Test #1: Theatre Chapters 1 - 5 (THEA 1342 - UTA)

Theatre is an event in which the performers are in the presence of the

audience.

One of the things that film can do that theatre cannot be

All of these answers are correct.

At the heart of the theatre experience is the

performer-audience relationship.

An anachronism involves

placing some character or event outside its proper time sequence.

When an element of theatre resembles observed reality, it is considered

realistic.

When a solitary character speaks to the audience, expressing in words a hidden thought, it is called a(n)

soliloquy.

Abstract forms and shapes on a bare stage are examples of

nonrealistic technique.

Ordinary street clothes are an example of

realistic technique.

Uniquely among the arts, theatre focuses on one thing and one thing only. What is this one thing?

human beings.

The makeup of a group will alter a theatrical event.

True

Because artists are often accused of being "antisocial," "subversive," or "enemies of the state," and are thus outsiders, the art that they produce is often unrelated to the society in which it is produced.

False

Art may question society's views or reaffirm them, but it cannot escape them; the two are indissolubly linked.

True

During the Elizabethan era, women were barred from performing on the legitimate stage.

True

The bringing together of cultures by population shifts and swift global communication, and the challenges to long-held beliefs characterized by the writings of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, are reflected in the eclecticism and fragmentation of an inclusive, contemporary theatre.

True

While Broadway theatres are all within the district near Times Square in New York City, the styles of their architecture and types of their stages vary considerably.

False

Off-Broadway theatre began in the 1950s as an alternative to Broadway and is located in smaller theatres outside the Times Square district.

True

Off-Broadway shows are usually produced wherever inexpensive space is available—churches, lofts, warehouses, large basements—and are characterized by low-priced productions and a wide variety of offerings.

True

When a person watches a play, it is expected that they will ignore their own individual memories, emotional scars, and private fantasies.

False

If a reviewer dislikes a particular production, it is probably best to avoid it.

F

No matter how knowledgeable a critic is about theatre, much of what he or she writes is simply opinion.

True

A "fourth wall theatre" describes a(n)

proscenium stage.

Which of the following provides the most intimate performance space?

Arena stage

The type of performance space associated with street theatre is the

The type of performance space associated with street theatre is the

Which type of performance space utilizes the greatest amount of scenery and stage machinery?

Proscenium stage

Elaborate scenery on/in a(n) ________ is impossible because it would block the view of other audience members.

arena stage

In which type of performance space do audiences sit on three sides?

Thrust stage

In which of the following performance spaces do performers usually have to make their entrances and exits along aisles that run through the audience?

Arena stage

What kinds of questions should we ask when evaluating the environment used for staging a production?

All of these are good questions to ask.

What is meant by the appropriateness of a space for a production?

The relationship of a stage space to the play or production.

Which of the following is NOT one of the responsibilities of a performer in the theatre?

To coordinate the elements and the vision of the production

In order to throw the voice into the audience so that it penetrates to the utmost reaches of the theatre, the actor must

project.

Ensemble acting emphasizes the

artistic unity of a group performance.

How can we best tell if performers are playing well together?

They are listening to each other and responding appropriately.

Actors have reported that technology has helped them in all but which of the following ways:

offering discounts on tickets and performances through websites

In order for an actor or actress to properly prepare a role, he or she should always begin with an outer aspect such as a walk, a posture, or a peculiar vocal delivery, and then develop the inner life of the character.

False

Performers must not mix acting methods; they should find a single method that works for them and then strictly adhere to that method's approach.

False

While there have been changes and modifications over the years to Konstantin Stanislavski's approach to realistic acting, his theories continue to form the basis for most acting training.

True

Acting is only a collection of individual performances, and performers do not need to support each other on stage.

False

One of the significant differences between acting for the stage and "acting" in real life is that dramatic characters are not real people.

True

Which of the following is NOT the responsibility of the dramaturg?

Hiring the director and performers

It is very important for directors to create interesting visual compositions with the actors in space; this is known as creating effective

stage pictures.

A main task of the modern-day director is to

draw disparate elements together to create a unified whole.

Which of the following is NOT associated with the "front of the house"?

Raising money for the production

When a play is performed as it will be before the public, complete with all production elements but without an audience present, it is called the

dress rehearsal.

A performance in front of an audience prior to the "official" opening of a play, when the director and the performers discover which parts of the play are successful and which are not, is known as the

preview.

The arrangement and movements of performers relative to each other and to the stage space is called

blocking.

The casting of a role without consideration of a performer's ethnicity, gender, transgender identity, or disability is called

nontraditional casting.

Which person is responsible for raising money to finance a production?

Producer

Which person blocks or stages the play?

director

Which person casts the actors?

director

Which person maintains quality control of all production elements after opening?

Stage manager

Though the director sets the pace for a production, the pace and rhythm of a production ultimately becomes the responsibility of its performers.

True

In ________ theatre, the emphasis is on education, personal development, or therapy.

participatory

A theatrical technique in which performers pretend to be using objects that are not actually present is called

pantomime.

Shafts of light falling at odd angles, and colors in light used arbitrarily, are examples of

nonrealistic technique.

Rooms of a real house is an example of

realistic technique.

Which type of performance space requires spectators to take in and synthesize several impressions at once?

Multifocus theatre