Review for Exam I—Arts Survey
Theatre Section
Know the following terms:
Proscenium arch
(Counterweight) Fly System
Upstage, Downstage, Stage Right, Stage left
House
Border
Leg
Main Drape
Cyc (Cyclorama)
Scrim
Apron
Black Box Theatre
Batten
The Wings
Thrust Theatre
Arena (Theatre in the Round)
Orchestra Pit
Actors Equity Association
Dionysus
Oedipus Rex (what is it about? Good short answer question!)
Dithyramb
Peripeteia
Magnitude
Hubris
Thespis
Satyr Play
Chiton
Orchestra
Deus Ex Machina
Skene
City Dionysia
Greek Chorus
Ludi Romani
Fabula Atellana
Pantomime
Mime
Stychomythia
Scaena Frons
Proskene (proscenium)
Be familiar with the following concepts:
INTRO
What are the three main elements that must be present for “theatre” to occur?
Why does theatre survive? (good essay)
Be able to describe these concepts that make up a theatre STYLE:
 Level of abstraction (realistic vs. nonrealistic theatre techniques—see handout)
 Amount of Detail
 Social Class
 Given Circumstances
 Historical Period
What are the parts of a linear/causal plot? (Be able to label the triangular diagram.)
How does a linear plot differ from an episodic plot?
Understand Aristotle’s six parts of a play:
 Plot
 Character
 Thought (or Idea)
 Diction (or Language)
 Song (or Music)
 Spectacle
Know the different types of theatre spaces you may see today:
 Proscenium
 Thrust
 Arena (Theatre in the round)
Know a few of the different types of professional and nonprofessional theatres in the U.S.
What are some “rules” for theatre audiences? (Good essay question)
GREEK THEATRE
What is the theory of the evolution of Greek Theatre? (hint—evolved from dithyramb)
Who are the writers of Greek Tragedy? (Aeschylus, Euripides, & Sophocles)
Who are the writers of Greek Comedy? (Aristophanes-old comedy & Menander-new comedy)
Characteristics of Greek Tragedy:
1. Generally the hero or heroine is an extraordinary person—a king, queen, or nobleman—in
stature.
2. Central figures become caught in a series of tragic circumstances.
3. The situation becomes irretrievable—can’t turn back—FATE
4.
Hero accepts responsibility for his actions and shows willingness to suffer and capacity for
suffering
5. Language—VERSE. Expected because tragedy deals with profound ideas and extraordinary
people.
6. Late point of attack
7. Violence and death usually offstage
8. Frequent use of messengers to relate information
9. Usually in a single place and continuous time of action
10. Stories based on myth or history
11. Focus is on psychological and ethical attributes of characters, rather than physical and
sociological.
12. All men
13. Three speaking actors for each author
14. Stylized acting—used masks, choral declamation, large gestures
15. Competitive—prizes were awarded and actors and playwrights competed
16. Closely associated with religion
What are some of the functions of a Greek Chorus?
What did Greek stage spaces look like? Can you name the parts?
 Parados
 Thymele (altar)
 Orchestra
 Skene
 Deus ex machina
 Ekkyklema
ROMAN THEATRE
What is the Ludi Romani? What types of entertainment were available to the audiences there?
Conventions of Roman Comedy:
1. All men (women in the mimes only)
2. Everyday domestic affairs
3. Plots turn on misunderstandings (much like sitcoms today)
4. Set and clothed as Greeks
5. Character “types” associated with certain colors (i.e., red=slaves, yellow=courtesans; also in
wigs)
6. Use of masks
7. Used songs and music
8. No act or scene divisions
9. Action placed in the street
Famous Roman Playwrights:
PLAUTUS-comedy
TERENCE-comedy
SENECA-tragedy
Note: Roman comedy was more popular than Roman tragedy, Roman tragedy was similar to Greek
tragedy, but with exaggerated emotions on onstage violence. It also used more characters, emphasized
elaborate speeches, and had a five act division.
Other Forms of Roman theatre:
 Pantomime
 Mime
What did Roman Theatres look like? What are the parts—
 Scaena
 Vomitorium
 Orchestra
 Scaena frons
Note: stage was raised to 5 feet—stages were large 20-40 feet deep, 100-300 feet long—the seats could
accommodate up to 15,000 people. Some had awnings over the audience to protect them from the sun.
Some also had a cooling system with air blowing over streams of water.
Why was the Christian church opposed to the theatre? (Good essay question)