Sample Questions for the Third Quiz
-- InterNet Section --

  1. During which period were theatrical performances banned and English playhouses burned to the ground? ___ (A. The American Revolution B. The reign of Elizabeth I C. The English Civil war - 1642 to 1660).
  2. The great masterpiece of Restoration comedy is ___ (A. William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew B. William Congreve's The Way of the World. C. John Gay's The Beggar's Opera.)
  3. School for Scandal, by ___, (A. Neil Simon B. Oliver Goldsmith C. Richard Sheridan) is the story of Lady Teazle's seduction by Sir Joseph Surface.
  4. Between 1660 and 1843, there were only ___ (A. 2 B. 5 C. 7) legitimate theatres in London.
  5. True or False? ___. London's legitimate theatres were also known as Patent theatres or Royal theatres.
  6. John Dryden's climactic tragedy All for Love or, "A World Well Lost", is based on William Shakespeare's episodic tragedy: ___ (A. Hamlet B. Romeo and Juliet C. Anthony and Cleopatra)
  7. True or False? ___. Women first appeared on the English stage during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
  8. Nell Gwynn, one of the most popular comic actress of the restoration was retired from the stage by her lover, ___ (A. Richard Sheridan B. King Charles II C. David Garrick).
  9. Of the many 19th century plays which were adapted into operas, which dramatic form, the (A) drama or the (B) opera is still regularly performed today? ___.
  10. During the 19th century, England produced no major Romantic playwrights, instead the company managers presented the 17th century dramas of ___ (A. Richard Sheridan B. William Shakespeare C. John Gay).
  11. Victor Hugo's most famous work,___ (A. Phantom of the Opera B. Les Miserable C. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), a novel, has been adapted into a long running Broadway musical.
  12. James O'Neill, the actor father of American playwright Eugene O'Neill, performed the role of ___ (A. Cyrano De Bergerac B. Count of Monte Cristo C. William Tell) for over thirty years.
  13. The La Dame aux Camélias (also known as Camille) by ___(A. Victor Hugo B. Edmond Rostand C. Alexandre Dumas, fils) was adapted by Puccini into an opera.
  14. Many theatre people believe ___ (A. Faust B. Camille C. Cyrano de Bergerac) by Edmond Rostand is the best example of 19th century Romantic Drama.
  15. The chase scene was usually the high point or climax of a 19th century ___(A. Comedy B. Melodrama C. Tragedy).
  16. ___ (A. Sarah Bernhardt B. Henry Irving C. Andre Antoine) was not a theatrical star during the 19th century.
  17. True or False? ___. During the early part of the l9th century, the traveling star would not rehearse with the local acting company for more than an hour or two before the show was presented before an audience.
  18. In an ensemble production, there are no ___ (A. Actors B. Major roles C. Stars).
  19. One of the convention of the realistic theatre was that dialogue ___ (A. Was conversation B. Revealed philosophical truths C. Symbolized abstract ideals).
  20. The problem in a realistic "problem" play refers to ___ (A. An aesthetic problem B. A social problem C. A theatrical problem).
  21. True or False?_____. Realistic playwright's like Henrik Ibsen believed that the stage should be a laboratory where life could be examined.
  22. Many believe that the concept of the all powerful, omnipotent director began with ___ (A. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe B. George Frederick Handel C. Richard Wagner), the 19th century German opera composer.
  23. During most of the 19th century, the actor on stage was lit with ___ (A. Candle light B. Gas light C. Electric light)
  24. Most modern critics agree that ___ (A. Eugene O'Neill B. Henrik Ibsen C. Arthur Miller) is the "father" of realistic drama.
  25. ___ (A. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe B. Georg, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen C. Richard Wagner) was the German director who toured Europe with realistic productions of Julius Caesar and William Tell.
  26. Andre Antoine's Theatre Libre was Europe's first ___ (A. Community theatre B. National theatre C. Arena theatre).
  27. True or False? ___ One of the major criticism of Eugene O'Neill's writing is that his plays are too long.
  28. True or False? ___. The symbolists major impact on western theatre was felt not by the playwright, but by the designer.
  29. ___ (A. Adolph Appia B. Edward Gordon Craig C. Robert Edmond Jones) was the symbolist designer who developed the theory of modern lighting design.
  30. True or False? ___. Expressionism is much easier to achieve in films or television, than it is on the live stage.
  31. In ___ (A. The Merchant of Yonkers B. Our Town C. The Skin of Our Teeth) by Thornton Wilder, the production stage manager, working on a bare stage, introduces the audience to the folks of Grover's Corner's, New Hampshire.
  32. Tennessee Williams received a/n ___ (A. Oscar B. Pulitzer Prize C. Tony) for Streetcar Named Desire.
  33. ___ (A. All My Sons B. My Three Sons C. All My Children) the story of a man who knowingly sold defective engine parts to the US Army Air Corps during World War II was Arthur Miller's first major success.
  34. Neil Simon began his writing career in ___ (A. Hollywood B. Television C. Advertising).
  35. Known as a Chicago playwright by birthplace, home, and the setting of many of his plays, ___ (A. Lanford Wilson B. Terence McNally C. David Mamet) received the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Glengarry Glen Ross.
  36. ___ (A. Eugene O'Neill B. Edward Albee C. Arthur Miller), the author of two short plays: "The Sand Box" and "The American Dream" was America's leading absurdist playwright in the late 50's and early 60's.
  37. The two leading European absurdist playwrights, Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco, lived in the "artist's quarter" of ___ (A. London B. Berlin C. Paris) in the late 50s.

    Match the following playwrights with their autobiographical plays: A. Eugene O'Neill B. Tennessee Williams C. Neil Simon D. Arthur Miller

  38. The Glass Menagerie
  39. Brighten Beach Memoirs
  40. Long Day's Journey into Night
  41. After The Fall

  42. ___ (A. Stephen Sondheim B. Peter Brook C. Peter Shaffer) made his first mark on the American musical with his lyrics for Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story.
  43. The running time of a "traditional" musical, such as Oklahoma! is usually ___ (A. Less than 2 hours B. Between 2 and 3 hours C. Over 3 hours.)
  44. True or False? ___. Only a few musicals are truly original, most draw their plots and characters from other sources.
  45. True or False? ___. The composer of a Broadway show, when writing the music, shapes the melodies to the vocal abilities of the original Broadway cast.
  46. American operettas are primarily remembered today for their ___ (A. Well developed plots B. Interesting characters C. Lush melodies).
  47. The first American musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama was George and Ira Gershwin's ___ (A. Show Boat B. Of Thee I Sing C. Love is Sweeping the Country).
  48. Oklahoma!, which opened in New York in 1943, was ___ (A. Lerner and Lowe's B. Rodgers and Hammerstein's C. Gilbert and Sullivan's) first musical.

    Identify the following works by genre (type). A: Tragedy B: Comedy C: Serious Drama D: Opera E: Musical (comedy).

  49. Oklahoma!
  50. Oedipus Rex
  51. Aida
  52. A Doll's House
  53. A Comedy of Errors
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E-mail questions and comments to Larry Wild at wildl@northern.edu.
Posted: May 21, 2004
© 1998-2004 by Larry Wild, Northern State University