Arts 9-4

Social drama

Is the serious counterpart of satire

Musical comedy

Is possibly America's only original contribution to dramatic literature

Musical comedy

It features spoken dialog combined with songs and dances

Parody

is specific form of satire in which a very familiar play/song / movie is recreated in a humorous way

Satire

is also considered to be high comedy. In satire, the playwright pokes fun at social customs and current fashions-sometimes including specific individuals of the times-perhaps in some effort to change the current thought and behavior

Aristophanes

satirized many elements of Greek culture in his plays

Moliere satires

such as the Imaginary Invalid, Tartuffe, and The Would-be Gentleman were sometimes so biting that his career was threatened.

Comedy of Manners

is a "high comedy category. The emphasis is on the cleverness and witty dialog of the characters, who are usually members of the upper class

Theatre of the Absurd

contains elements of many other types. It is usually defined by its underlying theme of the meaningless nature (or absurdity) of life

Theatre of the Absurd

Often, the very structure of the play reinforces this idea, as in lonesco's The Bald Soprano

Farce

is often called "low comedy." The emphasis is almost entirely on plot, with bawdy jokes and physical humor

Farce

Elements of farce include such things as chases, disguises, talking at cross purposes, and slapstick (pratfalls, slipping on banana peels, etc.).

Sentimental comedy

is the "sit com," or situational comedy, category

Sentimental Comedy

Subjects are usually lighter, and are treated with humor. Major emphasis is on plot and character

Sentimental drama

is the "soap opera" category

Sentimental drama

Serious subjects are treated in a serious manner; plot and character are more important than theme

Sentimental drama

There is usually a heavy emphasis on the emotions of the characters.

Melodrama

is the category for plays about serious subjects where plot is more important than characters and theme.

Melodrama

Characters tend to be rather flat, and they don't change or develop during the course of the play. Murder mysteries and suspense thrillers fit into this category.

Drama

is a general category for plays about serious subjects.

Comedy

Character development and theme are usually more important than plot.

Aristotle

Greek Philosopher, _____, gave us the oldest definition of Tragedy

Time, Place, Action

What are the three unities to adhere in tragedy play

Fate/Destiny

brings the tragic hero to a crisis point where he is forced to choose between two courses of action, neither of which is obviously better than the other.

Tragedy

is one of the oldest types of Drama. It has been with us since the days of the Great Greek Playwrights Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripedes.

Tragedy

means something like very sad, but in the study of drama it has a much more specific meaning.

Published play

often includes one of these words on the cover as a clue to the reader about the contents of the book (a comedy in one act, or a drama in three acts, for example.)

Prologue

Introduction, set the scene

Parados

Chorus enters, singing/chanting/dancing

Episode

Dramatic scenes

Stasimon

Chorus reflects on scene

Exodus

Conclusion, exit

Codified Gestures

Where an actor uses a very specific set of body movements to communicate a particular meaning to the audience.

Thespis

First actor (greek theater)

Theatron

Viewing place

Orchestra

dancing space

parados

Passageways

Proscenium

Front of skene

Skene

“tent” building (palace or temple)

Amphitheater

an open circular or oval building with a central space surrounded by tiers of seats for spectators, for the presentation of dramatic

Dithyramb

a wild choral hymn of ancient Greece, especially one dedicated to Dionysus. Usually a passionate or inflated speech, poem, or other writing