Theatre study guide.docx

Basic configuration of Greek Theatre (Elizabethan outdoor theatre such as the Glove versus a modern stage such as the Mitchell Theatre) Globe: standing room for 1000 groundlings, tiered seating (expensive, could see machine room), audience up close Technical Capabilities of each theatre Elizabethan/ Globe: simple/limited scenery, fast transition, constant movement, trap doors, balcony, crane, fireworks Conventions of performance for the Greeks vs. Elizabethans vs. Modern American Theatres Important Characters Fires in the Mirror: Anonymous Labavitcher Woman: ?Static? preschool teacher, cant turn off stereo because of religion (jewish) Aaron M. Bernstein: ?Mirrors? physicist, distortion ? seeing inner versus outer personality Reverend Al Sharpton: ? Me and James?s thing? , 1 of 3 interviews that deals with hair as a marker of identitiy Letty Cottin Pogrebin: ?Near Enough to Reach? and ?Isaac? talks about racism with jews and blacks, gets into the holocost and is grouped with seven verses Minister Conrad Mohammad: ?Seven Verses? Slavery and Holocost Anonymous Young man #1: ?Wa Wa Wa? gives his personal account on the incident, character was very vocal against jews Angela Davis: ?Rope? talks about race in the African American community Norman Rosenbaum: ?My Brother?s Blood? and ?Sixteen Hours Difference? seeking justice and revenge Roslyn Malamud: ?The Coup? argues the side of an accident as opposed to the incident being a murder Carmel Cato: ?Lingering? last interview in the process, gives viewpoint of being father of the victim Death of a Salesman: Willy: salesman who is suffering as he attempts to achieve the American dream, lives through flashbacks, unstable mindset Linda: Wife of Willy, very optimistic- encourages willy throughout his troubles and turns a blind eye to his illness Biff: Oldest son, scarred by Willy?s past affair, didn?t graduate. Willy had high hopes for him but now is seen as a failure Happy: Younger of the two sons, always hoping to impress his father Bernard: Successful lawyer, son of Charley; Bernard?s success is hard for Willy to accept because his sons are not as well off Uncle Ben: Willy?s older brother, recently died and appears in day dreams; viewed as a symbol of success Charley: lends Willy money to pay his bills, father to Bernard, Willy?s only friend Medea: Chorus: voice of reason for medea, originally sympathize for her then try to talk her out of her plan Nurse: caretaker of the house, watches the children Medea: main character, husband leaves her and she is exiled. Create a plot to gain the ultimate revenge. Creon: King of Corinth, banishes Medea from the city ? medea threatens his family Aegeus: offers a place to stay after she is exiled Jason: Medea?s husband, leaves her marry the princess in hopes of giving his family a better future Othello: Othello: Army general who is tricked by Iago, becomes very jealous Desdemona: married to Othello and is accused of being unfaithful to him Iago: creates a plan to trick Othello into believing that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona Cassio: Othello?s lutenient, ashamed of drunken brawl, accused of having an affiar Brabantio: Desdemona?s father, feels betrayed when couple gets married behind his back Roderigo: suitor of Desdemona and jealous of Othello, Iago gets him to help kill Cassio because he is a supposed potential suitor Emilia: Iago?s wife, friend of Desdemona Bianca: prostitute, cassio is one of her best customers, he teases her with promises of marriage Play ? first time performed? Plot Structure Language Setting/ metaphoric meaning? Significant props and costumes Actions of the central character Major ideas of the play Fires in the Mirror By: Anna Deavere Smith Individual interviews, all relating to incident in Crown Heights Personal interviews Crown Heights August 19, 1991 See characters below Different view points, accident or murder? Death of a Salesman By: Arthur Miller (1949) Suffering salesman, looking to achieve American dream Flashbacks Monday night to Tuesday night (1940s) flashback into Willy?s past Stockings, costume changes (past v. present) Willy crashes car and dies, not in good mental state Present v. past Medea By: Euripides 431 BC? Medea must gain revenge after Jason leaves her. Kills kids & mistress Logically arranged incidents Verse? Corinth Chariot at the end, poison dress and crown Kills own kids and mistress in order to bring Jason misery Revenge, whose tragedy? Othello By: Shakespeare Iago tricks Othello into believing his wife is unfaithful Logically arranged events Late 16th Century handkerchief Othello kills himself Trust/ betrayl