Theatre Content Exam - ILTS 210

Most playwrights include exposition primarily to:

Provide audience with essential information and background material.

An actor can effectively use the elements of physical gesture and voice by:

Combining them in an appropriate interpretation of the meaning of the text.

When dividing a scene into beats, an actor should look primarily for the moments when:

A character's action or objective changes.

A director who auditions actors using cold readings should provide actors with:

Sufficient time to look over the scenes.

A director is staging a Farce and is concerned that the cast of student actors will be caught off guard by the audience's response. Primarily which of the following techniques should the director use to prepare the actors for opening night?

Allowing the cast and crew to invite small groups of friends to dress rehearsals.

Notating blocking in the promptbook is typically the responsibility of the:

Stage manager.

Which of the following would be most likely to affect a play's licencing fee for a community theatre production?

The size of the performance venue.

The most common use of a cyclorama is:

To mask the sides of the stage.

A costume designer is using color to capture the archetypal qualities of a play's characters. For this purpose, shades of red would best fit for a character described as:

Affectionate, intense, aggressive.

In the mid-twentieth century, the Soviet government advocated the theatrical style of Socialist Realism because such Theatre:

Idealized life within the Soviet system.

Aristole's understanding of a tragic hero is best described as:

A renowned character who meets a catstrophe due to a misjudgment or weakness.

Which of the following plays is an example of a Romantic Comedy?

As You Like It

The names of characters in Restoration comedies were used primarily to convey information about each character's:

Personality traits.

Which of the following is a primary concern of Lillian Hellman's plays?

The moral positions of her characters and their inability to respond to situations effectively.

Which of the following theatrical innovations was introduced by the experimental theatre movement of the 1960s?

Environmental staging that eliminated the distinction between the actor's space and the audience's space.

The oppistional and revolutionary drama of Latin American countries in the 1970s and 1980s was a response primarily to:

Dictatorship and widespread political violence.

The performances of a griot serves which purpose in African culture?

Preserving the genealogies and oral history of the community.

Talk-backs are a valuable addition to a children's theatre performance because they:

Encourage children to question and comment on their theatre experience.

Which continuum reflects current views on theatre education of children?

Dramatic play=creative drama=formal theatre.

A background in still photography would best help a theatre director with which task?

Blocking scenes to create dynamic stage compositions.

Array

The loudspeakers that are used in a performance.

Artic

An articulated lorry used to transport sets, costumes, props, and technical equipment between venues.

Attribute

The parameters of moving light that can be controlled, such as pan, tilt, and gobos.

Avista

Scene changes that are done in view of the audience.

Baffle

Material that is used to prevent light from spilling over from one area into another. It may also refer to a panel used in an auditorium to reduce the refection of sound.

Ballyhoo

The lighting effect produced when swinging a spot beam in a figure 8 pattern.

Bastard Prompt

Used in situations where the prompt corner must be stage right instead of stage left.

Black hole

A part of the stage that was left unlit intentionally or accidentally.

Blues

Used backstage as working lights; usually remain on even when blackouts occur to help actors and technicians see what they are doing.

Book flat

Free-standing piece of scenery that can be folded in half for quick scene changes.

Boss plate

A metal plate in the stage floor that is used to bolt down the scenery.

Breakup

An abstract gobo that is used to provide a textured light with no distinctive pattern.

Breakaway

A prop or part of the set that is made to break upon impact.

Bump

A sudden flash of light often used as a cue.

Cans

Headsets, earpieces, and headphones used to communicate between technical departments.

Chain pocket-tab

A pocket sewed into the bottom of a cloth to weigh the cloth down.

Chase

Repetitious sequence in which the lighting state is changed.

Cheat

An actor's movement without the knowledge of the audience.

Cleaners

Lights that are turned on in order to clean and set up a theatre venue.

Clearance

Message to stage management from the house management to let them know that the house is ready for the performance to begin.

Floorcloth

Fabric designating the acting area or part of a set.

Frontcloth

Fabric hung downstage to hide scene changes.

CMY

Refers to the colors cyan, yellow, and magenta, which are used to mix colors in moving lights.

Color call

The list the specifies all of the colors that will be needed for a specific lighting plan.

Color filter

A piece of colored plastic that blocks passing of any color but its own.

Additive color

Occurs when two beams of different colors are focused onto the same area.

Subtractive color

Occurs when two colors of gels are placed in front of a lantern.

Donut

Refers to a metal plate with a center hole that can be inserted into lanterns to sharpen focus.

Douser

A metal flag that can be moved to block a beam of light in order to eliminate the need to cut off electricity.

ERS

Ellipsoidal reflector spotlight.

Animation disc

A metal disc with slots that can be rotated in front of a lantern to give the effect of movement in the light.

FBO

Fade to blackout.

Fills

Speakers that are used in addition to the main sound system to project sound into certain areas.

Flipper

A narrow flat of scenery that is attached by a hinge to a wider flat.

Pearl

A lamp with a frosted finish that serves to diffuse light; used when soft light is needed.

Perches

Lighting platforms located on sides of a stage behind the proscenium.

Pin-spot

Luminaire used to focus a small tight beam of light onto a specific spot.

Platform stage

Usually refers to an acting stage that's lifted from the floor in a space that wasn't created as a Theatre.

Promenade

A theatrical arrangement in which the audience moves around the acting area to see the performance from multiple locations.

Raked auditorium

Refers to audience seating that is arranged in a forward sloping manner.

Raked Stage

Refers to a stage that slopes upwards towards the upstage or back end.

Receiving house

Venue that hosts incoming touring companies.

Rider

Information sent to a venue by a theatrical company providing a detailed list of all the technical requirements needed for a performance.

Segue

Used in musicals to refer to the act or scene that immeadtley follows another.

Show cloth

A piece of material that contains the logo or title of a specific show; usually travels with a company for easy display in each venue.

Silk

Light filter used to stretch light in a particular direction.

Snap

Refers to a cue that has no fade time.

Stalls

Refers to the audience's seating that's just below stage level/

TBC

To be confirmed.

Thunder run

A channel down which a cannonball can be run to simulate the sound of thunder.

Thunder sheet

A sheet of metal that can be shaken using two attached handles, or beaten to simulate the sound of thunder.

Grave trap

A rectangular drop-down, resembling a grave, built into the stage floor.

Cauldron trap

A trap built into a stage floor to facilitate placing items into a prop from beneath the stage.

Star trap

A trap that has multiple triangular hinged doors through which an actor can enter from the stage below.

Trap room

The room directly under the trap door of a stage.

Traverse

A theatre set-up in which the audience is seated on either side of the acting area.

Treads

The stairs or steps connected to a stage area.

Wipe

A single curtain that slides across a stage to hide it from view; may also be used as a backdrop for scenery.

Tabs

Curtains that are horizontally suspended to hide the stage area or are used as part of a backdrop.

A-D converter

An analog-to-digital, used in computer sound card. It converts varying electrical signals into binary data.

ALD

Association of lighting designers.

A1-code

A code used to identify the recommended usage of various lamps.

Advance bar

A lighting bar that is set up downstage of the proscenium arch.

Aero

A light with a tight beam that produces very intense light, originally used in aircraft landings.

Which form of drama, also known as creative drama, involves an instructor guiding participants to first imitate actual experiences and then reflect upon them?

Process-centered drama.

Theatre in Education, or TIE, is considered a mix of formal theatre and creative drama (aka process-centered drama) where the outcome of a performance:

Is undetermined and solely at the discretion of performers "in the moment".

Listening, reacting, engaging in eye contact, and thoroughly understanding prompts are all important elements when nurturing a student's ability to develop what broad skill?

Effective interaction.

There are two actors' onstage discussing politics. Tim reflexively rolls his eyes after Barry makes a comment. Barry responds to Tim's eye roll by saying, "Okay, clearly we need to change the subject". Barry's response was due to:

Subtext.

When reading or writing a script, character actions that occur while the character is speaking should appear in:

Parentheses.

An important script element that appears in all capital letters and tells the reader about the current scene setting is known as what?

Slug line.

According to Richard Boleslavsky, a performer must hone certain skills to become successful. He stresses education of the body, education of the mind, and development of the soul. These are components of which type of acting?

Method acting.

Analyzing each character in a script, studying biographical information, and understanding each characters' strengths and weaknesses are important aspects of:

Developing character relationships.

All of the following are assumed duties of a director except:

Vocal coaching.

A director is having a difficult time keeping his company members motivated during rehearsals. Rehearsals are four hours in length and will continue for another three weeks. What should the director do?

The director should collaborate with his cast to decide on a break time.

When there are budget constraints, some directors and/or set designers will use a certain type of set that can be changed merely adding one or two set pieces, which makes the set very versatile. What is this type of set called?

Unit set.

You were walking around backstage barefoot backstage and cut your foot on an exposed nail. You find your first aid kit, clean the wound, and then put a bandage on it. What do you do next?

Put the first aid kit in its designated area in case anyone else needs it.

If a makeup designer needed an actor to appear older than he actually is, which of the following would be the best makeup technique to use.

After applying foundation to the face and neck, the makeup designer should highlight prominent facial muscles and darken the areas underneath the muscles.

Which genre of theatre pokes fun at current events and/or noteworthy people?

Satire.

What would not be considered a professional development resource for a high school drama teacher?

A local art museum.

The inciting incident is also known as:

The impelling agent.