Theatre arts 260Theatre history 1 Nebraska Wesleyan University Chipman

Reading questions for SOURCEBOOK Ch 4 Italian Renaissance 1. The Wonders of Perspective Scenery, Peruzzi Designs for the Pope, and Scenery for the Medicean Court all three detail spectacular scenic designs completed to emphasize the ideal of realistic perspective.

What kind of locations were represented in these scenes? Palaces, Streets, Cities, temples

And how was lighting used to make the scenes more realistic? Flames and torches, as well as disco ball-like features.

Is there evidence of special effects besides lighting?Creating the illusion of the sun moving with its rays to follow. They would give the impression it was day outside by painting the rays.

2. Looking at the images and descriptions in Serlios Three Scenes, what specific features does Serlio select to particularize the settings for the three kinds of plays?

Comic sceneA whorehouse, church, and inn must be in the scene. The houses must be in shortest to tallest order. Many lights all in the middle, hanging. The windows are paper or glass

Tragic sceneHomes are grand and beautiful, meant for royalty. Things must not clutter the stage, thin boards should be used.

Satyric sceneCountryside. Nature setting. Houses are rural. Flowers, trees, and critters and other animals. Painted. Mythical creatures.

3. In Serlios Three Scenes, what kinds of liquids are used to place in front of lamps to make colored lighting effects (78-9)?

Wines and vinegars of different shades. Colored powders, of stones and wood mixed into water.

4. What 3 special effects does Serlio describe the process for devising (79-81)? Which, in your opinion, would be the most impressive?

1. Shooting canons to make the thunder sounds

2. Puppeteering things and playing instruments at the same time.

3. How to properly hang and make a planet.

5. After looking at the images of Teatro Olimpic and reading about King Oedipus in the Olympic Theatre (youve looked at actual images of this theatre also in our search activity), what were the most memorable aspects of being at the theatreand about viewing the performance?

Thousands of people in the audience. Wine drinking, fruit eating. Whos who in the audience, socializing. Almost a hundred costumes. The chorus spoke in perfect unison. Theaters were ornate and beautiful.

6. Referring to the long section on Sabbattini on Theatrical Machinery, list the seven special effects described in the last half of the reading (94-102). Put a * by those that seem most simple to construct. Put a + by those that seem impossibly complex. Put a wow by those that would be very very very big wow factors for a Renaissance audience!!

1. Moving clouds. * wow

2. How to make a constant flowing river. *

3. How to make it look like the clouds get larger. + wow

4. Clouds with an actor flying down from them. + wow

5. All that is describes in the dolphin making process and other fishies. +

6. Building the clouds and the sky in a way to hide the machines. + wow

7. Clouds changing color * wow

7. In Di Somi on Stagecraft, On Actors and Acting section, what are the three best pieces of advice Veridico gives that are still helpful for actors today?

1. Avoid a presentational delivery of lines.

2. Speak naturally, not musically.

3. Move your body naturally.

8. Di Somi had very specific ideas for costuming characters, what were the main principles he followed (104-7)?

No matter what class they were they should be dressed beautifully, but lesser then their class above them. Bright colors. Different from those of normal, everyday clothes.

9. What practical advice does Di Somi give for clearing the smoke from candle lighting (109)?

Vent your theatres. Get smoke outa there! Mirrors can reflect like to reduce the amount of fires you have to burn to light things.