th 114 midterm #1 : ch 1-6

two most essential tools playwrights use to make plays:

1) dialogue (verbal exchange) 2) physical action (expressed in stage directions)

What are the three components we use to identify/classify a theatrical performance?

1) performer 2) audience 3) live text or event

what were aristotles six defined elements of drama?

1) plot (structure of actions) 2) diction (essence and quality of text) 3) theme (message or intent) 4) character (depth and quality of people in story) 5) music (presence of song, soundscape, & underscoring) 6) spectacle (visual aspects of stage)

what is a box set?

3-D construction of inter connected hard covered flats representing walls or occasional ceilings of a real room

Explain how gas lighting shepherded in lighting design as a legitimate field. How did gas lighting change the storytelling on stage?

Creativeness of lighting showed the impact it could have on the play. Allowed lighting to shape the dramatic action. The intensity of the light could be raised or dimmed easily. This allowed for manipulation, direction, and mood.

Who created the method? what is it?

Lee Strasberg. Modified version of Stanislavski's system. Encouraged actors to use emotional recall of a how they felt in situations similar to the characters rather than using their imagination.

Anti-realistic work is often provoked by oppressive societies. Why is this the case?

Many people in these oppressive societies will be killed or punished for speaking their opinion, so this work expresses meaning and opinions through deeply layered metaphors so that they don't have to say it outright.

Have directors always been involved in the theatrical process?

No, the craft of a director is young.

What is staging/blocking?

Staging is the process of selecting, designing, adapting to, or modifying the performance space for a play or film. Blocking is the precise movement and positioning of actors on a stage in order to facilitate the performance of a play.

Who is Konstantin Stanislavski and what was his significance?

Stanislavski was the co founder of the Moscow Art Theater who became the father of the internal acting method, which changed actors approach to the text.

Who is Stella Adler? What was her actor-training philosophy? What distinguishes it?

Stella Adler created the Adler method which rivaled Strasberg's method passionately. She trained the actors to create convincing imaginary moments for actors to feed off of. She insisted that the actors imagination could be just as real life and not as reckless with using actual feelings like in emotional recall.

In Shakespeare's England, how were actors viewed? What part of town was the Globe located in?

The actors were looked down on and poorly viewed. The Globe was in The Red Light District, which was a bad part of town associated with brothels.

What was the name of Stanislavskis acting theory? How did it change expectations for actors and acting?

The system. Changed expectations by centering method around the magic if. Actors would act well by looking at situation their character was in and thinking "what would I do if..." Allowed actors to base their performance on the characters objectives and emphasize emotional life. Changed acting form from presentational to representational; external to internal. Audience began to expect a more convincing and realistic performance.

describe the architectural layout "arena"

The whole stage is surrounded by seats/audience members. stage in middle.

what did the ancient greek celebration of Dionyssus have to do with theater events?

Theater in ancient greece began with the city dionysia festival honoring the God Dionysus. This festival included sacrifices and hymns which led to stories of Gods, heroes, and kings. Theater began as a religious ritual.

How are the positions of a tech director and costume shop manager similar?

They both worked with the budget.

Did Shakespeare's plays include music? What about sound effects?

Yes to both. sound effects were often called for and action was summoned, underscored, or concluded by live music.

What is a director's concept/premise?

a concept statement is a short statement that sums up the idea of the play. different ways that directors can interpret the same play.

describe the architectural layout 'proscenium"

a painted flat scenery w pronounced frame around stage. created to show off elegant settings. all seats face the same direction.

What are preview performances? What function do they serve and why are they important?

a preview performance is a performance in front of an audience where the audience is given a cheaper deal on tickets to see the performance for its first run. It is basically a trial run in front of an audience so that they can see how the audience reacts and adjust areas they need to before they begin actual performances.

describe the architecture of an ancient greek theater venue

a space for actors to act and a space for the audience to watch and hear. it was a bare circle of earth with a hillside of spectators.

Define what a tech rehearsal and dress rehearsal are. How are they different?

a tech rehearsal is when scenery, lighting, and sounds are added. a dress rehearsal is when actors have costumes and make up for the first time.

define and explain the term catharsis

catharsis is the purgation (purification or cleansing) of audience emotions. it is created by tragedy because tragedy allows tragedy allows us to rehearse the great human conflicts of our nature and allows us to release repressed emotions. the term first arose in a medical sense and meant purging the body of unwanted material.

what does the greek word polis mean?

city-state, and the citizenship/the body of citizens. the greek population as a whole.

in what ways is comedy a social corrective according to aristotle?

comedy holds a mirror up to society to reflect its foolishness and immoral behavior in hopes that they will be mended. comedies are usually centered around members of a lower class and aristotle says comedy is necessary for society's discourse.

difference between designers and technicians:

designers conceptualize the aesthetics, materials, and form of design. technicians organize, install, construct, and operate the design elements chosen by the designers.

define dialogue and monologue

dialogue: conversation among two or more characters monologue: words spoken by one person

what is dramatic criticism? what can be classified as dramatic criticism? how does it vary?

dramatic criticism is the audiences contribution to a performance by evaluation and critiquing the work. the post play process consists of dramatic criticism. post show conversations and formally published written reviews are both forms of dramatic criticism. anyone can join is dramatic criticism in many ways so it is very varied.

define dramaturgy? what does dramaturg do?

dramaturgy is representation of the patterns of dramatic structures on stage. The dramaturg researches, selects, adapts, edits, and interprets scripts.

what greek word is the word drama derived from and what does the greek word mean? why is that definition significant?

dran which means something done. it tells us that theater provides the audience with drama and is perceived action, not just words in a script.

explain the term exposition and how it relates to dramatic structure?

exposition is a literary device used to introduce info ab events, settings, characters, or other elements of a work to the audience or readers. very important because the audience would be lost in the context of a story without this information or structure.

what is a scenic flat?

flat surface that artists could paint on for backdrops or facades. . backdrop/painted curtain.

difference between a general audition and a call back

general audition: many prospects. anyone can audition. actors prepare a monologue for director. like a job application. callback: fewer, selected prospects. actors are chosen to come back for a second audition and one last chance to win director over. actor will typically read a scene from the play they are auditioning for. more like a job interview.

what was the list of dramatic elements in poetics like?

ingredients in a cookbook rather than a rule book

difference between internal and external acting styles.

internal style focuses more on experiencing the life of a character through the characters emotions & feelings. it is a more humanizing approach. external style focuses more on the physical behaviors of a character by focusing on the characters gestures and appearances.

describe the architectural layout "thrust"

like a runway where audience faces each other and has stage in the middle. allowed for more intimate theater.

understand the concept of willing suspension of disbelief

limitations of the medium do not disrupt the premise. the audience knows that the actors character is not real and that the performance is fake, but they put that aside to allow themselves to to be invested in a play and believe in it as if it was real. This allows them to identify with the characters and what they are going through. Allows them to feel emotions.

is comedy always funny?

no, it just has a non tragic ending. example: it typically ends in marriage of some sort.

what was aristotles key document identifying the elements of drama?

poetics

presentational vs representational acting

presentational: related to external method. focused on how the acting looks with big gestures and crazy props/costumes. representational: related to internal method. focused on emotions. emphasized emotional life. focused on knowing the characters inner life through immersing themselves in the feelings and mindset of the characters.

Explain the collaborative nature of design processes in the theater. Why is it important that designers be collaborative for production processes?

process of design can include designers, directors, and the playwright. Important so that they are all on the same page to create a show with design aspects that mesh well and do not clash. ideas must be shared and analyzed for their joint impact.

describe the architectural layout "blackbox"

seating that was not bolted into the floor and was adjustable to allow for different options. adapted to many staging styles. good for experimental atmosphere.

what does the term stakes mean and why is it important to a plot?

stakes is what the character has to gain or lose; what is at risk. having stakes allows for the momentum of a story/plot, especially with high stakes. it keeps the performance moving, the viewers engaged, and the characters growing/changing.

Why did the Globe have an open roof?

sunlight was only form of lighting or fire hazard of live flame?

how were actors viewed in ancient greece? why were they seen as religious ritualistic figures? did this perception last?

the actors were viewed as religious ritualistic figures in the same social realm as priests because of their ritualized public works. they holy figures telling stories of the Gods. theater began w city dionysis festival that honored Dionysus and choral hymns that celebrated him as well. This perception didn't last because there became concern that the actors would become the characters and created something undeniably powerful and possibly dangerous. Actors were seen as sneaky, glorified liars over the times.

Concept of the "magic if"

the actors would imagine how they would act and what they would do/feel IF they were in the same situation as the characters.

what was the significance of the chorus in greek theatrical events? what/whom did the chorus represent.

the chorus helped to narrate the story more clearly and interacted with actors on stage. The chorus represented the people/population of Greece.

What is the role of a director once a production officially opens and is running performances?

the director's job is done and the stage manager takes over.

what does he word ephermal mean and how does it relate to the nature of theater?

the greek word ephemeros means "lasting one day." so ephermal means existing only once. this relates to theater as it is a live event happening before the audiences eyes. No two performances are exactly the same, even though it is based on the same script/performance outlines.

what does theatron mean and what is its significance?

the word theater comes from the greek word theatron, which means seeing place. this implied that theater is both done and communally witnessed.

why do actors often organize themselves into companies?

theater demands the presence of many individuals other than the audience, so they create companies because theater is such a collaborative process. The company allows them to be capable of writing, preparing, and presenting WHOLE theatrical works.

why is theater education often rooted in apprenticeship models? how have actors trained for many centuries?

theater is rooted in apprenticeship models because it is an art of high discipline and training. it had younger actors learning from older, experienced, master actors who had experienced it themselves. this gave them the chance to practice and learn in front of an audience. they would study work of masters to become active parts of production. have been trained in apprenticeship models for many centuries.

synonymous terms for theater company

troupe/ensemble

what is a skene frans? which culture developed it?

used as a backdrop to create facades with columns, entrances, etc.. also served to have a changing room for actors behind it. developed by roman culture.

what does the term metaphoric design imply?

visual images that seek to evoke the productions intended theme, mood, or social/political implications. simplistic design with more meaning.

why is the term playwright used?

wright means maker and the playwright makes the plays.

would stand up comedy be considered theater?

yes