Drama - CLEP Humanities
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Who was the playwright that wrote the plays Mourning Becomes Electra, Long Day's Journey Into Night,and The Iceman Cometh?
Who was the playwright that wrote the plays Mourning Becomes Electra, Long Day's Journey Into Night,and The Iceman Cometh?
Eugene O'Neill was a landmark figure in American theater, as he introduced the realism of European writers like Strindberg, Ibsen, and Chekhov to America. His plays Mourning Becomes Electra, Long Day's Journey Into Night,and The Iceman Cometh all have become standard parts of repertoire for many American theater companies. O'Neill won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936.
Eugene O'Neill was a landmark figure in American theater, as he introduced the realism of European writers like Strindberg, Ibsen, and Chekhov to America. His plays Mourning Becomes Electra, Long Day's Journey Into Night,and The Iceman Cometh all have become standard parts of repertoire for many American theater companies. O'Neill won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936.
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The playwright who wrote Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, and Speed-the-Plow was .
The playwright who wrote Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, and Speed-the-Plow was .
David Mamet came out of the Chicago theater scene in the late 1970s with a distinctive, fully-formed style with short, snappy dialogue referred to as "Mamet-speak," demonstrated in early work like 1976's American Buffalo. He was immediately considered one of the leading playwrights in America, with his Glengarry Glen Ross winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1984, and Speed-the-Plow winning the same award in 1988.
David Mamet came out of the Chicago theater scene in the late 1970s with a distinctive, fully-formed style with short, snappy dialogue referred to as "Mamet-speak," demonstrated in early work like 1976's American Buffalo. He was immediately considered one of the leading playwrights in America, with his Glengarry Glen Ross winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1984, and Speed-the-Plow winning the same award in 1988.
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The playwright who authored The Children's Hour, A Watch on the Rhine, and The Little Foxes is .
The playwright who authored The Children's Hour, A Watch on the Rhine, and The Little Foxes is .
Lillian Hellman had an instant Broadway success in 1934 with her first play, The Children's Hour, which also caused controversy over its themes of lesbianism, false accusations, and suicide. The pattern would continue throughout her career, as 1939's The Little Foxes and 1941's Watch on the Rhine both dealt with anti-semitism in America. Both plays were so successful that they were turned into movies with Hellman screenplays.
Lillian Hellman had an instant Broadway success in 1934 with her first play, The Children's Hour, which also caused controversy over its themes of lesbianism, false accusations, and suicide. The pattern would continue throughout her career, as 1939's The Little Foxes and 1941's Watch on the Rhine both dealt with anti-semitism in America. Both plays were so successful that they were turned into movies with Hellman screenplays.
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Who was the Irish playwright who detailed his time in the Irish Republican Army in his plays?
Who was the Irish playwright who detailed his time in the Irish Republican Army in his plays?
Brendan Behan joined the IRA as a teenager in the 1940s, and because of crimes he committed against the British government, was imprisoned while still young. Upon being pardoned in 1947, Behan left the IRA behind and began a full-time literary career. An icon of Irish literature, Behan's first two plays, 1954's The Quare Fellow and 1958's An Giall (The Hostage), both depicted life in an Irish prison like the ones in which Behan was held.
Brendan Behan joined the IRA as a teenager in the 1940s, and because of crimes he committed against the British government, was imprisoned while still young. Upon being pardoned in 1947, Behan left the IRA behind and began a full-time literary career. An icon of Irish literature, Behan's first two plays, 1954's The Quare Fellow and 1958's An Giall (The Hostage), both depicted life in an Irish prison like the ones in which Behan was held.
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Which of the following is the title of Lorraine Hansberry’s play about a lower-class African-American family in Chicago?
Which of the following is the title of Lorraine Hansberry’s play about a lower-class African-American family in Chicago?
A Raisin in the Sun was considered a risky proposition when it was first produced on Broadway in 1959, dealing as it did with the story of an African-American family. The play proved to be a success anyway, helping launch not only Hansberry's career, but also that of actor Sydney Poitier. The play was the first on Broadway with a cast that had an African-American majority.
A Raisin in the Sun was considered a risky proposition when it was first produced on Broadway in 1959, dealing as it did with the story of an African-American family. The play proved to be a success anyway, helping launch not only Hansberry's career, but also that of actor Sydney Poitier. The play was the first on Broadway with a cast that had an African-American majority.
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Who is the American playwright who wrote the “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays chronicling the African-American experience in the twentieth century?
Who is the American playwright who wrote the “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays chronicling the African-American experience in the twentieth century?
Beginning with his play 1982 play Jitney, August Wilson undertook a project to write one play representing each decade of the twentieth century that took on the African-American experience. All but one, 1984's Ma Rainey Black Bottom took place in Pittsburgh, often featuring members of the same family. Two of the plays won Wilson the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 1987's Fences and 1990's The Piano Lesson.
Beginning with his play 1982 play Jitney, August Wilson undertook a project to write one play representing each decade of the twentieth century that took on the African-American experience. All but one, 1984's Ma Rainey Black Bottom took place in Pittsburgh, often featuring members of the same family. Two of the plays won Wilson the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 1987's Fences and 1990's The Piano Lesson.
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Who was the playwright who wrote the works Blood Wedding, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Yerma?
Who was the playwright who wrote the works Blood Wedding, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Yerma?
Many critics and scholars group Blood Wedding, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Yerma as a trilogy, as they all deal with rural Spain and were composed from 1932 to 1936. Their author, Federico Garcia Lorca, had actually intended to write a third play to make a trilogy, and did not himself see The House of Bernarda Alba in the trilogy. Lorca was killed by Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War in 1936, for his activity on behalf of the Republican forces, which often was apparent in his writings.
Many critics and scholars group Blood Wedding, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Yerma as a trilogy, as they all deal with rural Spain and were composed from 1932 to 1936. Their author, Federico Garcia Lorca, had actually intended to write a third play to make a trilogy, and did not himself see The House of Bernarda Alba in the trilogy. Lorca was killed by Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War in 1936, for his activity on behalf of the Republican forces, which often was apparent in his writings.
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Who is the playwright who wrote The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation?
Who is the playwright who wrote The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation?
John Guare emerged in the 1960s with a wave of other playwrights, but distinguished himself through wry humor and interesting narrative form, both of which he applied to conventionally dramatic stories. The House of Blue Leaves (1966) is a black comedy about nuns, the Vietnam War, and mental institutions that features many characters coming and going. Six Degrees of Separation (1990) tells the story of a con man's deception of socialites from the socialites' perspective at a dinner party.
John Guare emerged in the 1960s with a wave of other playwrights, but distinguished himself through wry humor and interesting narrative form, both of which he applied to conventionally dramatic stories. The House of Blue Leaves (1966) is a black comedy about nuns, the Vietnam War, and mental institutions that features many characters coming and going. Six Degrees of Separation (1990) tells the story of a con man's deception of socialites from the socialites' perspective at a dinner party.
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Which of the following playwrights wrote the twentieth-century play A Streetcar Named Desire?
Which of the following playwrights wrote the twentieth-century play A Streetcar Named Desire?
A Streetcar Named Desire won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for its playwright, Tennessee Williams. Largely considered one of the premier dramas of the twentieth century, the play's depiction of mental health problems, sexual desire, and violence was considered groundbreaking in its own time. The play would be made into an award-winning movie in 1951 and firmly established Tennessee Williams as one of the largest figures of the theater world.
Arthur Miller won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1949, David Mamet won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1984, Eugene O'Neil won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1922, 1928, and 1957, and Sarah Ruhl won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2010.
A Streetcar Named Desire won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for its playwright, Tennessee Williams. Largely considered one of the premier dramas of the twentieth century, the play's depiction of mental health problems, sexual desire, and violence was considered groundbreaking in its own time. The play would be made into an award-winning movie in 1951 and firmly established Tennessee Williams as one of the largest figures of the theater world.
Arthur Miller won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1949, David Mamet won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1984, Eugene O'Neil won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1922, 1928, and 1957, and Sarah Ruhl won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2010.
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The phrase "Chekhov's Gun" refers to the dramatic storytelling proposition that .
The phrase "Chekhov's Gun" refers to the dramatic storytelling proposition that .
"Chekhov's Gun" is named after the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, who once commented, "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there." The term is now used to describe any small element that is introduced into the story to be used later in the plotline.
"Chekhov's Gun" is named after the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, who once commented, "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there." The term is now used to describe any small element that is introduced into the story to be used later in the plotline.
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Willy Loman is the main character of the play .
Willy Loman is the main character of the play .
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1949. Its protagonist, Willy Loman, became a classic character of the American theater, thanks to Miller's story about the aged salesman and his fraught relationships with his family. Loman's struggles with work and disappointment in his sons provide the emotional depth for the character.
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1949. Its protagonist, Willy Loman, became a classic character of the American theater, thanks to Miller's story about the aged salesman and his fraught relationships with his family. Loman's struggles with work and disappointment in his sons provide the emotional depth for the character.
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Which play allegorizes the "Red Scare" of the 1950s by telling the story of the Salem witch trials of the 1690s?
Which play allegorizes the "Red Scare" of the 1950s by telling the story of the Salem witch trials of the 1690s?
Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953, at the height of the second "Red Scare," when figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy were investigating Communism in America and targeting artists. Miller chose the Salem witch trials as a similar moment in American history when wild accusations generated by fear were prevalent. Miller himself was cited for "contempt of Congress" for refusing to name people he had seen at meetings of the Communist Party.
Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953, at the height of the second "Red Scare," when figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy were investigating Communism in America and targeting artists. Miller chose the Salem witch trials as a similar moment in American history when wild accusations generated by fear were prevalent. Miller himself was cited for "contempt of Congress" for refusing to name people he had seen at meetings of the Communist Party.
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What is the common English title of the French play about three people stuck in a room from which they cannot escape?
What is the common English title of the French play about three people stuck in a room from which they cannot escape?
Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit takes place entirely in one room, featuring three people who cannot leave. Reflecting some of Sartre's philosophy, the characters slowly realize that they are dead and in hell. The play closes with the famous final line "Hell is other people."
Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit takes place entirely in one room, featuring three people who cannot leave. Reflecting some of Sartre's philosophy, the characters slowly realize that they are dead and in hell. The play closes with the famous final line "Hell is other people."
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Thornton Wilder's play Our Town is notable for featuring .
Thornton Wilder's play Our Town is notable for featuring .
Thornton Wilder won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1938 for Our Town, and the play featured many peculiar staging and narrative features. The three acts of the play take place in 1901, 1904, and 1913. The narrator of the play is the "Stage Manager," who often inserts himself into the story as various characters. No scenery or props are used. Most strikingly, the final act takes place in the town's cemetery, with actors portraying the dead by sitting in chairs.
Thornton Wilder won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1938 for Our Town, and the play featured many peculiar staging and narrative features. The three acts of the play take place in 1901, 1904, and 1913. The narrator of the play is the "Stage Manager," who often inserts himself into the story as various characters. No scenery or props are used. Most strikingly, the final act takes place in the town's cemetery, with actors portraying the dead by sitting in chairs.
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What is the title of the play that features the characters learning the plot from the Director as the play unfolds?
What is the title of the play that features the characters learning the plot from the Director as the play unfolds?
Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, which first premiered in 1922, was one of the first works in the genre known as "The Theater of the Absurd." Pirandello's metatheatrical work featured all of the characters in the play openly asking the director how the plot would unfold. Such groundbreaking work would prove influential to the next generation of playwrights, including Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, and Eugene Ionesco.
Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, which first premiered in 1922, was one of the first works in the genre known as "The Theater of the Absurd." Pirandello's metatheatrical work featured all of the characters in the play openly asking the director how the plot would unfold. Such groundbreaking work would prove influential to the next generation of playwrights, including Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, and Eugene Ionesco.
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What play features a former high school football star struggling with injuries, alcoholism, and his dysfunctional family?
What play features a former high school football star struggling with injuries, alcoholism, and his dysfunctional family?
Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof all takes place in one bedroom on an old plantation, the former childhood bedroom of the main character Brick. Brick is dealing with an unhappy marriage to his wife Maggie, his overbearing parents, and a debilitating injury through alcohol abuse. Williams won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play in 1955.
Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof all takes place in one bedroom on an old plantation, the former childhood bedroom of the main character Brick. Brick is dealing with an unhappy marriage to his wife Maggie, his overbearing parents, and a debilitating injury through alcohol abuse. Williams won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play in 1955.
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All of the following writers were from the Elizabethan Era in England except .
All of the following writers were from the Elizabethan Era in England except .
The "Elizabethan Era" refers to England under the reign of Elizabeth I, who ruled from 1558 to 1603. Literature first flowered in England under Elizabeth, and saw the rise of playwrights like Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson, poets like Edmund Spenser, and William Shakespeare, who wrote both plays and poems. John Milton, author of Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, wrote during the period of the English Civil War and the Commonwealth, nearly a half decade after Elizabeth's death.
The "Elizabethan Era" refers to England under the reign of Elizabeth I, who ruled from 1558 to 1603. Literature first flowered in England under Elizabeth, and saw the rise of playwrights like Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson, poets like Edmund Spenser, and William Shakespeare, who wrote both plays and poems. John Milton, author of Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, wrote during the period of the English Civil War and the Commonwealth, nearly a half decade after Elizabeth's death.
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Which Greek playwright wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex?
Which Greek playwright wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex?
Among the ancient Greek tragedians, the work of Sophocles has been held in high esteem since he worked in the fifth century BCE. His most notable work is Oedipus Rex, which tells the story of the titular ancient king of Thebes who, unbeknownst to him, marries his mother and kills his father. The play, like most Greek drama, hinges on dramatic irony, with the audience knowing Oedipus' secrets throughout.
Among the ancient Greek tragedians, the work of Sophocles has been held in high esteem since he worked in the fifth century BCE. His most notable work is Oedipus Rex, which tells the story of the titular ancient king of Thebes who, unbeknownst to him, marries his mother and kills his father. The play, like most Greek drama, hinges on dramatic irony, with the audience knowing Oedipus' secrets throughout.
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Oedipus Rex was written by .
Oedipus Rex was written by .
Sophocles was a playwright from Greece. He wrote three plays about Oedipus. Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, was the most famous of those plays. Oedipus Rex is probably the most famous Greek tragedies ever written, especially since Sigmund Freud used it as the basis for some of his seminal works of psychology.
Sophocles was a playwright from Greece. He wrote three plays about Oedipus. Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, was the most famous of those plays. Oedipus Rex is probably the most famous Greek tragedies ever written, especially since Sigmund Freud used it as the basis for some of his seminal works of psychology.
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Gilbert and Sullivan were known for writing what kind of works?
Gilbert and Sullivan were known for writing what kind of works?
W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan were a librettist and composer, respectively, who began teaming up in the 1870s to write comic operas. Throughout the next few decades, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote some of the most well known works of theater, including The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Mikado. Gilbert and Sullivan's work highly influenced the development of musical theater in the twentieth century.
W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan were a librettist and composer, respectively, who began teaming up in the 1870s to write comic operas. Throughout the next few decades, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote some of the most well known works of theater, including The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Mikado. Gilbert and Sullivan's work highly influenced the development of musical theater in the twentieth century.
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