Drama and Theater History
In which ancient civilization did formal theater begin, and which God did it originally celebrate?
It began in Ancient Greece and celebrated Dionysus (the God of Wine and Celebration)
Look at this line:
LOUIS (quietly). Oh help.
What do we call the text inside the parentheses, and what is its purpose?
They are stage directions. They tell the actor how to speak or move (in this case, softly/quietly).
Complete this tag question: "You haven't lived in Vancouver for very long, _______?"
...have you?
Ray works in a bank, and Alan does too. Change this sentence to use the word "so."
Ray works in a bank, and so does Alan.
Turn this active sentence into the passive voice: "They speak Spanish in Bolivia."
Spanish is spoken in Bolivia.
Who was the very first person to step out of the Greek chorus and speak as an individual actor?
Thespis
In a script, how does the reader know who is speaking?
The character’s name is written in ALL CAPS at the beginning of the line (example: LOUIS. or PRIOR.).
Complete this negative question asking about someone's physical comfort: "You're wearing so many clothes. _______ you hot?
Aren't (Aren't you hot?)
Ray is 21, but Alan is 40. Why do we use "but" instead of "and" here?
Because we are showing a contrast (a difference) between their ages, not a similarity.
Turn this passive sentence into the active voice: "Soccer is played in Bolivia."
They play soccer in Bolivia (or people play soccer in Bolivia).
Give a practical example of how a director would use the theater signs of costume and makeup to show a character is an old, exiled king.
The actor would wear a ragged, dirty cape (costume) and have painted wrinkles and gray hair (makeup).
In a script, what is the text called that the actors actually say out loud to each other?
Dialogue
Complete this tag question about the future: "I'll get used to it someday, _______?"
...won't I?
Ray wasn't in the military. Alan wasn't either. Combine these into one smooth sentence using the word "neither."
Ray wasn't in the military, and neither was Alan.
Change this passive sentence to active: "The photo was taken by Reza Deghati."
Reza Deghati took the photo.
What is the difference between the theater signs Gesture and Movement? Give an example of each.
A gesture is a specific hand/body motion (like a sharp salute). Movement involves traveling across the stage (like stumbling across the stage from exhaustion).
Read this short excerpt from the script:
Scene Two. HARPER is sitting at home at night, all alone, with no lights on.
JOE: Why are you sitting in the dark?
How do you know where this scene takes place and what time of day it is?
The text tells us they are at home and it is at night (in the dark).
Complete this tag question with a negative statement: "Oh, come on. You're not really that cold, _______?
...are you?
Ray doesn't have children. Alan has two. Combine these using a contrast word.
Ray doesn't have children, but Alan does (or but Alan has two).
Change this active sentence to passive: "They translated the articles into Spanish."
The articles were translated into Spanish.
Name two essential theater audience rules and explain the consequences if someone breaks them.
Turn off phones/consequence: Sound/light interrupts the play.
Do not talk/consequences: Others lose focus and miss parts.
Arrive on time/consequence: Entering late interrupts actors and the audience.
Stay seated/consequence: Walking around blocks the view and distracts actors.
Act it out! Have one team member read Joe's line and another read Harper's line using the correct tone and setting clues:
JOE: Why are you sitting in the dark?
HARPER: No. I heard the sounds...
(The team gets points if they read with appropriate suspense/emotion based on the script context.)
Explain the grammar rule: If the main statement is positive, the tag question must be ________. If the main statement is negative, the tag question must be ________.
Positive --- negative
Negative --- positive.
Example: You are cold, aren't you? / You aren't cold, are you?
Ray can speak two languages, and Alan can too. Rewrite this sentence using "not either" to talk about French (which neither speaks).
Ray doesn't speak French, and Alan doesn't either.
Ray doesn't speak French; neither does Alan.
Change this active sentence to passive: "A lot of commuters use the bridge."
The bridge is used by a lot of commuters.