Name: Grade: Date:

START OF YEAR
DIAGNOSTIC
Answer the following questions to the best of your ability

Define the term ensemble

Define the term tableau

Define the term theatre

When evaluating a tableau what should you consider? (circle one)

a. levels, focus/gaze, storytelling, volume, movement, negative/positive space
b. levels, volume, movement, writing
c. level, focus/gaze, storytelling, negative/positive space, body/facial expression
d. whether you like it or not
What is the central component of a strong ensemble? (circle one)
a. working with a clear leader who has a goal in mind
b. listening and sharing ideas equally with no end goal in mind
c. working individually with an end goal in mind
d. building something through collaborative work

What makes Theatre of the Oppressed unique from other styles of theatre?
 Give two examples of relationships with differing power dynamics

What is an example of using all three actor tools? (circle one)

a. Jumping, singing, and pretending to eat ice cream
b. Standing still, speaking loudly, and imagining you're very cold
c. Moving around silently like an astronaut
d. Telling a joke

What is the traditional Western story structure? (circle one)

a. Exposition, Climax, Resolution
b. Exposition, Conflict/Rising Acting, Climax, Resolution
c. Conflict, Climax, Exposition, Resolution
d. Resolution, Exposition, Conflict, Climax

When watching a performance, what can you evaluate? (circle all

that are true)
a. Use of body and voice to demonstrate a character
b. How good the show is
c. Use of positive and negative space to tell a story and show relationships
d. If an actor is talented or not

What is improv theatre?

a. form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is

unplanned and created spontaneously by the performers.
b. form of theatre in which what is performed is planned ahead of time
c. form of theatre in which actors work to improve a story they are given
d. form of theatre in which audiences tell actors how to improve their performance

What is a key element of improv theatre?

a. Agreeing with your scene partner's suggestions
b. Rejecting what your scene partner suggests
c. Memorizing your lines
d. Planning the scene ahead of time
 True or False (circle
Viola Spolin is considered to be “The Mother of Improv” because she helped
Improv grow into an art form.

What style of theatre is used in Bunraku?

a. Puppetry
b. Improv
c. Dance
d. Magical Realism

Where is Bunraku theatre originally from?

a. India
b. Japan
c. Russia
d. China

What is Shadow Puppetry?

a. Shining light on hand puppets so their shadows move in interesting ways
b. When actors move between a screen and a light source creating shadows
c. Flat cut out paper designed in shapes & moved between a screen and light source
d. When an actor with a puppet follows around an actor without a puppet

What country is famous for shadow puppetry?

a. India
b. Japan
c. Russia
d. China

Which of the following is a key skill in improv theatre?

a) Sticking strictly to a predetermined script
b) Avoiding eye contact with fellow actors
c) Listening and reacting to your fellow actors
d) Repeating the same jokes in every scene
What is the term for the written dialogue and stage directions in a play?
a) Script
b) Plot
c) Scene
d) Setting

What is a monologue in a play?

a) A conversation between two characters
b) A long speech by a character speaking to others
c) The opening scene of a play
d) A silent moment on stage

In drama, what is "blocking"?

a) The way actors apply makeup
b) The arrangement of actors' movements on stage
c) The closing scene of a play
d) The final line of a monologue

Which of the following is a non-verbal element of communication used in acting?

a) Dialogue
b) Monologue
c) Blocking
d) Body language

What is the role of the "director" in a play?

a) Delivering lines and speeches
b) Creating costumes for the actors
c) Guiding and coordinating the actors' performances
d) Operating the lighting equipment

What does the term "upstage" refer to?

a) The higher elevation of the stage
b) The front area of the stage
c) The area farthest from the audience
d) The backstage area

In theater, what is "cue"?

a) The final line of a play
b) A signal for an actor's entrance or action
c) A kind of stage lighting
d) The place where actors gather before the performance
What is the role of the "audience" in theater?
a) To design costumes and sets
b) To create the script
c) To provide feedback to the actors
d) To watch and respond to the performance

What is the role of the"spect-actor" in Theatre of the Oppressed?

a) To design costumes and sets
b) To create the script and perform it
c) To observe the performance and then join in as an actor to alter it
d) To silently watch the performance

What does the term "script" refer to in theater?

a) A list of characters' names
b) The final speech of a play
c) The written dialogue and stage directions of a play
d) A summary of the play's main events

What is the primary function of the "sound designer" in a play?

a) To create visual effects on stage
b) To design the physical set and props
c) To manage the actors' movements
d) To handle sound effects and music

What is pantomime theatre?

a) A type of play that combines tragedy and comedy.
b) A style of acting using exaggerated gestures and body movements.
c) A performance featuring only sound effects and no spoken dialogue.
d) A form of theater where characters wear masks to portray emotions.

What is the purpose of a "prop" in theater?

a) To provide actors with something to interact with
b) To create lighting effects
c) To represent emotions
d) To guide the actors' movements

What is the primary difference between a play and a screenplay?

a) A play is meant for movies, while a screenplay is for stage performances.
b) A play has more characters than a screenplay.
c) A screenplay is only for comedies, while plays can be dramas or comedies.
d) A play is written for the stage, while a screenplay is written for film or television.
In the following sentence, the words in parenthesis would be called the what?
Jason: Take these and put them on the table (hands her a pile of books).
a) Action
b) Movement
c) Stage direction
d) Dialogue

In the following sentence, the word "Jason" is spoken

Jason: Take these and put them on the table (hands her a pile of books).
a) True
b) False

The words in the following sentence found in a play would be called what?
Jason: Take these and put them on the table.
Nina: I'm too tired. Do it yourself.
a) Dialogue
b) Monologue
c) Argument

Which of the following is NOT a career in theatre?

a) Sound Designer
b) Lighting Designer
c) Stage Manager
d) Metal worker

What is an example of Pantomime Theatre?

a) An actor eating a real apple
b) A puppet eating a toy apple
c) An actor pretending to eat an imaginary apple
d) An actor dancing while juggling plastic apples

What does the term 'tactic' refer to when talking about acting?
a) How you get a part in a play
b) The method an actor tries to achieve their objective in the scene
c) The objective an actor has in their scene
d) The fight choreography of a scene

List three acting tactics you might use in a scene where your character wants to
get money from their mother:
1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________
If you observe an actor on their knees, clasping their hands and speaking
loudly while saying their lines, what tactic might they be using?
a) Bribing
b) Teasing
c) Begging
d) Insulting

List three things actors need to do as part of the rehearsal process:

1. ________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. ________________________________

Name three theatre companies in Washington DC:

1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________

What does 'open scene' refer to in theatre?

a) A scene that takes place in the open air
b) A scene with minimal set design and props.
c) A scene that is open to many interpretations with no defined setting or characters
d) A scene that involves audience participation and interaction.

What is musical theatre?

a) A type of theatre exclusively for comedies.
b) A form of performance where actors communicate through dance only.
c) A theatrical production that combines spoken dialogue, music, and dance.
d) A style of theatre that focuses solely on dramatic monologues.

What does the term "Golden Age Musical" refer to?

a) Musicals set in historical periods known as the "Golden Ages."
b) Musicals that exclusively feature characters of advanced age.
c) A period in musical theatre history known for producing classic and influential shows.
d) Musicals that focus on themes related to wealth and luxury.

What country does the Musical Theatre genre originate from?

a) El Salvador
b) Mexico
c) The United States
d) England
Imagine you are playing the part of a military drill sergeant in a musical. How would this
character's job influence the way you might choose to move and why? (i.e. describe how you
would move and how that choice connects to your character's job)

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