Rituals and Shamanism
These religious specialists acted as priests, performers, healers, and spirit guides in separate indigenous societies all over the world, and are believed by many anthropologists to be related to the dawn of theatre.
What is a Shaman?
An ancient Indian text on the performing arts, and specifically, Sanskrit theatre, written by a sage named Bharata.
What is the Natya Shastra?
Ancient shadow puppets were typically made out of this thin material to allow color to shine through onto the screen.
What is leather?
This form of Japanese theatre is a comedic style which is usually performed with Noh, its more serious counterpart.
What is Kyogen?
This form of Indian theatre did not develop until the 16th century, and is distinct from Sanskrit theatre in a few key ways. Plays take upwards of 8 hours and end with the slaying of a demon at dawn.
What is Kathakali?
Griots, performers who collect stories, myths, and tales of history to share with their communities through poetic chants and musical recitation, are from this part of the world.
What is West Africa?
These are the specific emotions evoked in Sanskrit theatre, including love, laughter, sorrow, anger, heroism, fear, disgust, surprise, and peace.
What are the Rasas?
What is Wayang?
This theory about Japanese play structure is made up of three words and translates to "Beginning, Break, Rapid."
What is Jo-ha-kyu?
It takes a Bunraku performer this many years to master the art form of Bunraku puppetry.
What is 30?
These Indian texts were carried through spoken word rhythmic chants, passed from person to person for thousands of years without being written down.
What are the Vedas?
This is a less formal, more movement based regional form of Sanskrit theatre, which has adopted characteristics of Koothu, a regional performance art. It is the only remaining variety of Sanskrit theatre today.
What is Koodiyattam/Kutiyattam?
This comedic Turkish shadow puppet play featured two characters of differing class, one being wealthy and educated, the other poor and illiterate, and was extremely popular due to its relatability.
What is Karagoz and Hacivat?
This Japanese actor revolutionized Noh and wrote several philosophical treatises on the nature of theatre.
Who is Zeami Motokiyo?
One of the elements of drama in Sanskrit theatre, the methods used by the actors and play itself to evoke emotion (rasa) in the audience.
What is Abhinaya?
This play is the only remaining one from the theatre traditions of the Ancient Mayans, and tells a four act story about a battle between warring Mayan tribes, the Rabinal and the Quiché.
What is the Rabinal Achi?
This playwright is considered to be "India's Shakespeare" and wrote many epic poems and plays such as The Recognition of Śakuntalā.
Who is Kalidasa?
This style of Pi Ying Xi Chinese shadow puppetry uses large puppets with a distinct overbite and removable accessories.
What is Sichuan?
These stage tricks in Kabuki involve the use of trapdoors and revolving stages to facilitate dramatic reveals and disapearances of actors.
What are Keren?
This variety of Wayang shadow puppet is three dimensional, and made out of wood.
What is Wayang Klitik?
In Hamatsa, a pacific northwest Native American performance ritual, this role was filled by a young man, usually the son of a chief. He would run out into the forest as if possessed by a spirit, and pretend to attack and cannibalize other members of the ritual.
What/who is the novice?
This extinct theatre practice which eventually evolved into Kathakali worshiped and told the stories of the god Krishna through dance drama.
What is Krishnanattam?
This Arab playwright and poet wrote a series of provocative plays which challenged societal norms and criticized the empire, which are now the oldest known Arab shadow plays that we still have to this day.
Who was Muhammad Ibn Daniyal?
This shinto priestess founded the Japanese theatre form known as Kabuki with a troupe of all women who would perform in a dried up riverbed.
Who is Izumo no Okuni?
What is a Kris?