Theater History i i

8/10/2019 Theater History i i

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Greek rama


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Drama was born in ancient

Greece! 600s B.C. - Greeks were giving choral

performances of dancing and singing

Performances at festivals honoringDionysus

Later they held drama

contests to honor him


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Thespis (534 B. C.)

Defined theater

art of acting a part on stage

dramatic impersonation of another characterthan yourself

Uncertain whether he was a playwright, an

actor, or a priest Thespian term comes from his name


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Description of Greek Theater

Took place in large hillside amphitheaters

held 20, 000 people!!

Players included a chorus and their leader

Lines were chanted

Chorus performed in an orchestra, not on

a raised platform


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Greek Theater (continued)

Masks used to represent characters

High-soled boots worn to add height

Both of these limited movement


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Greek Theater


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Most Important Era (400s B.C.)

Tragedies performed as part of a

civic celebration called the City

Dionysia

Festival lasted several days

Prizes given for best tragedy,

comedy, acting, and choral singing


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Theater of Dionysus

Located on slope below the

Acropolis in Athens

Seated 14,000

Circular acting area called

orchestra

Skene (stage house)


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Greek Tragedy

Nearly all surviving tragedies are based on

myth

Characters struggle against hostile forcesended in defeat and ultimately in death

A series of dramatic episodes separated by

choral odes (mini-songs).

Episodes performed by a few actors - never

more than 3 on stage


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Greek Drama (continued)

Wore masks to indicate the nature of the

characters played.

Men played womens roles

Same actor appeared in several parts.

Of the hundreds of Greek tragedies written,

fewer than 35 survive.


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Three Playwrights

Aeschylus

Most famous for Oresteia

Introduced concept of second actor

Expanded possibilities for plot


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Sophocles

Innovation of the third actor

Most famous for Oedipus Rex


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Euripides

Created the ultimate form of drama

Far more naturalistic or human approach in

his works

Showed interest in psychology through

portraits of women


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Euripides (continued)

Medeais most famous work

Describes how a mother kills her children to

gain revenge against their father


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Roman Comedy

Typical plotmisunderstandings

Mistaken identity

Free-spending sons deceiving their fathers

Gradual declineactors excommunicated

-- rising power of church-- invasions by barbarian tribes


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Medieval Drama

Death of theater after fall of Roman Empire

Kept alive only by street players, jugglers,

acrobats, and animal trainers


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Liturgical Drama

Rebirth of drama through brief plays acted

by priests as part of the liturgy (worship

service) The Resurrection of Christ was first event

dramatized


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Mystery Plays

Written in verse and taught Christian

doctrine

Presented Biblical characters as if they lived inmedieval times


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Mystery Plays (continued)

Setting for play on pageant wagon

Wagon drawn through city to various

places

Actors performed on platform outside wagon


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Miracle Plays

Based on lives of saints rather than

scripture

Became secular after short period of time


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Morality Plays

Relgious performed speeches

Taught meanings of Biblical passages

other than literal ones

Changed into plays called interludes

Interludes were created strictly for

entertainment


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Renaissance Drama (Italy)

Strictly applied Aristotles rules

Spectacular musicals

Intermezzomusic and lively

entertainment between acts

16thcentury - Opera emerges

17thcenturyCommedia dellarte

Comedy and improv


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Renaissance Drama

Pastoral drama

Set in the country

Depicted romantic affairs of rustic people,

usually shepherds and shepherdesses


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Renaissance Drama (England)

Not bound by rules

Elements of farce, morality, disregard for

time and place

Christopher Marlowe

Development of blank verse


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England Performances

Began early afternoon; ended just before

dusk

Women never on stage; parts played byboys

Attended by all classes of society

Refreshments sold during performances

Audience in a holiday mood


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William Shakespeare

Father of modern drama

Creator of the Globe Theater


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Shakespeare (Continued)

Wrote tragedies, comedies, etc.

Unified plot

Strong characters and imagery

Perfection with verse form and language

Captured the spirit of ordinary speech

Gave special dignity to characters/situations


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The Globe Theater

One of four major theaters in Englandthe

other threeSwan, Rose, Hope

Open-air octagonal amphitheater

Seated 3,000

3 stories high

Original burned down; was reconstructed

before Shakespeares death


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Congratulations!!!

You have completed the lecture on

the history of theater!!!

Theater History i i

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