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Theatre Appreciation
njhu
39
Other
Undergraduate 4
05/09/2010

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Cards

Term
PROTAGONIST
Definition

Not always the hero. Character whose motives (needs a character seeks to fulfill) and actions (things a character does) drive the conflict to its resolution. 

Hamlet-->Protagonist

 

Term
ANTAGONIST
Definition

Person whos motives or objectives are obstacles to the protagonist's goals and objectives. Not necesseraly the villain

To refer to opposing characters or forces.  

 

Term
EVENT TO BE DRAMATIC
Definition
Conflict must exist between mutually opposing forces represented by characters (protagonist and antagonist) whose goals and motives are sufficently opposed that one of them cannot achieve her objectives without the others failing to achieve theirs.
Term
DRAMA
Definition
Grows out of opposing characters having profoundly important motives that they seek to fulfill.
Term
INTRODUCTORY INCIDENT/ INCITING ACTION
Definition

The moment in the play when the subject of the coflict is introduced

 

In a boxing match, the moment when the referee steps to the center of the ring and announces the upcoming bout is the introductory incident;
Term
STRUCTURE OF DRAMATIC ACTION
Definition
  1. Introductory Incident / Inciting Action
  2. Moment of Engagement / Rising Action
  3. Climax
  4. Demoument
Term
CONFLICT-RESOLUTION
Definition

Process through which the play attemps to resolve the conflict.

  1. Plot
  2. Character Development
  3. Kind of battle of opposint forces
    1. External forces or obstacles
      1. Desire of power (but dont have it)
      2. Desire for love (but cant get it)
    2. Internal forces or obstacles (limitations)
      1. Interior reasons that keep character from going directly for what they want
      2. Crucial to understanding how character moves toward achieving goals

 

Not all conflicts end in a clear resolution with one character succeeding and another failing in their attemps to achieve their goals. The ending may be ambigous.

Term
MOMENT OF ENGAGEMENT / RISING ACTION
Definition
Protagonist commits to action to achieved desire outcome


In the boxing match the bell rings signaling the bout's start, and the moment of engagement is that moment when the boxers advance on each
other. They are now committed to the fight, committed to their goal of winning.
Term
CLIMAX
Definition
Moment when the conflic is resolved. Protagonist achieves or fails: win or lose, there is no longer conflict

When the knockout punch has been thrown and one of the downed boxers has been counted out, the climax has been achieved.There is a winner and a loser, and the match (the conflict) is over. If, however, the fight ends with no knockout punch thrown, and the winner
is to be determined by the decision ofthe judges, the climax comes when the judges' decision is announced.
Term
DENOUEMENT
Definition
Moments after climax

The denouement in the boxing match includes those moments when the winner is congratulated by his trainers, the crowd cheers, and the loser is led away. The conflict
has been resolved, no more punches will be thrown, and the main characters are enjoying or bemoaning the results of their actions.
Term
MAJOR DRAMATIC QUESTION
Definition
Powerful and immediate. In addition, the major dramatic question should arise from the plot, not from thematic concerns. There is nothing abstract about the major dramatic question. At its core it should restate the central preoccupation of all audience members: What is going to happen?

In the example of the boxing match, the question is a simple one: Who will win the fight?
Term
ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR
Definition
Leader of artistic team among other things.
The director has two basic charges: (1)to implement a unified vision within the finish production and (2) to lead other towards its ultimate actualization.
Term
HISTORY OF THE DIRECTOR ROLE
Definition
Director doesnt exist before mid 19th Centuary.
Early: Playwright or actors were in charge of production.
Director start as a separate in 1874 when Duke Saxe tour with his actors. His principles included intensive rehearsals, the demand for disciplined and ensemble acting, historically accurate sets and costumes, extensive use of stage business, the directorial need for vision and total control over all aspects of the production, and the value of minute detail.
Term
HISTORY OF THE DIRECTOR ROLE
Definition
New role in theatre.
Influence of new ideas: Darwin (psychology) Sigmund Freud (new ways of understanding human behavior, sociology)
Influence of new technology: lighting, printing press.
Influence of multiple styles of theatre from realism to avant-garde and abstract as play wrights respond to changing times.
NEED FOR A UNIFIED ARTISTIC VISION because of all of the above.
Term
Need for UNIFIED ARTISTIC VISION
Definition
Someone to supervise all elements on the production:
-Rehearsal
-Design Process
-Consistency of style
Term
DIRECTOR'S PROCESS
Definition
 Starts with script
• Analysis on multiple levels
o For each design area
o Given circumstances
o Clear understanding of what’s happening
o Structural patterns of play
o Through-line: how does the play move forward and how do characters make their journey
o Understanding of function of each character
o Special considerations of casting and dramatic/visual needs
•Director’s homework (again review
power point)
o Includes above, plus external research\
 Criticism of other productions, reviews
 Other works by author
 Scholarship on period, author, style of play, etc.
 Represents the audience eyes
 Represents the playwright to the audience
 Work with individual designers and production team
 Develops a CONCEPT
•Know what a CONCEPT is!
•Purpose of concept: to find that
unified vision, to create meaning
beyond what is literal or obvious
in the text.
•“Made up of artistic decisions
meant to communicate a specific
interpretation to an audience.”
 Casting
 Rehearsal Process:
•Table work with actors to
understand the words and the
play’s ideas
•Blocking
•Working with actors on character
and relationships
•Technical rehearsals
•Dress rehearsals
Term
CONCEPT
Definition
Made up of artistic decisions meant to communicate a specific interpretation to an audience.
Term
PROSCENIUM STAGE
Definition
Audience sits in front of the stage. Action happens within the proscenium frame. Most tradional theatre space
Term
THRUST STAGE
Definition
Stage thrust out into the audience
Arches out into audience. Parkside Stage
3/4 thrust-Audience is sit on the 3 sides.
Limits large part of the scenary to behing the proscenium wall
Term
THEATRE IN THE ROUND
Definition
Audience in all sides. Actors will always have to back to someone. Limited scenary
Term
BLACK BOX
Definition
Flexible theatre space named for its appeareance. Flexible: Can match setting and performance space to needs of the play
Term
FOUND SPACE
Definition
Non-Theatrical space (church, store) its used because of the context of the play
Term
ROLE OF DESIGN
Definition
Gives expression to the play-->visual and aurally
Term
DESIGN AREAS
Definition
1.-COSTUMES
2.-LIGHT
3.-SOUND
4.-MAKE-UP AND HAIR
5.-PROPS
6.-SCENARY
7.-SPECIAL EFFECTS

Designers all start with the script:
What does it sound like, look like, and feel like?
Term
DESIGN IS INTER-DISCIPLINARY
Definition
 Rarely does one design area work in a vacuum: e.g. scene design involves building, painting, sculpting, etc.
 Design functions in a production are closely related
◦Appearance of scenery and costumes
is dependent on light
◦Look of a costume on an actor is
impacted by hair and make-up
◦Costumes need to work on the
scenery that the actor is using
Term
LIGTHTING
Definition
• Light cannot be seen – the only thing
that can be seen is reflection or
what is illuminated.
• Light creates mood, ambiance, feeling
• Lighting can be very non-obtrusive
and realistic, or very abstract where
it becomes another character.
• Lighting is usually one of the last
pieces to come in – after set is
built and costumes are close to
finished.
• Lighting: Function:
o Illuminate the action/stage
o Illuminate the actor
• Uses color and intensity to create
mood
Light Cue: The place in the script where the light changes. Stage manager calls that at a particular place in the script – timed with action of the performance.
Term
COSTUMES
Definition
• Many roles in a costume shop:
designer, draper, cutter, costume
construction
• Misti talked about the way that
research informs the production
o Research in art, period
styles, sculpture, other
visual signals that inspire
the designer.
• Costumes help us to understand many
things about a character/play:
o Time – period, time of year,
time of day
o Season
o Social class – peasants dress
differently than aristocracy
o Personality, individuality –
how we want to be perceived
o Relationships: If characters
all look similar and one
stands out, what might that
tell us?
o Who they are, where they come
from, their function in the
play
• Costumes give us information BUT must
be something that the actor can work
with.
• Some very deliberate decisions in
costuming (true for all design areas)
are very subtle and work indirectly
on the audience
• Silhouette: the form that a costume
takes
• Costumers work with line, shape,
symmetry, color
Term
HOW DOES A DIRECOR GUIDE THE PRODUCTION TEAM?
Definition
o Facilitate communication
o Lead/supervise
o Final responsibility for everything that happens
o Choose a point of focus
Term
PRODUCER FUNCTIONS AND DO
Definition
-Hires director
-Established production budget
-Determines facility and production dates.
-Usually plays a huge role in selecting the play
-Hiring artistic staff and technical staff


What a director does is determined by the possible existence of a producer.
Responsible for financial support of production. Can be individual or institution.
Term
BROADWAY
Definition
Where professional plays used to originate.
Now the place to see extravagantly produced musicals.
Term
OFF-BROADWAY
Definition
came into being in the 1950’s –professional theatres working on reduced budgets.
Have their own financing structures
Term
OFF-OFF-BROADWAY
Definition
came into being in the 1960’s –
Semi-professional or amateur theatres often doing avant-garde, new, unusual work for little money and little commercial profit.
Term
NON-PROFIT PROFESSIONAL THEATRE
Definition
Regional or Resident theatre Outside of NYC. Often with resident staff and/or company members.
A phenomenon from the last 40 years

Non-profit: non-commercial although professional
Funding sources other than box office
Grants, subscription seasons private donations, corporate support
Term
OTHER THEATRE TYPES
Definition
Summer theatre
Academic theatre
Dinner Theatre
Community Theatre
Term
PHASES OF PRODUCTION
Definition
-Preparatory phase
-Design phase
-Implementation phase
-Final phase
Term
PREPARATION PHASE
Definition
-Play selection
-Conceptualization
*“directorial image”: Central
Concept that focuses and informs
entire production. A concept may
be phrased, stated, or thought of
in many ways, but it is the
central vision for the
production team
-Research
Term
DESIGN PHASE
Definition
-Work with production team
-Production meetings
-Designers present ideas
-Casting
Term
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Definition
-Staging
-Actor-coaching
-Pacing co-coordinating
Term
FINAL PHASE
Definition
-Technical rehearsal
-Dress rehearsal
-Performance
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