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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Opening Night at the Provincetown Playhouse: In the Wings how does Lemml respond to Virginia's first performance?

2. After a Night in Jail begins with who waiting outside the jail for the cast to be bailed out?

3. The troupe suddenly goes into a rendition of what song about the rich getting rich and the poor being laid off but everyone is having fun anyway?

4. In 1923: Opening Night on Broadway, Intermission, how do Sholem and Madje react to the changes in the script?

5. When Virginia says that she cannot breathe when she looks at Dorothee, how does Lemml respond?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Madje ask Sholem in this section about why the authorities might stop the show?

2. What is Rabbi Silverman's response regarding plays like The God of Vengeance?

3. Why is Sholem seen by a doctor?

4. Who bails the cast out of jail?

5. Why is the rain scene cut from the Broadway script?

6. What is the role of Benjamin Baillie?

7. Why does Schildkraut fire Reina?

8. What does Virginia say that shocks Dorothee?

9. How does Freida respond when Lemml calls Asch a genius? What is Lemml's response to her?

10. What is Rabbi Silverman's beliefs regarding the underground Jewish prostitution ring?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Language is an important aspect of this play. How does the use of and switch from one language to another reflect changes in culture and tradition of the Jewish people? What other aspects of culture and tradition are changed when the language of the play switches from Yiddish to English? How might this reflect the attitude at the time towards religious Jews? How might this also make a reality the anti-Semitism that was feared by the men in Mr. Peretz‘s salon?

Essay Topic 2

After being bailed from jail, Esther reflects on the perfect English of the prostitutes she encountered. What does she say? What does her response reveal about her? How is her comment about the prostitutes reflective of other characters throughout this play?

Essay Topic 3

The play begins with the troupe rising from the ground, pouring sawdust from their clothes. What is this meant to represent? What tone does this set for the play ahead? What does this foreshadow? Is this an effective way to prepare the audience for future events? Why or why not?

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This section contains 930 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample