Music Theory
: This is the name of the symbol placed at the beginning of a staff that is also known as the "G clef." Some instruments that use this clef are the violin, the piano, and the flute.
What is treble clef?
To make a sound on a clarinet, the player must cause this thin piece of shaved wood attached to the mouthpiece to vibrate
What is a reed?
Often called the "smallest mask in the world," this iconic piece of makeup or costume is the ultimate symbol of a classic clown
What is the red nose?
If a director tells an actor to move "Downstage," the actor should walk in this direction
What is downstairs?
When using your bare hand or a puppet, this core element of puppetry requires you to look exactly where your character is supposed to be looking, showing the audience what the puppet is thinking
What is focus?
If a quarter note receives one beat in 4/4 time, this is the total number of beats that a half note receives.
What is 2 beats?
On a standard drum set, this specific piece of equipment uses a foot pedal to clamp two cymbals together, creating a crisp "chick" sound.
What is the hi-hat?
One of the golden rules of clowning is "the double take," where a clown looks at something, looks away, and then snaps their head back in shock. This requires the clown to break this theatrical rule by looking directly at the crowd
What's is breaking the fourth wall?
Stage left and stage right are always determined by the perspective of this specific person
What is the audience?
To make a puppet look truly alive, the puppeteer must master this specific element, using subtle expansions or rises and falls to show that the character is breathing
What is breathe?
In a time signature, this is what the top number tells the performer.
How many beats are in a measure?
To play different precise notes on a guitar, a musician presses the strings down against these thin metal ridges raised along the neck..
What are frets
When working with a partner, this foundational rule of comedy states that an action or joke becomes funny when repeated twice to build expectation, but gets its laugh on this specific attempt when the pattern breaks
What is the rule of three?
This is the specific term for the hidden offstage spaces to the left and right of the acting area, usually hidden by tall black curtains
What are the wings?
Originated in ancient cultures like China and Indonesia, this style of puppetry uses flat, cutout figures held between a bright light source and a translucent screen
What is shadow puppetry?
This is the specific term for three or more musical notes played at the exact same time
What is a chord?
Guitar players use this small, triangular piece of plastic held between their thumb and index finger to pluck or strum the strings
What is a pick?
Clowns use this performance technique to make their facial expressions, gestures, and reactions much larger and more dramatic than real life so the audience in the back row can see them.
What is exaggeration?
This single word describes the precise physical movements and positioning that a director assigns to actors during a scene
What is blocking?
These are the specific types of puppets you constructed in class that use structured, lightweight paper for the head and bodies, and required multiple puppet masters
What are Gyre and Gimble puppets?
A, B, C, D, E, F, G
What is the musical alphabet?
To change the pitch on a flute or a clarinet, the player presses down keys to cover up these openings along the body of the instrument.
What are keys, finger or tone holes?
In a skit, clowns create objects using their body language. This term refers to making and keeping the created prop real to the audience.
What is object permanence?
In a non-naturalistic performance, an actor might suddenly freeze in place to represent a deep emotional state or a psychological concept. This specific theatrical term describes a frozen, living picture made by a group of performers
What is tableaux?
When performing shadow puppetry, moving your puppet closer to the light source (and further from the screen) causes the shadow to undergo this specific visual change
What is getting fuzzy or blurry?