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Theatre History Review

Total questions: 39

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Greek Performances were held outside in ______________.

a)

pageant wagons.

b)

a proscenium theatre.

c)

large amphitheatres.

d)

a small forest.

2.

During this time period the Catholic Church used theatre as a way of telling stories from the bible to people who couldn't read.

a)

The Middle Ages

b)

Greek Ingenuity

c)

Renaissance

d)

Elizabethan Theatre

3.

The name of Shakespeare's famous theatre is called __________.

a)

Stage in the Round.

b)

The Globe.

c)

Hamlet.

d)

Othello.

4.

Moliere is...

a)

A famous playwright known for his tragedies

b)

A famous playwright known for his comedies

c)

A wise old man known for his plays.

d)

Famous for his play analysis.

5.

During festivals in Greek theatre,  who did religious rites pay honor/homage to?

a)

Sophocles

b)

Dionysus

c)

Aristotle

d)

Euripides

6.

Who was known as the first actor?

a)

Dionysus

b)

William Shakespeare

c)

Zeus

d)

Thespis

7.

What does RENAISSANCE mean?

a)

Death

b)

Living

c)

Rebirth

d)

None of the above

8.

What was the Renaissance called in England?

a)

Neoclassicism

b)

Elizabethan

c)

Commedia dell’arte

d)

None of the above

9.

Were women allowed to act in Greek theatre?

a)

Yes

b)

No

10.

What did Greek actors wear to show different characters?

a)

Costumes

b)

Wigs

c)

Masks

11.

Who took over theatre during The Dark Ages?

a)

Kings

b)

Mimes

c)

The Church

12.

Improvisation is a type of theatre that has no script, it is made up on the spot

a)

True

b)

False

13.

While the Greeks prefered tragedies, the Romans preferred __________

a)

comedy

b)

romance

c)

musical

d)

horror

14.

Greeks did not influence Roman plays or festivals.

a)

True

b)

False

15.

Liturgical dramas were performed by:

a)

The Gods

b)

Priests

c)

Greeks

d)

Actors

16.

All of the visual elements of a play

a)

expression

b)

spectacle

c)

melodrama

d)

climax

17.

A morality play is a play that

a)

Teaches the stories of the bible

b)

Teaches the stories of the saints

c)

Teaches the lessons of how to live as a Christian

18.

In a Greek theatre, the place where the the audience sits is called

a)

The Orchestra

b)

Theatron

c)

Skene

19.

In the middle ages, when troupes performed in town squares they performed on

a)

The ground

b)

A pageant wagon

c)

A stage that they built new for each performance

20.

A Shakespearean comedy play is one where...

a)

Everyone dies

b)

Everything turns out well in the end

c)

There are jokes

d)

Nothing bad happens at all to any of the characters

21.

The poorest audience members during the Renaissance would only pay a penny for a show, where did they watch the show from?

a)

The nosebleeds- very far away

b)

The ground, they were called groundlings

c)

They got to choose their own seats, it did not matter what they paid

22.

What acting space was used in Classical Greece?

a)

three story round or octagonal buildings around open courtyards with thrust stages

b)

multiple stages in churches

c)

proscenium stages

d)

Amphitheaters - outdoors, on a hillside, made or marble

23.

Name the 3 types of Greek plays

a)

Tragedy, Comedy, Satyr

b)

Horror, Comedy, Informational

c)

Comedy, Religious, Traditional

d)

Comedy, Romance,Tragedy

24.
Who were the two major writers of Roman Comedy
a)
Terrence and Phillip
b)
Terrence and Platus
c)
Oedipus and Medea
d)
Sophecles and Aeschelus
25.

In the medieval period, _____ plays were based on the lives of saints.

a)

Passion

b)

Miracle

c)

Morality

d)

Mystery

26.

In the medieval period, _____ plays were based on stories from the bible.

a)

Miracle

b)

Morality

c)

Passion

d)

Mystery

27.

Who did the Romans borrow their theatre ideas from?

a)

Greeks

b)

Japanese

c)

Chinese

d)

Italians

28.

Commedia dell'Arte was NOT known for...

a)

improvisational acting.

b)

the long monologues given in the middle of the performances.

c)

elaborate costumes made specifically for each character.

d)

the use of masks to identify characters.

29.

Elizabethan theatre was known for bringing the social classes together - why?

a)

Because it had humor made for both lower and higher educated patrons.

b)

Because plays were performed before all audiences, both rich and poor.

c)

Plays focused on characters who were rich and characters who were poor.

d)

All of the above.

30.
In Greek Theatre, what is a small building built in back of the acting platform?  
a)
thespians
b)
skene
c)
tragedies
d)
comedies
31.
What is the circular acting area where the Greek chorus danced and the actors performed?
a)
Theatron
b)
Thymele
c)
Orchestra
d)
Parados
32.

What is lazzi?

a)

Fighting

b)

Stock jokes or gags

c)

Objectives and tactics

d)

Improvised scenes

33.

What are stock characters?

a)

A character who is a stereotypical character whom audiences recognize from frequent recurrences.

b)

A protagonist who is sometimes a “hero” to the audience or readers.

c)

A character that experiences a change in either their outlook or their personality.

d)

A character who is flat and displays few personality traits and does not experience a change within the story.

34.

What are the zanni?

a)

The old men

b)

The lovers

c)

The villains

d)

The servants

35.

Who was Seneca?

a)

A Roman philosopher and playwright

b)

A Greek Nobleman and playwright

c)

The first Actor

d)

The First Gladiator

36.

How was Roman Theatre different than Greek Theatre?

a)

It was more focused on religion

b)

It was more intellectual

c)

It was more violent

d)

It was more philosophical

37.

From which historical era was Commedia Dell'Arte?

a)

Middle Ages

b)

Greek

c)

Roman

d)

Italian Renaissance

38.

Italian renaissance innovations in theatre included...

a)

Perspective scenery, rigging and permanent buildings

b)

Pageant Wagons, Proscenium Arches, Wind/Thunder machines

c)

Rotating stage floors, electrical lighting, use of stage curtains

d)

trap doors, sliding scenery, chorus area

39.

Why did the Renaissance in England start a century later than in Italy?

a)

They had a famine

b)

There were wars

c)

They did not care

d)

The king forbid any change