react to is called the

opening scene

which is the correct word for when 2 characters have a strong, clear, and differing goals and are willing to do anything to achieve them

opposed forces

what dramatic plot structure takes its meaning from repeated action

patterns

One scene- changing device believed to have been used in ancient Greece which had three painted flats hinged together

periaktoi

Soliloquy

Is a speech a character delivers while alone. Sometimes the character speaks to the audience; sometimes only to himself or herself.

Which of the following is true of of the greek chorus

Its importance in tragedy decreased during the fifth century

Monologue

A long, uninterrupted speech spoken by a character to other characters who remain silent. In a this speech, a character may reveal hidden feelings or may persuade another character to take action.

Drama

A story that is written to be performed by actors. A drama includes characters, people who take part in the action. Sometimes, one of the characters is a narrator, or storyteller. A drama often also includes a conflict, a problem between two people or two forces. Most dramas include the following elements.

The characters in his play embodied cosmic conflicts

Aeschylus

The first of the extant Greek playwrights, embody cosmic conflicts.

Aeschylus

Dramatic Effect

All the elements of a drama work together to create an illusion of reality. Dramatic elements work to express a theme.

The only extant greek comedies from the fifth century BCE were written by

Aridtophanes

Poetics, written by ______, describes the six elements of drama

Aristotle

Orchestra

At the foot of the seating area of the theatre of Dionysus was a flat circular area where the actors performed.

which of the following are ways in which a script is similar to the blueprint of a building

Both building and scripts have an initial plan but the final product could vary based on the workers producing it. buildings and scripts both need a skeleton or substructure to hold it together Buildings and scripts both need a foundation.

External Conflict

Conflict that occurs between a character and an outside force, such as nature, society, or another character.

Internal Conflict

Conflict that occurs within the mind of a character. It arises when a character is torn between opposing feelings.

which of the following are decisions a playwright must make when writing a play

Create dramatic characters decide on focus choose a point of view select subject matter develop a structure establish a purpose

When a playwright communicates who the play is about, and how we are to view them, this is called

Focus

Some plays address issues of a particular group, i.e., latinx theatre, feminist theatre, or African American theatre. This is an example of ____.

Focus or purpose

Which of the following is true about creating a script?

It is the domain of the playwright. It can also be called a text. It is the starting point of a play.

Props

Movable items that the actors use to make their actions seem realistic.

Makes fun of society, politics, or culture.

Old Comedy

Which of the following is an essential element in dramatic structure.

Opposing forces plot conflict action balance between forces

What must always be the subject matter of plays

People

Comedies

Plays that have happy endings. Their humor often comes out of the dialogue and situations.

Tragedies

Plays that show the downfall of a great person, known as the tragic hero, brought down by a fault, or tragic flaw, in his or her nature.

While there can be a group of artists that create a script, this is usually accomplished by the ______.

Playwright

He wrote tragedies; it is unlikely that his plays were performed in Roman public theatres

Seneca

The function of the chorus in ancient Greek theatre was to ?

Serve as an ideal spectator, provide background information, entertain with song and movement.

Which of the following are reasons why a playwright must use focus in a play.

So that the audience knows who the play is about so that the audience knows how they should feel about events and people the subject matter of human nature is too vast and be narrowed down

Gave actors professional security in the Hellenistic period.

The artists of Dionysus

Theme

The central idea about life.

Set

The construction on stage that suggests the time and place of the action.

Scenes

The events of a play are often presented in separate, connected episodes

Script

The printed form of the drama.

Acts

The units of action in a drama they are often divided into smaller parts called scenes.

Dialogue

What the characters say. Quotation marks do not appear in the script. Instead, the words each character says appear next to the character's name. MAYA: What time does the train arrive?

which of the following is an essential element in dramatic structure

action, plot, conflict, and opposing forces

In ancient Greece, the archon appointed a choregus, who was the equivalent of the modern day

actor

which of the following is true of stick characters in commedia della arte

actors who played stock characters were given outlines and improvised much of their dialogue, the characters were always the same for each production, and they wore the same costumes and portrayed the same traits each time

In the Hellenistic period the _____ acted as the producer of plays

agonthetes

bertoit brecht used techniques from beijing opera such as symbolic props and actions to create what kind of effect to distance his audience from emotionally identifying with the drama

alienation

which of the following is true of a climatic plot structure

all elements are severely restricted, for example it takes place in a short period of time it was first used in ancient greece it is also called intensive.

The 1st critic to attempt to pinpoint the characteristics of greek tragedy was

aristotle

since the beginning of time and continuing today, playwrights have often drawn nonhuman characters in what form

as animals

which of the following are included in the dramatic structure of a play

how long the action lasts, where the action takes place, number of characters, and conflict

which of the following are often the subject matter of theatre

human history, fantasy or nightmare resembling life, and autobiography

Which of the following is true about an opening scene in a play

in it the characters are often thrust into conflict. It sets the tone of the play it sets the tone of the play it gives us important information about what we are going to see

which of the following is true of ritual plot structure

it can include a religious element, it is often a reenactment of an event, and it communicates the work's message through repetition

which of the following us true of a climatic plot structure

it is also called intensive, all elements are severely restricted (takes place in a short period of time), and it was firs used in ancient greece

which of the following is true of plot in dramatic structure

it is more selective than story, it is the sequence of events, and it is an essential element

A story or legend handed down from generation to generation

myth

a character who speaks directly to the audience and comments of the action is called

narrator

Used domestic situations of middle- class citizens and is generally concerned with love and financial considerations.

new comedy

In the Hellenistic period, actors wore large headdresses known as

onkos

The very beginning of a play that thrusts the characters into a situation that they must react to is called the ____.

opening scene

the leading character in drama is called the ______ and the opposing character is called the ______.

protagonist; antagonist

when characters stand for an entire group, this is called

representative

identify the new plot structures that developed in the modern theatre

ritual and feminist

Identify the new plot structure that developed in the modern theatre

ritual structure feminist structure

Which of the following genres contains a chorus of mythological creatures who were half-goat and half-man?

satyr play

this structure uses units analogous to the frames of film and television

segment or tableaux

when a series of presentations, or acts, or events are strung together into a whole it is called

serial structure

which of the following are reasons why a playwright must use focus in a play

so that the audience knows who the play is about, so that the audience knows how they should feel about events and people, and the subject matter of human nature is too vast and must be narrowed down

Placed emphasis on individual characters who were complex and psychologically motivated

sophocles

The greek dramatist best known for his superb plot construction (structure) was

sophocles

The elements of plot, action, conflict, and opposing forces are essential to dramatic

structure