DRAMA ONE
First test and vocabulary
FIRST OF ALL, MEET A STEVENS ALUM:
CATHERINE BACH AS DAISY DUKE
FROM
“THE DUKES OF HAZZARD”
OTHER SOUTH DAKOTAN CELEBRITIES:
BOB BARKER OF “THE PRICE IS RIGHT”
CHERYL LADD OF “CHARLIES ANGELS”
DAVID SOUL OF “STARSKY AND HUTCH”
TOM BROKAW OF “NBC NIGHTLY NEWS”
L. FRANK BAUM, ABERDEEN S.D.
(FORMERLY FROM NEW YORK)
This
means…
SOUTH DAKOTANS CAN BE DISCOVERED!

And now on to some learning…
VOCABULARY #1
1. AREA OF THE STAGE IN FRONT OF THE ACT
CURTAIN
APRON
2. THEATRE-IN-THE-ROUND
ARENA
3. AREA ABOVE THE STAGE RESERVED FOR
TECHIES
CATWALK

4. PLAY GENRE: CHARACTERIZED BY
HUMOR AND HAPPY ENDING
COMEDY
5. STAGE AREA CLOSEST TO THE
AUDIENCE
DOWNSTAGE
6. PLAY GENRE: SERIOUS ISSUES AND
SITUATIONS
DRAMA

7. PLAY GENRE: AN UNBELIEVABLE
COMEDY
FARCE
8. ‘FAKE’ WALL USED ON STAGE
FLAT
9. THE AREA ABOVE THE STAGE TO
SUSPEND DROPS, PROPS, ETC.
FLY SPACE
10. TRAGIC OR FATAL FLAW IN A PERSON’S
CHARACTER
HAMARTIA
11. A LONG SPEECH BY A CHARACTER TO
SOMEONE ELSE
MONOLOGUE
12. WHY A CHARACTER DOES WHAT HE/SHE
DOES
MOTIVATION
13. USING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND GESTURES
INSTEAD OF WORDS
PANTOMIME
14. ‘FAKE’ STAGING ALLOWING FOR
ADDITIONAL LEVELS
PLATFORM
15. CHARACTER SPEECH SAYING THEIR
THOUGHTS ALOUD
SOLILOQUY
16. STAGE TYPE WHERE AUDIENCE SITS ON THREE
SIDES
THRUST
17. PLAY GENRE: THE HERO LEARNS A HARD
LESSON, USUALLY DIES
TRAGEDY
18. AREA OF THE STAGE AWAY FROM THE
AUDIENCE
UPSTAGE
19. STEALING THE FOCUS FROM THE RIGHTFUL
ACTOR OR BLOCKING THEM
UPSTAGING
20. OFFSTAGE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE ACTING
AREA
WINGS
Earliest
text
• ABYDOS PASSION PLAY
ABYDOS, EGYPT
DEATH OF A GOD - OSIRIS
ROSETTA STONE
Greek Drama
DRAMA MEANS: A THING DONE
THEATRE MEANS: A SEEING PLACE
THESPIS WAS THE FIRST ACTOR
AESCHYLUS (525 – 456 BC) WROTE “THE ORESTEIA”
INTRODUCED SECOND ACTOR
OLDEST COMPLETE TRILOGY WE HAVE TODAY
SOPHOCLES (496 – 406 BC) WROTE “OEDIPUS REX”
INTRODUCED THIRD ACTOR
ARISTOTLE (384 – 322 BC)WROTE “ARS POETICA”
THOUGHT “OEDIPUS REX” WAS PERFECT PLAY
Greek
drama continued:
TRILOGY: THREE TRAGEDIES ONE SATYR PLAY
TRAGOS: GOAT SONG
DIONYSUS: PATRON GOD OF THEATRE
GREEK CHORUS: 50 MEN
SKENE: CHANGING HOUSE
ORKESTRA: AMPHITHEATRE STAGE
THEATRON: AUDIENCE SEATING (HOUSE)
DEUS EX MACHINA: SPECIAL EFFECTS APPARATUS
Aristotle’s
five parts of the perfect play
EXPOSITION
CONFLICT/COMPLICATION
RISING ACTION
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
Aristotle’s
CHARACTER
PLOT
DICTION
THOUGH
SONG
SPECTACLE
six elements
Most
TRUST
important word in theatre: