THTR 1020 Chapter 3

Which plot structure limits the number of characters and locales and has a very compact construction?

climactic

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

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

What must always be the subject matter of plays?

people

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

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

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. - They appeared during the 20th and 21st centuries.

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

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

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

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

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

- how long the action lasts - number of characters - where the action take place - conflict

Which of the following are often the subject matter of theatre?

- human history - fantasy or nightmare resembling life - biography

Which of the following is true of a climactic plot structure?

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

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

- plot - balance between forces - conflict - action - opposing forces

Identify the new plot structures that developed in the modern theatre. (Check all that apply.)

- ritual structure - feminist structure

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

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

Which of the following are possible dramatic purposes of a playwright?

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

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

opening scene

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

structure