musical theatre midterm review

Musical

A play that includes scenes, songs, and dance numbers.

Opera

Theatrical work composed with all music.

Describe the globe theatre burned and rebuilt.

Burned in 1613 during a performance. Rebuilt in 1614

What is upstaging?

Is a theatrical term where one actor moves upstage, which is away from the audience of another actor.

What do you know about shadow puppets?

It is an ancient form of storytelling.

Thrust stage

Stage surrounded by an audience in 2 or more sides

Raked stage

A stage that is sloped, with the back raised higher than the front

Proscenium stage

Traditional stage format with the audience on one side featuring an arch that hides backstage

Arena stage

A type of stage where the audience surrounds the acting area

Black box

A stage space consisting of a small box

Dionysus

Was a Greek god of wine and revelry

Aeschylus

Athenian, known as the father of tragedy, first to create a trilogy.

Famous works: the Persians, the Orestia

Masks

Greeks used masks to exaggerate their expressions

The oresteia

By Aeschylus

Sophocles

Athenian, wrote tragedies, added a third actor in his plays.

Famous works: oedipus Rex, Antigone

Noh theatre traditions

Japanese style of acting involving songs and dance numbers done by men only in heavy costumes and poetry.

Lead actors wear a mask made of cypress.

Commedia dell’Arte theatre tradition

Italian stock theatre with masks. Commedia involves around stick characters with very specific voices. Use characters to tell stories.

Yoruba theatre traditions

Variety of folk opera which combines mime, brightly colored costumes, drumming and folklore. It has 3 themes: fantasy tales, historical tradition, and social satire.

Kathakali theatre traditions

Characterized by elaborate costumes and make-up, and its distinctive gestures and body movements performed in perfect timing to music with percussion this would lead to Bollywood theatre.

Chinese opera theatre traditions

Characterized by acrobatic dance, intricate costumes and make-up. The colors of the face paint are symbolic to the character. Speech, songs, dance, and compact are also symbolic.

What were most medieval play about?

Religion

List the Elizabethan theatres

Globe, rose, swan, etc

Isle of the dogs

Ben Jonson

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Doctor Faustus

Christopher Marlowe

First Shakespeare play produced

“Henry 6”

Iambic pentameter pioneer

William Shakespeare

Write realistic emotion and cruelty

Christopher Marlowe

“Appetite for controversy”

Ben Jonson

Challenges in Elizabethan theatre

Public health, religion, the fires, catholism

Overture

The instrumental piece at the beginning of a musical that samples melodies

First complete broadway musical

Show boat

Home of musical theatre

Broadway. (NYC)

Acts

Selections in a musical

Finale

Highest energy song, finishes off the show