Chapter 6 Review Questions - Updated 11/12

Chapter 6: Designers & Technicians

**What is the initial framework for design?
**What is the difference between realistic and metaphoric scenery?
**Describe the design of a box set.
**What technological advances have alowed scenery to be more stylistic?
(New as of 10/30:)
**What is a scrim and how does it work?
**Why are properties (props) crucial?
**What was used for stage lighting in 1439?
**What brought stage lighting into the modern phase?
**What are the primary considerations of lighting design?
(New as of 11/12:)
**What are the 4 functions of modern costuming?
**How was Glenn Close's costume in A Streetcar Names Desire symbolic of her character, Blanche?
**What is the purpose of illustrative makeup?
**What is the purpose of stylized makeup?
**Carefully read the sections on Digital Technology and the Technical Production Team. Be able to match job descriptions to job titles (pages 180-185).

Sample Bio

People seemed nervous about writing a bio, so here is what I might write for an actual bio:
TOMMY IAFRATE is thrilled to be directing High Stakes! For years, Tommy has served as the Artistic Director of Kaleidscope Theatre, a touring children's theatre company. Performance credits include: Nat'l and Asian tours of Cabaret (Bobby, u/s Emcee), TBTS's Bye Bye, Birdie! (Harvey Johnson) and Anything Goes (Luke). Musical Directing/Instrumental (piano, sax, clarinet, flute): 7 shows at the Goodspeed Opera House, 3 Royal Caribbean cruise ships, King Richard's Faire, PPAC's Chance to Dance, Acting Up's Swing! and A Chorus Line, and CCA's Full Monty and Footloose. 2005 BA, RI College, Musical Theatre & Physics. Special thanks to Mom, xoxo!

If I weren't allowed to include any of my performing experience (ie, if I didn't have any), then I might write:
TOMMY IAFRATE is thrilled to be making his University of Rhode Island directorial debut with this production of High Stakes! He is a 2005 graduate of Rhode Island College, where he double majored in Musical Theatre and Physics. In his spare time, Tommy can be found volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign, taking sign language classes at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, or riding up and down the Washington secondary bike path. Other interests include playing the piano, politics, palindromes, and pi. Special thanks to Mom for the love and encouragement that were never in short supply. Peace!

(By the way, if my math-geekiness were ever in doubt, be aware that they are both exactly 100 words!)

Homework #6

This is a big one. So, (a) it isn't due until Thursday 10/23, and (b) it's worth triple the weight of a regular homework assignment. It comes in several parts, and they are:

Headshot & Bio: Actors usually have an 8x10 headshot that they submit at auditions. (At one time, headshots were always black and white, but more recently, color headshots have become popular - for this assignment, either a b&w or a color headshot is acceptable.) Your bio should be a brief, approx. 100-word biography all about YOU. (Typically, the bio highlights other shows an actor has performed in, where the actor went to school, and may include a special "thanks" to special family members/friends/deities/etc.).

Handwrite lines: In order to make the author's words your own, you should write the words out by hand. By physiologically guiding those words into your head, through your hand, and out of your pen, they become yours. This exercise is intended to help make these words sounds more natural and extemporaneous when spoken aloud.

Character backstory: In order to flesh out the characters a bit, create a "backstory", or a background description, for your character. Write in the first person (so say "My name is Mindy Dowd", not "Her name is Mindy Dowd" or "My character's name is Mindy Dowd"), and include the following information: your (character's) first and last name, age, family situation (do you live at home? with both parents? any brothers/sisters?), number of years working for the Bureau, how you feel personally about Mindy, Mrs. Mock, and Mr. Downsides (or do you even know Mr. Downsides?). Use these questions as a base; you may feel free to say more than what I've asked here.

Actor's work: (Feel free to consult pages 90-91 of the book, where I found these questions. Again, write in the first person) What is your main objective, or goal? If possible, put this in terms of other characters in the play. What is one tactic that you use to achieve this goal? This play involves a group of people posing as a class, testing the resolve of the one outsider, Mindy. How do you fit into the world of this play?

Directorial work: What would you choose as the (one-word) theme of this play, and why?

Please be sure to hand-write your lines, and type all other sections.

Also, don't forget to see Small Tragedy this weekend, if you haven't already seen it. Your critiques are due on Tuesday before the Midterm.

Study Session

Just a reminder ladies and gents that I'll be holding a review session tomorrow from 5:30 to 6:30 in the Library 24 hour room!! I hope to see alot of you there!

My e-mail is also on the syllabus if you can't make the study session but would like to meet with me, e-mail me!

See you in the morning!
Kristen

10/14 Cast List

Adam Arrighi (Spencer)
Scott Benson (Will)
Julie-Ann Boco (Beth)
Lee Anne Bretti (Melissa/cheer captain)
Esthefany Cabrera (Jennifer)
Kayla Chehy (Ashley/Tap Dancer)
Erica Dost (Mindy)
Carolyn Foster (Meghan)
Michael Golub (Josh)
Mardea Halley (Jason... to be renamed "Jamieson")
Shannon Hastings (Mrs. Mock)
Caleb Heikes (Casey)
Joshua Labossiere (Ryan)
Lexy McClintic (Mariah/cheerleader)
Sharon Monteiro (Bradley... "Bonnie")
Jennifer Perez (Elijah... "Eliza")
Linochka Perez (Rachel)
Sarah Piluri (Alison)
Erkko Puranen (Colin)
Francesca Ritzer (Michael... "Michaela")
Stephanie Santos (Anna/cheerleader)
Josh Savory (Mr. Downsides)
James Silvia-Chandley (Mark)
Amanda Wheaton (Kevin... "Kira"/cheerleader)
Lowell Williams (Rayquan)
Cody Zane (Adam)

Extra Credit opportunity: Chapter 3 Quiz

Even though we had perfect attendance in class today, I'm posting the extra credit opportunity here anyway :)

People had trouble matching the 5 modern playwrights that were mentioned in Chapter 3 (David Mamet, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Henry Hwang, Tony Kusher, and Neil LaBute) to their appropriate descriptions on the quiz. If you got any of those questions wrong, you may submit a paper on Thursday that includes for each wrong answer:
(1) The correct answer (ie, the playwright's name and his/her description)
(2) The reason why this is the correct answer (you may use the textbook's description, or if you'd like, any other resource you come across.)

Please staple your quiz to your paper so that I can see for myself which answers you got wrong.

Chapter 5 Review Questions

Here are your guided review questions for Chapter 5:
**In Greek, the term disdaskalos meant what?
**What is the role of the producer?
**What is the most critical decision of any director?
**Carefully read, "Making Theatre: A Play is Put Together". Pay special attention to: first reading, set construction, costume shop, call board, off book, prop shop, sound studio, paper tech, tech rehearsal, stage manager's booth.

Chapter 4 Review Questions

Here are your Chapter 4 guided review questions:
**Be able to explain the differences in the "two notions of acting."
**What are the basic tenets of the Stanislavsky method of acting?
**What is the Actor's Studio and what is Lee Strasberg's "method"?
**What is the difference between "blocking" and "business"?

Tuesday's quiz!

For those of you who missed class today, please be aware that there will be a quiz this Tuesday, October 14. (If you recall, a quiz worth 5% of your grade is listed on your syllabus. It is written by Jim and given to us TAs to give to all of you.) It covers the information and theatre vocabulary presented by the IOR (Instructor of Record) in the first 3 classes.

If you have any questions, feel free to send them my way :)
~tommy

Chapter 3 Review Questions

Here are your Chapter 3 guided review questions. Stay tuned for the Chapter 4 questions later tonight :)

**What are the two primary tools of the playwright?
**Be able to explain continuous linearity and non-linear play structure.
**What is the difference between credibility and intrigue?
**Be familiar with the work of David Mamet and Tony Kushner.

Homework #5

Note: if you are with a Tech/Management TA, you no longer need to do these assignments. The only remaining assignments you will do for me are: the Midterm, the two Critiques, the Quiz, and the Final. The following is for the Performance section, only.

On pages 40-43 of the text, the author explores the major parts of an Aristotelian play: Exposition, Conflict, Climax, and Denouement. Identify the exposition in High Stakes, and explain why the section you chose fulfills the author's description of exposition. Do the same for conflict, climax, and denouement.

Your response must be typed, and should include:

Your name
Theatre 100
Tommy Iafrate (with an I, not an L!)
The due date (October 9, 2008)

Homework #5: Aristotelian plot elements of High Stakes

Four (short) paragraphs, double-spaced, each addressing one of the four elements. Grading will be based off of content (ie, did you justify your choices?), with consideration paid to spelling and grammar as well.

On a related note... as we talked about early on in the semester, we will be reviewing all of chapters 1-5 before your midterm, to be held two weeks from today on October 21st. That means that we need to review a new chapter every class (!), so please read chapter 3 for this Thursday. Thanks everybody! :)

Outstanding assignments:

...and by "outstanding" I mean "incomplete," not "phenomenal" :)

I do not have the following assignments from the following people. I am still allowing late submissions for half-credit through the end of the weekend (that is, until 12:01am, early Monday morning). All of the homeworks can be done online or can be e-mailed to me, except for the quiz and audition, which need to be done in person and need to be scheduled this weekend - so e-mail me about those.

If you don't remember what a certain assignment was, just scroll down or check the archives on the blog.

HW 1: Dost, Monteiro

HW 2: Boco, Cuna, Dempsey, Dost, Mangano, Maris, Monteiro, Silvia-Chandley

HW 3: Calle, Guscott, Harden, Heikes, Monteiro, Silvia-Chandley

HW 4: Bretti, Cuna, Dost, Furman, Guscott, Halley, Harden, Heikes, Monteiro, Piluri, Puranen, Silvia-Chandley, Hastings

Quiz: Monteiro

Audition: Harden, Mangano

Production Assignments and Cast List!

Here are your production assignments for the Post-Split section of the semester. Several roles are still to be determined, and will be decided gradually over the next several weeks.
The assignments are separated by area of study, and include the name of your new TA and your new classroom. You will report to these TAs/classrooms starting next class (Tuesday, October 7th).

PERFORMANCE
Tommy and Kristen
The Will Theatre
Assistant Director:
Alex Milton
Cast:
Adam Arrighi (Spencer)
Scott Benson (Will)
Julie Ann Boco
Lee-Anne Bretti (Melissa/cheer captain)
Esthefany Cabrera
Kayla Chehy
Erica Dost (Mindy)
Carolyn Foster
Michael Golub
Mardea Halley
Shannon Hastings (Mrs. Mock)
Caleb Heikes
Joshua Labossiere
Lexy McClintic (Mariah/cheerleader)
Sharon Monteiro
Jennifer Perez
Linochka Perez
Sarah Piluri
Erkko Puranen
Francesca Ritzer
Stephanie Santos (cheerleader)
Josh Savory (Mr. Downsides)
James Silvia-Chandley
Amanda Wheaton (cheerleader)
Cody Zane

SETS & PROPS
Max Ponticelli
Connector
Jessica Calle
Casey Friend
Brandyn Harden
Emma Hernan
Katie Mangano
Stephen Maris
Lauren Turrisi

LIGHTS & SOUND
Renée Surprenant
Green Room
Sarah Ferry
Nick Guscott
Matt Lombardi
Austin McBurney
Ryan Moriarty
Derek Yee
Marisa Young

COSTUMES & MAKEUP
Elana Dandeneau
Conference Room
Ashley Cavaleri
Serena Cuna
Chari Lehnertz
Liz Oliva
Yanna Segeren
Kayla Smith

MANAGEMENT
Rachel Nadeau
Room H101
Publicity/House:
Matt Furman
Dan Gallagher
Craig Maganzini (also Business Manager)
Aaron O'Brien
Nathaniel Shaw
Stage Manager:
Nana Ofei-Tenkorang
Assistant Stage Managers:
Alysa Dempsey
Alex McCabe

Chapter 2 Review Questions

Here are your chapter 2 review questions. Again, you do not need to answer these for an assignment. They are merely a guide for when you read the book, and a clue as to what will be included on the midterm.

1) Be able to define genre.
2) Be able to define the characteristics of tragedy & comedy. Terms to know: protagonist, antagonist, hamartia, catharsis.
3) What are the origins of comedy?
4) Be able to describe the characteristics of the following genres: interlude, mystery & morality plays, history, tragicomedy, dark comedy, melodrama, farce, and musical.
(Updated 10/2:)
5) What is the difference between plot and theme?
6) What are the three major groupings of performance?
7) What are the characteristics of conflict and climax?
8) What occurs during postplay?