Theatre History Trivia Knowledge! Quiz

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Theatre History Trivia Knowledge! Quiz - Quiz

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Questions and Answers
  • 1. 
    The first recorded theatrical performance was in __________________ in about 2000 BC.
    • A. 

      Japan

    • B. 

      Rome

    • C. 

      Egypt

    • D. 

      Spain

  • 2. 
    The Greeks are credited with starting theatre to honor the god:
    • A. 

      Dionysis

    • B. 

      Osiris

    • C. 

      Zeus

    • D. 

      Thespis

  • 3. 
    The Greek chorus originally danced around an altar singing the "________" or tragos.
    • A. 

      Wolf Song

    • B. 

      Goat Song

    • C. 

      Whale Song

    • D. 

      God Song

  • 4. 
    The chorus member who stepped away from the chorus and engaged in dialog with them was _________, the first actor.
    • A. 

      Dionysis

    • B. 

      Osiris

    • C. 

      Zeus

    • D. 

      Thespis

  • 5. 
    All of the acting in Greek plays was done by:
    • A. 

      Men

    • B. 

      Women

    • C. 

      Animals

  • 6. 
    The writer of the Eumenides and the man who is called the "Father of Tragedy" is:
    • A. 

      Euripides

    • B. 

      Sophocles

    • C. 

      Aeschylus

    • D. 

      Aristophanes

  • 7. 
    _________________ wrote Oedipus the King and Antigone and is often compared to Shakespeare as the greatest playwright of all time.
    • A. 

      Euripides

    • B. 

      Sophocles

    • C. 

      Aeschylus

    • D. 

      Aristophanes

  • 8. 
    _____________wrote about women, such as Medea, and he originated the prologue to summarize the plot for the audience prior to the action of the play.
    • A. 

      Euripides

    • B. 

      Sophocles

    • C. 

      Aeschylus

    • D. 

      Aristophanes

  • 9. 
    The only writer of Greek comedy whose plays exist in whole today is ________________, who wrote Birds and Frogs.
    • A. 

      Euripides

    • B. 

      Sophocles

    • C. 

      Aeschylus

    • D. 

      Aristophanes

  • 10. 
    Roman plays, which are not considered in the same class with the Greek plays, consisted of:
    • A. 

      Dancing

    • B. 

      Horseplay

    • C. 

      Obscene mimes

    • D. 

      All are correct

  • 11. 
    Which of the following was not a Roman writer?
    • A. 

      Plautus

    • B. 

      Agamemnon

    • C. 

      Terence

    • D. 

      Seneca

  • 12. 
    In the Medieval period, ___________ plays were based on the lives of saints and stories from the Bible.
    • A. 

      Miracle

    • B. 

      Passion

    • C. 

      Morality

    • D. 

      Masque

  • 13. 
    A play based on Christ's final week is called a _______________ play.
    • A. 

      Miracle

    • B. 

      Passion

    • C. 

      Morality

    • D. 

      Masque

  • 14. 
    A spectacular play which used excess and extravagance to glorify the nobility was a:
    • A. 

      Miracle

    • B. 

      Passion

    • C. 

      Morality

    • D. 

      Masque

  • 15. 
    Plays that were written to teach basic principles (right versus wrong) are called _________ plays.
    • A. 

      Miracle

    • B. 

      Passion

    • C. 

      Morality

    • D. 

      Masque

  • 16. 
    Named after the queen who ruled for a great part of it, the _______________ or Renaissance period saw a rebirth of great comedy and drama.
    • A. 

      Elizabethan

    • B. 

      Victorian

    • C. 

      Georgian

    • D. 

      Italian

  • 17. 
    To finance their endeavors and to maintain their reputations, Renaissance actors sought the patronage of:
    • A. 

      Writers

    • B. 

      Guilds

    • C. 

      Gypsies

    • D. 

      Noblemen

  • 18. 
    During the Renaissance period, __________ were prevented from acting for fear that it would cause immorality.
    • A. 

      Women

    • B. 

      Criminals

    • C. 

      Servants

    • D. 

      Noblemen

  • 19. 
    The Elizabethan writer who is credited for introducing blank verse and who wrote The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is:
    • A. 

      Ben Jonson

    • B. 

      Christopher Marlowe

    • C. 

      William Shakespeare

  • 20. 
    The bitter Elizabethan writer who got into trouble for writing whatever he felt was:
    • A. 

      Ben Jonson

    • B. 

      Christopher Marlowe

    • C. 

      William Shakespeare

  • 21. 
    Which of these is NOT a Shakespearean play?
    • A. 

      Volpone

    • B. 

      Hamlet

    • C. 

      Macbeth

    • D. 

      Othello

  • 22. 
    A poor man who wanted to attend the play by Marlowe, Jonson, or Shakespeare could stand in the "pit,"  the area in front of the stage.  The people in this area were called:
    • A. 

      Penny Men

    • B. 

      Groundlings

    • C. 

      Standers

    • D. 

      Pitters

  • 23. 
    The Commedia dell'arte performance did not include which of the following:
    • A. 

      Scripts

    • B. 

      Plots

    • C. 

      Sub-Plots

    • D. 

      Stock Characters

  • 24. 
    The commedia dell'arte plays were performed by traveling
    • A. 

      Companies

    • B. 

      Lazzi

    • C. 

      Burle

    • D. 

      Zanni

  • 25. 
    In commedia dell'arte beautiful young lovers were called:
    • A. 

      Pantalone

    • B. 

      Il Capitano

    • C. 

      Innamorata

    • D. 

      Fontesca

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