Theatre History GREEK THEATRE Considered to be the

Theatre History

GREEK THEATRE �Considered to be the greatest theatre in history �Classic or Golden Age of Greece- 500 -400 BC 1. great tragedies 2. architecture 3. government

GREEK THEATRE �Beginnings of Greek theatre: 1. Dionysian rites 2. Festival for fertility 3. singing and dancing and drinking wine 4. play contest called dithyrambs 5. honored Dionysis �tragedies were performed �tragedy means “goat song” in Greek (tragos) �goats were sacrificed at the festival

GREEK THEATRE �Festivals- 4 each year �City Dionysia- March �festival for tragedies �week-long national holiday �all attend �Plays- only men acted- true many places � 6 day festival �plays at theatron- seeing place �three days of competition for plays

GREEK THEATRE �Each play a Trilogy- three tragedies- one theme �Each day also a satire-a farce about the tragedies �performed outdoors �City Lenaea- festival for comedies (komos) �held in February �performed outdoors

GREEK THEATRE- Physical parts �semicircle seating for audience- on hillside �circular altar and acting area- orchestra �back area behind orchestra for actors to changeskene �skene had three doors with side passageways calledparados �raised area behind orchestra- proskenion �side areas called- paraskenia �large acting area -not close to audience

GREEK THEATRE-Actors �all men �large masks with megaphones to project voices- made of cork or wood- showed age and emotion �large shoes on platforms- appear taller-corthurnus �large headpiece- onkus �costume: colorful, patterns sleeveless tunic with a belt-chiton long cloth over the shoulder-himation short cloak- chlamys

GREEK THEATRE-staging �pinakes- boards painted to show scenes �periaktos- pyramid with different scenes on each side turned to show new scenes �drums-sound effects �eccylama- used to show dead bodies- could not show killing on stage �deus-machina- used to fly in gods �stories were usually Greek myths

GREEK THEATRE-rules for tragedies �Aristotle wrote rules for performing tragedies 1. must make audience want to lead a better lifeoften through fear 2. hero with a tragic flaw 3. a change of fortune for the character- growth of the main character 4. written in poetry form 5. the three unities- related events, occurs in 24 hours, one location

GREEK THEATRE- parts of the play �prologue- intro to get audience up to speed �parados- chorus enters �epeisodon-dialogue of actor �stasimon-chorus speaks or sings �exodus- play ends

GREEK THEATRE-writers �Thespis – won the first award= Thespians �three great tragic writers: �Aeschylus �Sophocles �Euripedes

GREEK THEATRE-contributions �Aeschylus �father of tragedy �added the second actor �reduced chorus from 50 to 12 �wrote: Agamemnon-return from Trojan War and killed by his wife Clytemnestra Libation Bearers-Orestes kills his mom to avenge dad’s death The Furies-gods pardon Orestes

GREEK THEATRE-contributions �Sophocles �added third act 0 r �chorus set at 15 members �plot and character development expanded �wrote: Electra Oedipus Rex-kills dad and marries own mom Antigone-war, sequel to Oedipus Rex

GREEK THEATRE-contributions �Euripedes: �emphasized psychologial motivation �told about the plight of women and the outsiders of society �humanized theatre with emotions �wrote: Medea- about a man who is driven mad due to his jealousies

GREEK THEATRE-comedy writers �Aristophanes and Menander �wrote satires about Greek people and their lives. �wrote about daily lives of servants, lovers, weird relatives- much like sitcoms of today

GREEK THEATRE-its dec �Roman invasions -took over the country and started their own drama �Next week- Roman Theatre