History of Theatre Western theatre started in Greece

History of Theatre Western theatre started in Greece in about 500 B. C. These performances were often part of celebrations to honor the god, Dionysus. The dramas rarely had more than three actors (all male), who played the different roles using masks. There was a chorus on the stage most of the time which sang songs and sometimes spoke in unison. As far as we know, most dramas were staged just a single time as part of a drama contest. Such contests were always held during religious festivals, and competed for a prize awarded by a panel of judges.

History of Theatre The actors wore large masks, which were very colorful.

Western theatre started in Greece in about 500 B. C. , and were often part of celebrations to honor the god, Dionysus. The dramas rarely had more than three actors (all male), who played the differeroles using masks. There was a chorus on stage most of the time which sang songs and sometimes spoke in unison. As far as we know, most dramas were staged just a single time as part of a drama contest. Such contests were always h during A mosaic depicting a scene from Meander’s “Women at Breakfast. ”

History of Theatre Their masks represented public, easily recognizable figures -- the Hero, the Soldier, the Lover, the Old Man, the Clown -- and those characters were expected to behave according to particular agreed upon rules.

History of Theatre The acoustics in some Greek theaters were so great that a person in the back row could hear a whisper. Actors also wore thick, padded clothing, and shoes with thick soles. This made them seem larger, so the audience could see them better when seated in the uppermost rows of the amphitheatre.

History of Theatre Greek Theater of Taormina - Thanks to David The Greek Theatre - Built by the Greeks in the third century BC. It is one of the most famous ancient theatres in the world and one of the largest in the Mediterranean. Undisputed symbol of the city, is found on a hill from which the viewer can enjoy a breathtaking view, ranging with our gaze across the jagged promontory overlooking the Ionian Sea, until the majestic volcano Etna. Theatre built by the Greeks in Taorimina – 300 B. C. (Ionian Sea and Mount Etna in the background. )

History of Theatre

History of Theatre Roman Theatre – In the years after the decline of the Greek city states and the rise of power of the Roman empire, theatre continued. Generally speaking, the Romans were not as creative or innovative as the Greeks. They tended to copy the Greek plays, but they carried on many of the dramatic conventions that the Greeks had begun. And more than anything else, they loved theatre.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre Plays were only performed during religious ceremonies and religious festivals. However, since the ancient Romans celebrated over 200 holidays a year, there were many opportunities for plays to be staged. Someone had to pay for the play, as actors received a small fee. Usually a wealthy noble would pay the bill, in honor of the gods, and give the play to the people as a gift.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre Plays were only performed during religious ceremonies and festivals. However, since the ancient Romans celebrated over 200 holidays a year, there were many opportunities for plays to be staged. Someone had to pay for the play, as actors received a small fee. Usually a wealthy noble would pay the bill, in honor of the gods, and give the play to the people as a gift. One of the problems with Roman audiences, however, were that they were often rude. They rarely applauded and often booed or hurled insults at the actors.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre – The actors were men. Each actor played several roles. They wore simple costumes that could be changed quickly and in public. The actors held up happy face masks and sad faced masks, to help the audience understand what was going on in the play. Over time, masks became very elaborate.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre –

History of Theatre Roman Theatre – This mosaic shows a group of actors in costumes and masks. The piper is dressed as a woman and will be wearing the white mask of a female character. Another actor is being helped into his costume.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre – Although the Romans tended to copy Greek plays, they did create a few new styles of performance, including mime and pantomime. In these productions, an actor would dance and tell a story without speaking while others sang and played music.

History of Theatre Roman Theatre – Located in France (or Gaul) this theatre could seat up to 9, 000 people. The massive wall at the back of the stage once had 76 decorative stone columns and three doors through which the actors made their entrances.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – With the eventual collapse of the Roman Empire, much of the drama that the Romans and Greeks developed fell by the wayside. Early Christians viewed Theatre as immoral and did much to destroy it. Perhaps they did not distinguish between regular plays and the spectacle of gladiatorial combats. Once Emperor Constantine became emperor (306 AD), he abolished all theatrical performances. So actors and theatre-people gave up much of what they learned. Some got by on doing pantomimes or skits and others wandered from town to town doing songs and tricks of skill.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages - Ironically, the Christian Church, which had largely been instrumental in the destruction of theatre was responsible for bringing theatre back into popularity. (Middle Ages started around 500 A. D. )

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages - Ironically, the Christian Church, which had largely been instrumental in the destruction of theatre after Roman times was responsible for bringing theatre back into popularity. Like the Greeks before them, Christians resorted to theatre out of religious ritual.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – In Europe around 800 A. D. , spectacle was introduced to go along with the liturgy of regular church services. Action and dialogue were added to make the certain great events in the life of Christ more vivid to the congregations.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – Often these little liturgical plays were very popular with the people and crowds surged into churches at Christmas and Easter. Oddly enough, church authorities became annoyed by all these spectators inside the churches.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – Often these little liturgical plays were very popular with the people and crowds surged into churches at Christmas and Easter. Oddly enough, church authorities became annoyed by all these spectators inside the churches. Pope Innocent III (around 1200 A. D. ) ordered dramas to be performed outside. This only lead to larger and more elaborate dramas.

History of Theatre Oberammergau Passion Play – (since 1633)

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – There were also works of drama developed during this time called Miracle Plays. They were used to teach about the lives of the saints.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – There were also works of drama developed during this time called Miracle Plays. They were used to teach about the lives of the saints. The miracle plays were often presented from four or six wheeled wagons that would travel from town to town. The actors would travel along with the wagons.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – Often these pageant wagons were two stories high. The lower part was the dressing room and the second story served as the stage.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – Often these pageant wagons were two stories high. The lower part was the dressing room and the second story served as the stage.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – The miracle plays were popular from about 1200 until the late 1500 s. They finally lost their popularity when plays based on the plays of Roman and Greek playwrights were revived. During the Middle Ages another type of play, the Morality Play, also began to flourish. Similar to the miracle play, these dramas contained characters who were not individuals but personified abstractions – for example - Everyman, Good Deeds, Knowledge, Death, and Beauty.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – One of the best known surviving Morality Plays is titled Everyman. It is a dramatized allegory. In the drama, the character of Everyman, a typical human being who has neglected his spiritual life, repents his sins in time to be saved. A woodcut of Death leading Everyman to his Final Reckoning.

History of Theatre Drama of the Middle Ages – A version of the play performed in 2006 in Saltzburg, Austria.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – As the centuries passed, theatre became more interested in nonreligious topics and it also revived some of the plays from the Greek and Roman eras. Groups of players would ally themselves with nobles or universities and perform plays on a

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – At first plays were produced by wandering troupes of actors that would set up a small stage at an inn or tavern yard. People could stand in front of the stage or watch from the balconies at the side.

History of Theatre Yet, theatre companies were still somewhat beyond the pale of normal society during this time. Fear of plague that might be carried by the traveling companies, as well as the possibility of civil unrest that might be started by patrons who had too much to drink, made civil authorities sometimes ban the performance of plays.

History of Theatres were also associated, in the minds of merchants, with temptation for idle apprentices to while away their time watching entertainment instead of working. In the view of the wives of play-goers, theatres were associated with the women of ill-repute who frequented the areas surrounding the playhouses. Ultimately, these concerns led to the licensing of official companies by the throne, and the domination of theatre by the state.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – The establishment of large and profitable public theatres was an essential enabling factor in the success of Renaissance drama—once they were in operation, drama could become a fixed and permanent rather than a transitory phenomenon. The crucial initiating development was the building of Theatre in

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – Once this theatre became profitable in London, many other companies were formed, including the Chamberlain’s Men, William Shakespeare’s company. During this period many significant changes occurred in theatres and theatre production. Advances were made in scriptwriting, costuming and set design.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – In Italy, Commedia dell’Arte developed after about 1550. In this form of theatre, traveling troupes would create a scenario and then improvise various scenes using proven comic routines and comic bits called lazzi.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – These Commedia dell’Arte troupes would often have stock characters who would perform these lazzi. Some of the characters included: Pantalone – the old man, a fool Dottore – the doctor, a drunk or glutton Capitano – braggart soldier Inamorati – the young lovers – the only "normal" characters "zanni" -- foolish servants; Harlequin (or Arlecchino) was the most popular

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – Commedia dell'Arte troupe Gelosi in a late 16 th-century Flemish painting.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – The Pantalone and the Zanni.

History of Theatre Drama of the Renaissance – The plots of the plays were usually basic and unscripted. They were held outside and few props were used. Since the productions were improvised and held together with Lazzi, dialogue and action could easily be changed to satirize local scandals, current events, or regional tastes, while still using old jokes and punch lines.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – Theatre continued to progress, although there were times when theatres were closed down due to fears of plague and civil unrest.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – Theatre continued to progress, although there were times when theatres were closed down due to fears of plague and civil unrest. For example, in 1642, six years before the execution of Charles I, Parliament closed theatres in England and, until the Restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660, there was little of theatre in that country.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – Nevertheless, theatres began to display the proscenium style of architecture, although the forestage remained the principal place where the acting took place, and the area behind the proscenium was reserved for the display of scenery changes which were slid into view by means of panels on tracks.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – Theatres began to display the proscenium style of architecture, although the forestage remained the principal place where the acting took place, and the area behind the proscenium was reserved for the display of scenery changes which were slid into view by means of panels on tracks. It was also during this time, when theatre was designed specifically for royal pleasure, and that meant that theatres began to be

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – It was also at this time, in countries such as France women started to appear in theatrical productions.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – It was also at this time, in countries such as France women started to appear in theatrical productions.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – The best known playwright of the century is undoubtedly Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Moliere. Many consider him to be France’s greatest playwright. His 27 plays poked fun at hypocrisy, greed and arrogance. His plays were so admired by King Louis XIV that he actually acted in several.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – The best known playwright of the century is undoubtedly Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Moliere. Many consider him to be France’s greatest playwright. His 27 plays poked fun at hypocrisy, greed and arrogance. His plays were so admired by King Louis XIV that he actually acted in several. His plays are continually performed even in the 21 st Century.

History of Theatre Drama of the 17 th Century – It was at the time of the Restoration of the Crown in England (1660), that women first began to appear on the English stage (remember the French were doing it already? ), instead of female roles being played by young men. Although theatres were again licensed by the state, with the dawn of the 18 th Century approaching, it would not be long before the popularity of theatre would increase. First, it was to property owners and merchants, and then ultimately to the masses.