THEA 101 Exam 1 || A Verified A+ Pass.
Eric Bentley and Peter Brook's definition of theatre correct answers All that you need for theatre
to occur is an empty space and someone walk across while someone is watching
What are the basic elements of theatre (6)? correct answers Actors, space, audience
The differences between Art and Entertainment correct answers Art- lets us see another point of
view, makes us think, demands intellectual effort, requires active viewing, challenges the
audience, acts as an agent of social change
Entertainment- reaffirms our point of view, makes no intellectual demands, avoids criticism,
flatters the audience, is about gratification, indulgence, and escape
Know the special qualities of theatre (19): correct answers Lifelikeness- most capable of re-
creating everyday human experience
Ephemerality- no performance is exactly the same
Objectivity- interpretations may differ markedly. Shows are viewed differently
Complexity- it is made of of intermingled sound, movement, place, lighting, and so on
Immediacy- theatre is immediate, requires live actions between performers and spectators
Know and Define: willing suspension of disbelief correct answers we know the events of a play
are not real, we agree for the moment to disbelieve
Understand the basic problems of criticism (34) correct answers understanding, effectiveness,
and ultimate worth —"We are used to making generalized comments like "I enjoyed it" or "It
was terrible"; Critique as a 3 step process- experience the play, analyze the experience,
communicate the response, the goal of theatrical criticism is to communicate the total experience
.
Be able to talk about the different ways theatres "condition" the audience for performances (26).
Recall how we talked about this with "Tony and Tina's Wedding" as an example. correct answers
Press releases, lobby displays, programs, the scenery, pre-show music, sometimes curtains are up
and you can see set
Describe what makes a play unique and different from other literary forms correct answers Stage
directions, Time and place of action, Implied meanings and subtext, Character action and
interaction.
Aristotle's basic idea of how plays should be written correct answers Should be complex, Have a
clear beginning, middle and end, Should elicit sympathy, and Should be logical/internally
consistent.
Methods of organizing plays/dramatic action (42): correct answers Cause-to-effect arrangement
(majority of plays), character, and thought.
, Plot: correct answers The arrangement of the plays incidents or the overall structure of its action.
Thus it differs from the story, which may have begun long before the play begins.
Character correct answers anything that delineates a person or differentiates that person from
others.
Thought correct answers includes the themes, arguments, and overall meaning of the play's
action.
Diction correct answers The language of the play; the playwright's primary means of expression.
Music correct answers all patterned sound in a play. Can include music, sound effects, and
rhythmic sounds.
Spectacle correct answers all the visual elements of a production
Exposition correct answers The setting forth of information about events, characters, and the
present situation that precede the play's point of attack.
Point of attack correct answers The moment within the overall story wherein the playwright
begins their treatment of events.
Inciting Incident correct answers An occurrence that sets the main action of a play in motion.
Major Dramatic Question correct answers The most significant question raised by the inciting
incident; a question that will be pursued throughout the play.
Complications: correct answers Any new development that serves to change the direction of the
play's dramatic action.
Climax: correct answers The highest point of interest or suspense, typically determines the
outcome of a play's action.
Denouement: correct answers The final portion of the play, it extends from the crisis or climax to
the end of the play. Also referred to as the "falling action.
Tragedy correct answers A form in drama that presents a serious action and maintains a serious
tone. The protagonist is usually one who elicits sympathy but encounters some sort of disaster.
Comedy correct answers A form in drama based on some deviation from normality in action,
character, or thought treated as to around laughter. Ends happily.
Style correct answers The distinctive mode of expression or method of presentation.
Why are conventions such as the Humana Festival and companies such as Playwright Horizons
important? correct answers They demote themselves solely to new play development
