Theatre History
This culture is often credited with the invention of Western Theatre
What are the Greeks?
The person who portrays a character in a play
What is an actor (or actress)?
The person in charge of the play; holds auditions, casts the show, runs rehearsals, and manages the creative vision of the production
Director
Genre of dramatic performance that is generally humorous and light in tone
What is comedy?
The most common form of stage. Has a "frame" around it
What is a proscenium?
This playwright was a prominent English thespian, writer, and poet, writing 37 plays and over 100 sonnets during his life
Who is William Shakespeare?
Time spent practicing a play
What is rehearsal?
Person in charge of the money; hires the production team, maintains the contracts for all staff, helps with marketing the show and managing budgets.
What is the producer?
What is tragedy?
Allows for a more dynamic and interesting relationship with the audience. Three of the four sides are surrounded by audience members, creating a 'T' shape
What is a thrust stage?
Greek theatre evolved from religious festivals dedicated to this Greek god of wine and revelry
Who is Dionysus?
The written version of a play
What is a script?
Person in charge of managing schedules, running tech rehearsals, and recording script changes
Who is the stage manager?
A play in which singing and dancing is an essential element
What is a musical?
Also known as theatre in the round, this kind of stage was made popular in Rome during the gladiator days
What is an arena stage?
This group of people were legally banned from performing in plays on stage until after the English Reformation in the late 1600's.
What are women?
Movement on stage that is developed in rehearsal by the director and the actors
What is blocking?
This creative professional develops the visual world of the play by designing the physical space, including scenery, furniture, and overall stage layout.
Who is the Set Designer?
Removes the stage and makes the audience a part of the production, often breaking the fourth wall
What is Immersive Theatre?
A simple, versatile performance space that is typically a square room with a black floor and four black walls.
What is a black box theatre?
This 20th-century African American playwright won a Pulitzer Prize for Fences, part of a 10-play series known as The Pittsburgh Cycle, which explores the African American experience.
Who is August Wilson?
The areas to the left and right of the stage where actors and scenery wait to come on
What are wings?
This person oversees the safety and efficiency of the backstage crew during scene changes and ensures all sets, props, and equipment are properly handled during a performance.
Who is the Technical Director?
In this theatrical genre, character development takes a backseat to a sensationalized plot. Think of mustache twirling villains and helpless damsels in distress
What is melodrama?
Event space that hosts performances NOT inside a building. Shakespeare in the Park is an example.
What is an outdoor theatre/open air theatre?