Theatre Diagnostic

A playwright is adapting a favorite novel into a two-act play. Which of the following exercises would best help the playwright begin distilling the text into a meaningful adaptation?

• making a list of key moments in the novel and then brainstorming the most efficient transitions from one moment to the next

• working through the novel and crossing out everything except the dialogue

• drafting a 15–20 page synopsis of the novel from memory and then using the synopsis as the basis for the first draft of the script

• selecting five key characters from the novel and then outlining a short scene and monologue for each character

A playwright whose work is described as "vividly dreamlike and nightmarish" is most likely utilizing which of the following dramatic forms?

• melodrama

• realism

• expressionism

• tragedy

When writing a play, a playwright uses primarily which of the following tools to reveal a character?

• plot structure

• setting

• stage directions

• dialogue

A playwright is having trouble finding a satisfying resolution for a new play. Which of the following techniques would best help the playwright solve this problem?

• rewriting the other portions of the play until they lead to a natural ending

• adding a framing device to the play so that it ends in the same place it begins

• embracing the idea that not all stories have tidy endings and leaving the play as written

• gathering a group of actors to read the completed portion of the play and brainstorm endings for the play

In climactic play structure, the rising action serves which of the following purposes?

• providing the initial trigger for the main character's behavior

• heightening the central conflict

• wrapping up the loose ends of the narrative

• introducing one or more possible resolutions

In playwriting, lyrical or poetic dialogue most often serves which of the following purposes?

• defining a character's socioeconomic level

• providing a transition between scenes

• heightening a work's expressive qualities

• capturing the rhythm of everyday speech

In contrast to Method-based acting training, classical acting training is more likely to focus on:

• understanding the psychology of a character.

• sharpening an actor's technical mastery of the voice and body

• working with the language of everyday speech.

• removing the separation between actor and character.

In improvisational scene work, a performer "makes an offer" through which of the following actions?

• defining some element of the reality of the scene

• giving a scene partner the opportunity to perform a monologue

• soliciting a suggestion for the scene from the audience

• asking a scene partner a series of questions

Which of the following vocal exercises would be most helpful for an actor who struggles with diction?

• pretending to chew a large ball of taffy while exaggerating mouth noises and facial expressions

• working through a variety of tongue twisters that explore different sounds and syllables

• blowing the petals off an imaginary flower using a mix of fast sharp breaths and long slow breaths

• moving across the stage while humming a song from each of the body's vocal resonators

Which of the following exercises would be most useful for an actor who is taking an "outside-in" approach to developing a character?

• writing down everything that is said about the character by the play's other characters

• trying on a variety of clothing items the character might wear and seeing how they affect movement and posture

• spending several days interacting with other people while fully immersed in the persona of the character

• keeping a journal of life experiences that are similar to the character's experiences in the play