General Information Flashcards
Genre
a category of composition, characterized by form, style, or subject matter
Main Genres
Tragedy & Comedy
Tragedy
Genre in which the protagonist fails or dies, usually with a sad ending.
Comedy
Genre in which the protagonist wins/succeeds, usually with a happy ending.
Types of Performances
Musical, Opera, Dance, Puppetry, Pantomime, Mime
Steps to Analyze a Play
- Identify genre
- Find theme
- Analyze dramatic techniques
- Combine for final analysis
Soliloquy
Actor speaks their thoughts, alone on stage.
Aside
Character addresses the audience, revealing inner thoughts; other characters cannot hear them.
Drama
A piece of writing presented almost exclusively through dialog; uses script format.
Act
Major division of a play
Scene
Small divisions in an act; setting changes most of the time.
Elements of a Production
- script
- rehearsal
- performance
- audience
Script
A “blueprint” for a production, building on a central theme or artistic statement.
Commedia dell’arte
Renaissance era comedic improv using stock characters & pre-existing scenarios.
Modern Improv Companies
The Second City; The Groundlings
Dialog-driven Theatre
Script which leaves no room for improv; ex: Shakespeare
process
the steps taken to make a complete product for performance
Audience
the receivers of the “product” (the performance); without an audience there is no performance.
Product
the performance; must be presented to the receivers (the audience).
Performance
form of art using the body of the artist(s) to convey meaning.
Parts of a Narrative
Exposition, rising action, climax, denoument
Exposition
Introduces characters, setting, etc.
Rising Action
builds tension, presents roadblocks and character growth
Climax
The big battle or culmination of events
