DRAM-1310: Exam 2

Imitation

Imitation

the natural instinct of human beings when telling stories (also called mimetics)

Aristotle

wrote about two types of drama in his dictum entitled “Poetics” - tragedy and epics (We know he also wrote about comedy, but this dictum was lost). This was NOT about poetry, the term ‘poetics’ refers to what we call DRAMA today.

plot, character, thought, diction, melody, spectacle

Six aspects of poetry/drama

Plot

the arrangement of events or the selection and order of scenes in a play. According to Aristotle, a it should have a beginning, middle, and end, and be unified.

exposition, action, conflict, climax, deus ex machina

Parts of a plot

Dithyrambs

a choral hymn in ancient Greece dedicated to Dionysus

Aeschylus

founder of Greek tragedy, the first playwright to have actors speaking to each other on stage

Episodic plot

a fluid plot with small episodes

appropriate, time and space, money, talent, rights, purpose?

Steps to choosing a script

Burlesque comedy

vulgar, often involving music, singing, and dancing

Slapstick comedy

comedy that relies on physical humor

Dionysus

Greek god of wine and fertility

The origins of theatre began with _____ and ____________

ritual, storytelling

Thespis

credited with being the very first actor

_____ theatre borrowed from _____ theatre

Roman, Greek

In the 1800s, _____ often broke out in theaters across the US

riots

Astorplace riot

the most famous theater riot

Edwin Forrest and William Macready

the actors that the Astorplace riot broke out because of

Realism

everything on the stage had to be authentic, three of the pioneers were Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, Anton Chekov

Liturgical drama

bible stories acted out in Latin by the priests

Vernacular drama

theatre performed by priests in the language of the people

Mystery (cycle) play

performed in the town square and told stories from the old and new testament

Globe Theater

where Shakespeare’s plays were performed

Perspective drawing

what Italians brought to set designs in the theater

Los corrales

theatre in spain performed in courtyards

Neoclassical ideal

set of rules made by Aristotle to improve plays (24 hours, obedient women)

Le Cid

written by Pierre Corneille, banned by the French academy

subject, focus, purpose, structure, character, point of view

Process of playwriting