vocabulary as related to the theater as an act by eguriase s. m. okaka

Vocabulary as related to the Theater as an Act

By Eguriase S. M. Okaka The word theater is derived from the Greek word theaomai meaning ‘to see’. Hence, the word refers to an art concerned almost exclusively with live drama performance on stage. The theater can also be a building, room, other setting where plays or other dramatic presentations are performed. Sometimes a theater can also be a place where films are showed. The purpose of the theater is to imitate represent or life in performance for other people to see and enjoy or also learn from. The following are some of the words used in talking about a theater or a play. Study them and try to remember them without looking at your textbook. • Actor refers to a male person who performs a role in a play or film. • Actress refers to a female person who performs a role in a play or film. • Antagonist refers a person who opposes another character’s goal or desire. • Audience refers people who assembled to watch a play or listen to a speech. • Center stage refers to the center of an area used as a stage. • Character refers to the personality or role that an actor/actress recreates. • Climax refers to the point of the greatest dramatic tension in a play or film. • Comedy refers to a play that is intentionally amusing or humorous. • Costume refers to clothes worn by actors on stage during a dramatic performance. • Denouncement refers to the final resolution of conflict in a play. • Dialogue refers to the conversation between Actors/Actress on stage. • Director refers to the person who supervises the entire process of staging a play or film. • Downstage refers to the part of the stage area towards the audience. • Dress Rehearsal refers to the final rehearsals before the opening night in which a play is performed. • Make-up refers to cosmetics and hairstyles that an actor/actress wears on stage to depict facial features, historical period or characterization. • Mime refers to a style of performance without words in which actors act out situations or portray characters using only actions, gestures and facial expressions. • Monologue refers a long speech by a single character on stage, often speaking his or her personal thought. • Playwright refers to a person who writes plays. • Protagonist refers to the main character in a play. • Rehearsals refer to practice session in which actors/actresses prepare for public performance through repetition. • Script refers to the written text of a play. • Stage refers to the area where actors perform. • Tragedy refers to a serious play with a tragic theme, involving a heroic struggle and the downfall of the main character. Exercise Use the words in the glossary above to fill in the following blanks appropriately. A little addition in terms of number may be necessary in some of the answers. Ojo: Have you watched Romeo and Juliet? Bisi: Yes, it’s a ------------------ Bola: You mean, it provokes deep sadness and grief? Bisi: Yes. Tayo: I saw its ------------------ two days ago before it were staged. Ojo: In fact, the ---------------------- were thrilled. They had full value for their money. Bisi: The only thing is that---- Bola: That what? Bisi: The ------------------ didn’t use a British accent and the ------------ was too small. The actors didn’t have enough space to move. Maria: Well, for me, the ------------------- worm by characters were superlative. I think the ---------------- did a good work of supervision too. Ojo: There’s going to be another play next week. This time around it’s the complete opposite of Romeo and Juliet. It’s a ------------- entitled The Bowels of Mercy.(The Bowels of Mercy is available in this blog. You get the full story here). Bisi: Who wrote it? I mean, the --------------------. Ojo: It’s Eguriase S. M. Okaka. The play has a lot of action and gestures, but not much talk. Helicopter Crash Probe An investigative team of the Federal Government led by Chief of Naval Staff, yesterday, arrived in Yenogoa, the Bayaelsa state, capital, to begin an immediate probe into the crash of the naval helicopter at the weekend. And apparently worried about the spate of air disasters involving their colleagues, state governors have supported the Federal Government’s effort to probe the crash in Bayelsa. Indeed the governors’ have resolved to employ an independent investigator to represent their interest in the probe. The crash in Okoroba community of Bayelsa on Saturday killed the Governor of Kaduna state, Patrick Yakowa, former National Security Adviser Gen. Andrew Owoeye Azazi and four other persons while returning from the burial of the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation, Mr Oronto Douglas. (From the Guardian, Tuesday December 18, 2012) Summary questions • Which of the following option adequately summarizes the passage? a. An investigating team was led by the Chief of General Staff. b. The passage describes efforts made to investigate the helicopter crash that killed a governor and his associates. c. A crash in Okoroba community was investigated. d. Governors employ independent investigators. • When is the helicopter crash probe to begin? a. Later b. Latter c. Instantly d. Previously • How many people were killed in the crash? a. 4 b. 6 c. 7 d. 5 • Who were concerned about the series of air crash disasters in the country? a. Chief of Naval Staff b. Okoroba community c. State governors d. Investigative team • Which arm of the military owned the crash helicopter? a. Army b. Police c. Navy d. Air force By Eguriase S. M. Okaka