OAE Theater (048) cheat sheet

Konstantin Stanislavski's system centers on given circumstances, objectives, and the through-line of action; the Magic If asks the actor to answer what they would do in the character's situation.

Bertolt Brecht's epic theater uses the Verfremdungseffekt (alienation effect) to prevent cathartic identification and provoke critical social analysis; gestus is the socially coded physical action.

Antonin Artaud's Theater of Cruelty seeks to assault the senses through spectacle, sound, and gesture rather than dialogue, aiming to release subconscious impulses.

Aristotle's Poetics ranks plot (mythos) as the primary element of tragedy, followed by character, thought, diction, song, and spectacle; catharsis is the purgation or clarification of pity and fear.

The Greek amphitheater combined orchestra (dancing circle), skene (scene building), and theatron (seeing place); the deus ex machina crane resolved plots mechanically.

Commedia dell'arte relies on stock masks (Arlecchino, Pantalone, Dottore, Columbina) and lazzi, improvised comic routines performed around a scenario rather than a full script.

The proscenium arch frames a picture-stage and hides machinery; thrust and arena stages increase actor-audience intimacy and change blocking so sightlines become a primary constraint.

Musical theater song types include the I Want song, the eleven o'clock number, and the charm song; integration means the song advances character or plot rather than stopping the action.

A cue is the signal for a technical or acting action; calling cues belongs to the stage manager, who maintains the prompt book and runs the show after opening.

The lighting designer controls intensity, color, angle, and focus; a gel filters color, a gobo projects a pattern, and a Fresnel or ellipsoidal spotlight shapes the beam.

Fly systems use counterweights and battens; a counterweight set must be loaded to match the batten load, and arbor loading is a locked-out, high-hazard operation.

Costume design serves period, character, and practical movement needs; quick-change engineering and wardrobe maintenance are part of the design's run, not just its opening.

A ground plan shows the set from above with scale, sightlines, and entrances; an elevation shows vertical dimensions; a rendering is a visual concept, not a buildable drawing.

Sound design covers reinforcement, playback, and effects; feedback loops depend on microphone and speaker placement, gain before feedback, and room acoustics.

Blocking notation uses stage directions from the actor's perspective facing the audience: downstage is toward the audience, stage right is the actor's right.

Safety rules: treat all battens as live loads, keep fire-rated drapery certified, avoid open flames without permit, and never stand under a moving batten.

The director's script analysis identifies spine, given circumstances, beats, and unit objectives; beats are marked where the action or tactic changes.

Casting decisions weigh type, range, chemistry, and availability; callbacks test adjustment to direction, not just cold reading ability.

A rehearsal schedule typically moves from table work and read-throughs to blocking, then scene work, then technical and dress rehearsals before previews.

The production meeting sequence coordinates scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, props, and stage management; the technical rehearsal integrates cues under performance conditions.

Dramaturgy researches text, context, and production history; a dramaturg supplies program notes, translation choices, and script cuts with the director.

The prompt book contains blocking, cue sheets, contact lists, and running order; it is the authoritative record allowing a show to be reproduced.

Critique vocabulary separates observation from judgment; a useful response identifies what happened, the effect, and a specific alternative to try.

Theater education standards emphasize creating, performing, responding, and connecting; assessment often uses performance rubrics plus written reflection.

William Shakespeare wrote in early modern English; the First Folio (1623) divided plays into comedies, histories, and tragedies, and the Globe was an open-air thrust playhouse.

Realism in the late 19th century, associated with Henrik Ibsen and the independent theater movement, used plausible settings and psychological motivation; naturalism pushed environmental determinism further.

August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle consists of ten plays, one per decade of the 20th century, including Fences and The Piano Lesson.

The Federal Theatre Project (1935-1939) was a WPA program employing thousands and producing the Living Newspaper form before congressional defunding.

Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway are defined by seating capacity tiers and union contracts, not by artistic style; Broadway houses are the largest commercial tier.

The Tony Awards recognize Broadway productions; the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Obie Awards recognize a broader range of new work.

A musical's book is the spoken dialogue and structure, while the score comprises music and lyrics; a jukebox musical builds its book around existing songs.

Dramatic structure commonly follows Freytag's pyramid: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement.

Vocal production for the stage relies on diaphragmatic support, open resonance, and articulate consonants; projection is breath energy aimed at the back row, not shouting.

The International Phonetic Alphabet allows consistent dialect and accent coaching; vowel changes carry most accent identity, with prosody and rhythm close behind.

Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais address habitual tension and alignment; neutral mask and Viewpoints train presence, spatial awareness, and impulse response.

Improvisation rules include accepting offers (yes, and), establishing the who/what/where, and making your partner look good rather than chasing jokes.

Stage combat must be choreographed and rehearsed with a fight director; the illusion depends on distance, angle, and the victim's reaction, never actual contact.

Musical theater technique requires belt, mix, and legit placement; belt is a high-larynx, speech-like sound and should not be taught as shouting.

Cold reading strategy scans for punctuation, operative words, and the character's objective before the first line; the reader should not memorize in the room.

Audition protocol: prepare a short contrasting package, slate clearly, take adjustment, and keep the material within the requested time limit.

A flat is a framed scenic unit covered with muslin or lauan; a platform is a raised acting surface; a wagon is a wheeled unit, and a turntable rotates scenery.

Soft goods include legs, borders, and cyc; legs mask wings, borders mask overhead, and a cyclorama receives sky and color washes.

Rigging hardware names: batten (pipe), arbor (counterweight carriage), purchase line (operating rope), and lock rail; the grid supports the loft above the stage.

Lighting fixtures: ellipsoidal reflector spotlight for sharp gobo patterns, Fresnel for soft-edged washes, PAR for punch, and LED wash for color mixing.

The lighting console records cues with fade times; a blackout is cue to zero, and a crossfade moves from one look to another over a set duration.

Sound reinforcement vocabulary includes FOH (front of house), monitor/mix, DI box, XLR cable, and phantom power for condenser microphones.

Prop categories are set props (dressing), hand props (carried), and consumables; a prop table with sign-out sheets prevents loss during the run.

Makeup for the stage exaggerates features for visibility under stage light; aging, character, and fantasy makeup use highlight and shadow to reshape the face.

Playwriting craft distinguishes wants from needs: the want is the stated goal, the need is the underlying change the character must achieve.

Dialogue works through subtext, where the spoken line conceals the actual tactic; exposition is best delivered under pressure, not in direct summary.

A ten-minute play typically runs about ten pages and turns on a single reversal; full-length plays range roughly 90 to 150 pages depending on format.

Copyright: a script enters the public domain in the US 95 years after publication for pre-1978 works; performance rights must be licensed for protected plays.

Royalties and licensing flow through the playwright or publisher; amateur and professional rights are priced separately, and cuts require permission.

A dramaturgical table read tests clarity and rhythm; hearing the script aloud reveals overwritten exposition and unclear pronoun referents.

The protagonist drives the action; the antagonist opposes it, and need not be a villain; the foil contrasts the protagonist's traits.

The inciting incident disrupts the status quo; the midpoint reverses the protagonist's fortune, and the climax forces an irreversible choice.

Theater management functions include artistic, production, marketing, development, and front-of-house operations; the producer secures financing and holds ultimate authority.

A production budget separates above-the-line (rights, director, design) from below-the-line (build, run crew, marketing) costs; contingency is a standard line item.

Box office metrics include capacity, gross potential, and yield; a sold-out house is not automatically profitable once running costs are counted.

Marketing channels for theater include subscription packages, single-ticket sales, group sales, press, and social media; subscriber bases stabilize cash flow.

Union contexts: Actors' Equity, IATSE, USA, and SDC set minimums; a non-union production must still follow wage, safety, and child-labor law.

Accessibility includes ASL-interpreted performances, audio description, open captioning, and sensory-friendly stagings with reduced intensity and escape spaces.

Front-of-house procedure covers house opening, late seating policy, emergency evacuation, and incident reporting; ushers are trained in evacuation routes.

Grant writing for theater requires a clear project narrative, budget, audience plan, and evaluation method; funders distinguish operating from project support.

A rubric for acting assessment might weight objective clarity, listening and reaction, vocal and physical technique, and ensemble contribution.

Formative assessment during rehearsal uses side coaching and specific notes; summative assessment uses performance plus written reflection or portfolio.

The National Core Arts Standards for theater organize around creating, performing, responding, and connecting, with anchor standards at each grade band.

A director's note to actors should be playable: name the action, not the feeling, and tie it to an objective the actor can pursue on stage.

Devised theater builds a script from ensemble research, improvisation, and physical exploration; documentation preserves what is otherwise unrepeatable.

Theater for young audiences requires age-appropriate content, shorter running times, and talkbacks; participation structures differ by developmental stage.

Reflective practice uses journals, video review, and peer feedback; video review is most useful when paired with a specific observation prompt.

A production calendar works backward from opening night, leaving buffer before technical rehearsals and accounting for holidays and facility conflicts.