Question 1

Black actor Paul Robeson had a record run of 296 performances in his 1943 production of Othello.

Accepted Answer

Paul Robeson's portrayal of Othello in the 1943 Broadway production was groundbreaking and achieved a record run of 296 performances, making it one of the longest-running Shakespearean plays on Broadway at the time.

Question 2

August Wilson's ten-play cycle of plays chronicles the Asian American experience in the U.S., beginning with the "gold rush"
of 1849.

Accepted Answer

August Wilson's ten-play cycle, known as The Pittsburgh Cycle, chronicles the African American experience in the 20th century, not the Asian American experience.

Question 3

El Teatro Campesino is one of the major theatres to arise in Native American theatre.

Accepted Answer

El Teatro Campesino is a Chicano theatre company founded by Luis Valdez in 1965, focusing on the experiences of Mexican-American farmworkers, not Native American theatre.

Question 4

One of the major playwrights to come out of the Cuban American theatre is Maria Irene Fornés.

Accepted Answer

Maria Irene Fornés was a significant figure in Cuban American theatre, known for her avant-garde plays and influence on American drama.

Question 5

A Trip to Coontown was the first black musical, conceived, written, produced, and directed by Bob Cole and William Johnson in 1898.

Accepted Answer

"A Trip to Coontown" is recognized as the first full-length musical comedy written, produced, and performed by African Americans, with Bob Cole and Billy Johnson being the key figures behind its creation in 1898.

Question 6

The Boys in the Band was the first play that brought gay life to the forefront of mainstream audiences.

Accepted Answer

"The Boys in the Band," written by Mart Crowley and premiered in 1968, is considered one of the first plays to openly depict gay life and relationships, bringing these themes to mainstream theater audiences.

Question 7

David Henry Hwang is the author of Angels in America.

Accepted Answer

Angels in America was written by Tony Kushner, not David Henry Hwang.

Question 8

The Federal Theatre Project of the late 1930s also gave rise to a significant number of Cuban American plays, performed predominantly in Florida.

Accepted Answer

The Federal Theatre Project of the late 1930s did give rise to a significant number of Cuban American plays, performed predominantly in Florida.

Question 9

Asian American theatre continues to thrive, as emerging playwrights Philip Kan Gotanda and Young Jean Lee are adding a more contemporary perspective to the already established works of David Henry Hwang and Tisa Chang.

Accepted Answer

Philip Kan Gotanda and Young Jean Lee are contemporary playwrights contributing to the Asian American theatre scene, building on the foundation laid by earlier figures like David Henry Hwang and Tisa Chang.

Question 10

The African Grove Theater was the first black theatre company in the United States to produce major musicals.

Accepted Answer

The African Grove Theater, founded in 1821, was the first black theater company in the United States, but it was known for producing plays and dramas, not major musicals.

Question 11

Native Voices at the Autry, founded by Randy Reinholz and his wife Jean Bruce Scott, is one of the most important and prolific producers of new Native American plays.

Accepted Answer

Native Voices at the Autry is recognized for its significant contributions to the development and production of new works by Native American playwrights, co-founded by Randy Reinholz and Jean Bruce Scott.

Question 12

Performance art began as a form that predominantly combined ballet with special sound effects and limited visual design elements.

Accepted Answer

Performance art is an avant-garde art form that emerged in the 20th century, characterized by live presentations that can include a variety of artistic disciplines, not specifically limited to ballet or special sound effects.

Question 13

Performance art has since undergone several shifts of emphasis as visual artists continue to explore the temporal nature of theatrical performance, and yet the vocal presentation of text continues to be dominated by the use of text as visual image.

Accepted Answer

Performance art has evolved with artists exploring various aspects, including the temporal nature of performance, but the vocal presentation often still emphasizes text as a visual element rather than purely auditory.

Question 14

Performance art has been at the center of a controversy over funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Accepted Answer

Performance art has historically been controversial, particularly in the late 20th century, due to its often provocative nature, leading to debates over public funding from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts.

Question 15

Postmodernism is an approach to drama that strives to achieve a correct interpretation of a play through extensive background research and intense bibliographic rigor.

Accepted Answer

Postmodernism in drama often rejects the idea of a single correct interpretation, instead embracing ambiguity, multiple perspectives, and the deconstruction of traditional narratives.

Question 16

An example of the postmodernist mixing of high and low art is the musical The Lion King.

Accepted Answer

The Lion King musical incorporates elements of high art, such as sophisticated stage design and choreography, with popular culture, making it an example of postmodernist blending of high and low art.

Question 17

Both performance art and postmodernist approaches to theatrical production are more similar to the work of an auteur director, since the scripted dramatic work is subjugated to the creative vision and focus of the director.

Accepted Answer

Performance art and postmodernist approaches often prioritize the director's vision over the traditional script, similar to the auteur theory where the director's creative influence is paramount.

Question 18

Why might theatre be important to groups who have traditionally been discriminated against? What power does theatre have that might be attractive to groups trying to increase a sense of unity and support in a community?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why might theatre be important to groups...

Question 19

England and numerous countries throughout Europe support a national theatre, while the United States does not. The U.S. did establish a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA, which covers visual art, music, dance, and theatre) while the example in your textbook indicates that one single theatre operation in England receives funding that is equivalent to about one-quarter of the entire NEA budget for all of the arts in the U.S. Why do you think the U.S. government does not support the arts in a similar fashion? In what ways do you think the country would benefit if there were more national support for theatre and the other arts?

Accepted Answer

The answer of England and numerous countries throughout Europe support...

Question 20

The use of blackface is outlawed in many states. Discuss whether this is appropriate, and why such actions may have been taken. Discuss the tradition in terms of masks and certain traditions of Asian theatre. How is it similar? How is it different?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The use of blackface is outlawed in...

Quiz 14: Contemporary Theatre in the United States