12.

An approach to acting in which actors actually weep, suffer, or

struggle emotionally
13. This term refers to the question, "What would I do if the events in
this play were happening to me?"
14. A role played by an actor who resembles the character being
portrayed
15. Items placed onstage for use by the actors
16. Roles that are slightly less prominent than the leading roles but no
less important.
17. Repeatedly casting someone in the same type of role
18. The director who developed a theory of acting known as "The
Method"
19. An approach to acting that relies heavily on acting technique and
analysis of the play and characters' personalities
20. A plays main character
21. Items carried onstage by an actor

Drama Study Guide

Name:_____________________________________
Chapter 1: Place the correct word by each definition
1. The causes and reasons for a characters behavior; the driving
force behind improvisations.
2. In appropriately diverting attention from the main actors by calling
attention to yourself on stage.
3. The impression given by a performance that has spontaneity and
freshness
4. An impromptu portrayal of a character or scene
5. To be visible onstage without scene-stealing
Chapter 3: Define each word
1. The term for variety in pitch
2. The speed at which words are spoken
3. A flaw in speech; speaking without inflection
4. The relative strength, force, or intensity with which sound is made
5. The manner in which vowel and consonant sounds are produced
and accents are placed on syllables

Chapter 4: Place the correct word by each definition

1. A movement from one location onstage to any other, usually in a
gentle S-pattern
2. The stage technique in which an actor turns at the waist with his
or her face toward the audience
3. A sliding or slapping used in stage combat
4. The way in which an actor uses props onstage to project
character
5. The way in which an actor uses elements such as time , place,
and weather to meet his or her objectives
6. The part of the actors body that emphasizes the characters
major personality traits.
7. A movement in the opposite direction of across, used to preserve
balance on stage
8. A repeated action that is a clue to a character's personality
9. Another term for nonverbal communication
10. Reaching out with your character to all members of the audience
11. The ability to direct your thoughts, energies, and skills into what
you are doing at any given moment
12. The why of characterization, a character's inner force

Chapter 4: Place the correct word by each definition

1. The speed at which a play moves along
2. The front of the stage
3. Any improvised stage business or conversation
4. For example, picking up a book or opening a letter onstage
5. Words, actions, or technical effects that are signals to all onstage
that
6. Something is about to happen or be said
7. The back of the stage
8. To ad-lib when smoothing over a mistake or to obstruct the
audience's view
9. Diverting attention from the character that the audience should be
watching
10. Supplying lines or actions that can be used as fuel for laughs or to
make a point
11. The symbol that represents the center of the stage.
1

13. The stage technique in which an actor turns away from the
audience, diverting attention from himself or herself
14. A book or tape used to help an actor prepare for a role
15. The stage technique, in which an actor crosses downstage, then
turns partially upstage toward another actor.

6. Modified Authenticity
7. Costuming Parade
Time Period: Explain how to match the correct time period to the
correct century
8. 1776
9. 1991
10. 1980
11. 550
12. 1461

Chapter 4: Place the correct word by each definition

1. A role played by an actor who does not necessarily resemble the
character being portrayed
2. Using increased tempo, volume, and emphasis bring a scene to its
climax
3. A young male lead between the ages of 16 and 30.
4. A role used for comparison with another character
5. A young female lead between the ages of 16 and 30.
6. The stage technique in which tow actors sit or stand parallel to
one another.
7. A very small role with few lines
8. A person whom an actor observes firsthand to prepare for a role
9. The script-scoring symbol that indicates a slight pause
10. The process of creating and projecting the personality of a fully
developed character
11. A lull in the dialogue or action that helps sustain the scene 's
emotion
12. The ability to change character or style easily
13. A brief biography an actor may write of his or her character
14. The script-scoring symbol that indicates a rising inflection
15. Marking things such as pauses, pitch levels, and speed of delivery
on a script

The History of Theater (Keep for your notes. The info will be on
the final)
1. The earliest form of theater can be found in ________________.
2. Western drama developed in ______________ in _______ century
B.C. as part of the worship of the mystical Greek God
____________.
3. _____________ invented a new way of performing by allowing a
solo actor interprets the characters of the songs.
a. The term_____________ is derived from Thespis. Actors
today are called _____________.
4. From the word _________ the word ___________ is derived.
5. __________often forming a ___________. A trilogy is 3 plays that
are related by_________, _________, & __________.
6. The 3 famous The Famous Greek Playwrights were
__________,____________, and _____________.
7. _________________ was the father of tragedy.
a. Reduced the__________ size
b. Introduced the__________actor
c. Wrote ____ plays only ____ survived.
8. Sophocles raised the number of actors to _________.
a. He is the most skillful of the 3 playwrights.

Chapter 8. Producing the Play

1. Director
2. Producer
3. Properties Chief
Chapter 12: Costuming
4. Pulling
5. Building
2

major living language and are performed more often than those of
any other playwright.
22. Name 5 Shakespeare works:

b. Is best known for the plays ___________

&_____________.
c. __________________ Is the story of a man who, through a
combination of father and his own character unwittingly
kills his own father & marries his mother. When he realizes
the truth, he gouges his eyes out.
9. Who was Aristotle?

23. Shakespeare introduced his characters by using __________. It is a

speech delivered by an actor alone on the stage that reveals the
character inner thoughts.
24. ___________________to slant or set at an angle; a rakes stage
inclines from the area closest (downstage) to the audience upward
to the back or the rear of the stage (upstage).

10. Aristotle described ____________ as the idea tragedy.

11. ___________ plays were more realistic and human.
12. He emphasized human relationships & became the master of
_________. _________ is the element of drama that arouses
feeling of pity & compassion on the audience.
13. Euripides wrote ________. A tragedy of a woman who seeks
revenge on her husband by killing her own sons to make him
grieve.
14. Greek Comedy Dramatist ________________wrote 40 comedic
plays. He considered nothing sacred and was a skilled_________
and a keen observer of humanity.
15. ____________a style of comedy that presents humorous attacks on
accepted conventions of society, holding up human vices & follies
to ridicule.
16. ______________________ large circular arenas that were
surrounded by tiers of seats.
17. ______________dramas that are meant to be read rather than
performed.
18. ______________________ are based on legends of Christian
Saints.
19. ______________________ are based on biblical history.
20. ______________________ address the last week of Christs life, is
well known drama performed on Easter.
21. ________________________is considered the greatest dramatist
of all time. His surviving works, including some collaborations,
consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems,
and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every

25.Fill out the chart: Use the boxes to describe the 3 Famous Greek
Playwrights

Aeschylus

Sophocles

Euripides