Medieval Times
The first Christian Emperor of Rome, his reign helped establish Christianity throughout Europe.
Who is Constantine I?
Question-and-answer songs and short biblical scenes performed by monks during the Easter Mass.
What are Tropes?
Meaning "rebirth," this period is characterized by a return to studying the classics (Greek and Roman).
What is the Renaissance?
This is the outline or structure of Commedia scenes.
What is a Scenario?
This type of character is curious, leads with the nose, and it light on his feet.
What is a Zanni?
It means of or relating to the church, specifically the Catholic church.
What is Liturgical?
These plays told Biblical stories and were performed on multiple stages, called mansions.
What are Mystery or Cycle Plays?
This performance style was developed as a re-interpretation of Greek Drama and is still popular today.
What is Opera?
A "gag" or physical joke in Commedia.
What is a Lazzo?
This character, a special Zanni, is dressed in colorful diamond-pattern. He is acrobatic and playful, though not too intelligent. His movement is characterized by open hips
Who is Arlequino or Harlequin?
The first known female playwright, she was a German canoness who used Bible stories to write plays in the style of Terence and Plautus.
Who is Hrosvitha of Gandersheim?
These were developed by craft guilds to take the Mystery Plays to the countryside.
What are Pageant Wagons?
This art technique is used to create the illusion of depth by portraying things "far away" as smaller.
What is forced perspective?
These are the three main types of characters in Commedia dell'Arte.
What are Masters, Servants, and Lovers?
This character can be compared to Scrooge: he is vinegary and puckered. His friend/rival is Dottore. He is an older man and is clothed in red pants and vest with a black coat.
Who is Pantalone?
This provided the only structure during the political chaos of the Medieval period created by the feudal system.
What is the Catholic Church?
These plays were written to teach Christian morals, but did not tell a Biblical story. The best surviving example is Everyman.
What are Morality Plays?
This theatre is known for it's use of forced perspective and round, Greek Theatron-inspired seating.
What is the Theater Olimpico?
These are the type of characters used in Commedia; stereotypical characters who reappear over and over.
What are Stock Characters?
This character can be compared to the Nutty Professor; he knows everything but understands nothing. He is like oil, his friend/rival is Pantalone.
Who is Dottore?
These developed at the same time as liturgical drama, but revolved around stories of folk heroes, such as Robin Hood.
What are Folk Dramas?
These characters are used in Morality plays to represent an idea or concept.
What are allegorical characters?
This theatre is the first known use of the proscenium-style stage, which looks like a picture frame and is now the most common style of stage.
What is the Teatro Farnese?
This famous Commedia actress was known for her wit and intelligence, and sadly died in childbirth in the city of Lyon where the entire town mourned her passing/
Who is Isabella Canalli?
This character is a braggart and professes to have great military prowess, but is truly a coward when it comes to fighting. He is always portrayed as a foreigner.
Who is Capitano or the Captain?