STUDY GUIDE

SPRING 2003 - EXAM III
HONORS FINE ARTS THEATER

PLEASE BRING A # 2 PENCIL TO THE EXAM.

The Playwright
    Independent artist - why

Are we playwrights? - why

How playwrights get produced?

Organizations that produce new playwrights

Play as "blueprint"

Play is Action - core of theatre

Tools of Playwright:
    dialogue
    physical action

Qualities of a fine play:
    Credibility and Intrigue
    Speakability, stageability and flow
    Richness
    Gravity and Pertinence
    Compression, Economy and Intensity
    Celebration

The Playwright's process:
    dialogue
    conflict
    structure

 The Playwright's greatest reward

The Director:

Art of directing is exercise in three elements, Leadership, Control and Imagination

2 levels of skill?

Historical Perspective

Duke Saxe-Meiningen

Phases:
    Prep Phase -4 stages
    Implement Phase - 5 stages

Training

Theater Today:

Modern and Postmodern

Three Movements in current theatre

Revival, Postmodern exp., and Open theatre

Shakespeare Festivals

Open Theatre: Woman, African Amer., Hispanic, East-West, Gay/Lesbian, Differently Abled,

Where is theater today:

Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway

Regional Theatre

Non Professional: Community, summer stock and academic

Non-Profit status but professional

People and Plays discussed in class

True West:
   Author
   Characters
   Themes