MN MCA 8th grade practice Theater Professionals and Productions

Based on “Finding My Part,” what can readers infer about theater professionals who work behind the scenes, like those mentioned in “The Stars of the Show”?

• They are outgoing individuals who enjoy receiving attention from others.

• They may have developed experience while working on their school productions.

• They find working on a musical to be more interesting than putting on a play without music.

• They most likely learned about and pursued their jobs based on the recommendations of friends.

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8.5.1.1

Which quotation from “The Stars of the Show” best expresses the common theme in both selections that talent can come in many different forms?

• “Theset, lighting, sound, costume, and makeup designers and their crews all play a critical role in making a production seem effortless, spontaneous, and real.” (paragraph 21)

• “Sound designers attend rehearsals to determine which sound effects, music, or other sounds will be needed to make the play come alive for the audience.” (paragraph 24)

• “Makeup designers decide whether actors’ faces or bodies need to be changed with special makeup techniques.” (paragraph 26)

• “The efforts of these theatrical artists are most successful when they make the audience forget the difference between real life and the story on the stage, at least for a while.” (paragraph 27)

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8.5.2.2

Which statement presents the central idea of both the passage and the article?

• Audiences greatly enjoy seeing a story unfold on stage.

• Actors use emotion to make a character come to life.

• Producing a play requires many dedicated people.

• Technical skill is a requirement for certain theater careers.

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8.5.2.2

The passage and the article contrast actors with crew members who work on plays in other ways. Choose ​ (a)   ​ (b)   the actions that are likely to be performed by both.

• Work closely with other groups
• Learn the events of the play
• Use words and emotions to tell a story
• work behind the scenes
• appear on stage
• create objects to use on stage

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8.5.3.3

Which phrase used in the passage best supports the meaning of the word collaboration as it is used in paragraph 22 of the article? [find the word "collaboration" at the beginning of paragraph 22. Then Reread paragraphs 19 & 20 to see which phrase best provides an example of "collaboration"]

• “involved with this production” (paragraph 19)

• “work on the set and the lights with us” (paragraph 19)

• “make the performers stand out” (paragraph 20)

• “people sat transfixed” (paragraph 20)

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8.5.4.4

Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of the passage. The sets are perfectly constructed and the actors flit and dance around the stage, blazing bright like torches. Which sentence from the article performs the same function as this sentence from the passage?

• “Set designers work with the playwright to ensure the set presents the time and place of the play as the playwright intended.” (paragraph 22)

• “A set with a dark backdrop of a forest scene can convey a threatening or sinister mood.” (paragraph 22)

• “Another important element of stagecraft is lighting.” (paragraph 23)

• “The efforts of these theatrical artists are most successful when they make the audience forget the difference between real life and the story on the stage, at least for a while.” (paragraph 27)

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8.5.5.5

How does the structure of the article illustrate the idea in the passage that producing a play requires many people to complete different tasks?

• By listing ways people can get an acting role in a play

• By providing examples of live performances by famous actors

• By arguing for the importance of volunteers for production work

• By describing in detail some of the jobs people perform in the theater

Answer explanation

Paragraphs 1-19 show Laurie trying and failing to get a part, but near the end she is encouraged to try for lighting designer. The author discusses a number of other roles.

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8.5.5.5

The perspective of "Finding My Part" is that a genuine interest in theater is all a person needs to work on a play. Which statements from "The Stars of the Show" opposes that view?

• "Costume designers and their team must be skilled in sewing" (para. 25)

• "To complement the scenery, stage properties, or "props," are objects found or made by the props crew." (para. 22)

• "Lighting designers require considerable skill and expertise to understand when and where certain types of lighting are required" (para. 23)

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8.4.2.2

Which idea would be most important to include in a summary of the passage?

• The narrator laughs with a boy when her audition is over.

• Ms. Halbersham watches closely while the narrator is up on stage.

• A girl named Rayna impresses people with her singing during her audition.

• The narrator realizes she does not need to act to be involved with the play.

Answer explanation

This detail resolves the conflict and is an essential element in the plot, and should be included in a summary.

Other answers are not as important, or are small details in the overall story.