Ancient Origins
The very first evidence of ritual performances was found here--helping to make the connection from religious ritual and theatre.
What is ancient Egypt.
This type of theatre, born in the Italian Renaissance is still being performed today.
What is Commedia dell'Arte?
These stages are raised and are framed.
What is a Proscenium?
Certain parts of the Catholic Mass were enacted in Church and gave rise to this kind of drama.
What is Liturgical Drama?
This playwright became the most famous ones in the world and his works are still studied and performed today.
Who was William Shakespeare?
The first plays were performed as part of this religious festival.
What is the Festival of Dionysus?
When this style of theater was created, it provided the system of stage and scenery which became the standard arrangement in European Theatres.
What is Opera?
These stages are surrounded by the audience and may be round or square, despite their more common name.
What is Arena Stage?
The three types of plays that developed from the answer to the question above.
What are Miracle, Morality, and Mystery plays?
These performances feature highly articulated, very detailed puppets--and men in black.
What is Bunraku?
The first member of the Greek Chorus to step out and have dialogue with the Chorus as the character in the story.
Who is Thespis?
When these folks conquered Greece, they were very impressed with their theatres and performances.
What is the Roman Empire?
This stage juts out into the audience and allows people to sit on all three sides.
What is a thrust stage?
Plays based on episodes from the Bible.
What are Mystery plays?
The most popular and successful plays of the Romantic era.
What are melodramas?
Plays were attended by thousands of people in these amphitheater type stages built into the Athenian hillside where the chorus would dance and sing in this specific area.
What is the Orkestra?
Commedia dell'Arte featured masks and this type of physical comedy.
What is slapstick?
This type of stage, perfected in Ancient Greece, could hold thousands of people and featured perfect acoustics.
What is an amphitheatre?
Plays based on the lives of Saints and Martyrs.
What are Miracle plays?
Ibsen, Chekov, and Strindberg are the most performed playwrights of this era.
What is Realism?
The three most famous Greek playwrites.
Who are Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles?
It allowed for free improvisation around the roles & situations.
What is the Ensemble?
The design of this stage always features a small house, a tree, and a bridge from which actors enter and exit.
What is Noh theatre?
Featured simple "good triumphs over evil stories that became increasingly political and appealed to the poorer classes.
What are Morality plays?
Challenged Realism and Naturalism and believe truth lay beyond mere appearances.
What is Symbolism?