Unit Three Study Guide

DRAM 1310
Chapters 8, 9, 10, and Fences
Chapter 8
1. Although modern drama can be said to have begun in 1875, its roots lay in what?

2. Name and describe the four concepts that helped shape modern theatre.

3. The primary goal of realism is what?

4. The early play of Ibsen treated which themes?

5. The subject matter of naturalistic plays is what?

6. What does Avant-Garde mean?

7. What is Ubu Roi and describe its opening?

8. What artists were involved in the symbolist movement?

9. What is expressionism in theatre?

10. What is Metatheatre?

11. How would Sartre define “Hell” through his play No Exit?

12. The theatre of the absurd was formulated by which existential writing of French Essayist and playwright?
 13. Who is Samuel Beckett?

14. What play is a parable without a message that reveals a paradigm of human condition in which characters exchange
songs, accounts of dreams and try to make the best of a hopeless situation, with an ongoing life cycle of vegetation
serving as the background to human decay, hope and ignorance?

15. Who is Bertolt Brecht?

16. What did Brecht intend with his alienation effect and what is theatre of alienation?

17. Who is Caryl Churchill?

Chapter 9

1. What was the first known production of the genre of musical theatre? And, what was its purpose? Although musical

theatre could be considered NON-realistic, why couldn’t musical theatre be considered ANTI-Realistic?

2. Which city remains the international capital of the world’s musical theatre?

3. What were extravaganzas? Vaudeville? Burlesque?

4. Which full-length black musical comedy challenged the old custom of white actors blacking up was written and
performed by African Americans (some in white face) and employed the emerging ragtime syncopations of early black
reviews?

5. What is America’s greatest contribution to world theatre?

6. How many people (typically) go into creating a musical? —i.e., how many elements must be “written” when creating a

musical? And, what are the pieces?

7. Why was Oklahoma a significant musical?

8. What was the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize?

9. Describe the musical drama.

10. Why is Show Boat notable?

11. What kind of dance was introduced by the musical comedy hits of the early 20 th century?

12. What is the name of the musical that is an update of Romeo and Juliet?

13. Who is Bob Fosse?

14. Who is Tommy Tune?

15. Who is Jerome Robbins?

16. Who is Stephen Sondheim?

17. Why is Andrew Lloyd Webber important to American Musical Theatre?

Chapter 10

1. Define the postmodern experiment.

2. Name the qualities of Joseph Chaiken’s The Open Theatre.

3. Why was Hair an important musical?

4. Who is August Wilson?

5. What is the role of women in the history of drama?

6. Which play by Mark Medoff gave voice to the differently abled, giving a national recognition to hearing-impaired actors
and actresses?

7. What is true about censorship in America today?

8. Define dance/physical theatre.

9. Define performance art.

10. What is macaronic theatre?

11. The theatrical capital of the United States is where?

12. In which city did Joseph Papp launch a Shakespeare festival?

13. What are the top 7 U.S. theatre cities?

14. Name and describe 5 elements of the theatre specific to the 1960s and 1970s.

15. Who was the first black female playwright to be produced on Broadway?

16. What is nontraditional casting?

17. Define Verbatim Theatre.

Fences

1. Who wrote Fences?

2. What is the time period of Fences?

3. How does Troy feel about Cory wanting to attend college?

4. Who is Troy’s best friend? Who is Troy married to? Why did she marry him?

5. What are the three central issues addressed in Fences?

6. Troy claims to have “wrassled with” someone when he was ill, who was it?

7. What sport is referenced by Troy throughout Fences?

8. Who borrows money from Troy and does he return it?

9. When reading Fences, in what city did you picture the play taking place and why?

10. What does the title Fences refer to –both literally and figuratively?

11. Who is Gabriel? Why does Troy feel guilty about him?

12. Was Troy ever in prison? How long?

13. Who joins the Marines?

14. What was the name of Troy’s childhood dog?