History of Western Theatre

How did theatre, as we know it, come to be?

Greek Theatre Rooted in Dionysian hymns -in honor of DIONYSUS, god of wine and fertility. Play festivals were so popular entire towns would shut down for days! Local houses would sponsor plays for competition. Began with only a chorus speaking. Then first person actors.

Thespis (534 B. C.) Defined Theatre art of acting a part on stage dramatic impersonation of a character other than yourself He may have been a playwright, an actor, and / or a priest The term “Thespian” comes from his name. It is another word for “actor”.

Description of Greek Theater Took place in large hillside amphitheaters. Some held up to 20, 000 people!! Lines were chanted. Chorus performed in an “orchestra”, not on a raised platform. Only Men performed.

MANY OF THE STAGE TERMS WE USE TODAY CAN BE TRACED BACK TO GREEK THEATRE ORCHESTRA – flat performance space in front of hillside SKENE – structure to wall off portion of stage PROSKENION – façade on the first floor of the skene MACHINA – crane-like hoist CHORUS – explained, commented and engaged TRAGOIDIA – origin of the word TRAGEDY.

GREEK MASKS Every character has specific mask

The Rise of Tragedy: NOTABLE PLAYWRIGHTS AESCHYLUS Sometimes called father of tragedy. Author of ORESTEIA. Introduced concept of second actor. SOPHOCLES Introduces third actor and tragic flaw. Author of ANTIGONE and OEDIPUS REX. Characters questioned the will of the gods. EURIPIDES Inner conflict – man vs. conscience. Master of expressing PATHOS, the mix of human sorrow and compassion. MEDEA is his most famous work.

Comedy Origin not certain Groups (komos) joining Dionysian processions and exchanging barbs? NOTABLE PLAYWRIGHTS: ARISTOPHANES – Old Comedy MENANDER – New Comedy

ROMAN DRAMA

ROMAN DRAMA Mostly adaptations from Greek. Romans viewed theatre as entertainment and did not associate it with the worship of the gods. Actors often considered slaves by the acting company managers. Actors wore leather masks with wigs. Movement was broad and exaggerated. First permanent Theatre was built in Pompeii.

ROMAN DRAMA: Notable playwrights PLAUTUS (Comedy) TERRENCE (Comedy) SENECA (Tragedy) ASIDE - Some of Shakespeares plays are based on plots and characters found in the works of Plautus and Seneca.

Medieval theatre

Medieval Theatre The fall of the Roman Empire and the growth of the Christian Church led to little in the way of theatrical entertainment for hundreds of years. Indeed, the Church was strongly opposed to Theatre and spoke out against it. Ironically, the Church began to turn liturgical passages and sermons into dialogues – using the very ideals of Theatre to communicate church messages to uneducated populations.

Medieval Theatre After a time, local laymen began to assume responsibility for staging the plays. They also began to speak the dialogue in local language, not Latin. Performances were moved outside of the church building and onto PAGEANT WAGONS and in town squares. Spectacle became very important. Plays featured mechanical cranes, flying demons and a great deal of violence.

Medieval Theatre: SOME VOCAB TROPE – short dramatized scene from the Bible. LITURGICAL SONG – Question and answer song performed by Monks. SAINT PLAYS – based on legends of Saints MYSTERY PLAYS – stories based on biblical history. PASSION PLAY – based on the last week of Christ’s life. MORALITY PLAY – dealt with moral instruction and man’s attempt to save his soul.

MEDIEVAL THEATRE: NOTABLE PLAYS “EVERYMAN”

Medieval Theatre Of course, the rise of liturgical dramas dealing with man’s enlightenment conversely led to the development of Secular plays dealing with man’s depravity – the origins of FARCE.

renaissance theatre

RENAISSANCE (1400 A.D.) The works of Roman playwrights were translated and adapted. Rigid rules were formulated for the writing of Drama. All plays had to be written in Five Acts Tragedies had to teach a moral lesson. Events depicted had to be reflective of real life. Tragedy = nobility, comedy = lower classes Had to adhere to an unity of time and place. One Day / One Setting / One Plot

COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE (RENAISSANCE) Comic troupes that Improvised scenarios using humorous stage business using stock characters. Lovers Professionals Servants Performers adapted material and performance to specific places and current events.

Commedia dell’arte

Elizabethan theatre

Elizabethan THeatre Began early afternoon; ended just before dusk Women never on stage; parts played by boys Attended by all classes of society Refreshments sold during performances Audience in a “holiday” mood

Elizabethan PLAYHOUSE Inspired by INN YARDS. Included: PIT – area surrounding the stage. GROUNDLINGS – playgoers who stood in the pit. HEAVENS – roof with specialized celestial paintings. TIRING HOUSE – actor’s dressing room.

Elizabethan dramatists WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE –

Elizabethan dramatists CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE the most popular playwright of the era. first to use BLANK VERSE. Most noted work is THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS.

Elizabethan dramatists BEN JONSON– specialized in ENGLISH COMEDY made use of existing beliefs about the HUMORS.

17th Century / 18th century theatre

ENGLAND Restoration drama 1642 – 1660 – government controlled by PURITANS and all theatre banned. Actors thrown in prison. ENGLISH ROYAL PATENT OF 1662. Theatre organized under the state, women first appear as actors. Actors considered to be of high society. Some even buried in Westminister Abbey. Restoration Comedy (Comedy of Manners) satirized local customs of the time.

Restoration drama : Notable plays and playwrights WILLIAM CONGREVE – “Love for Love”, “The Way of the World” GEORGE FARQUHAR - “The Beaux Strategem” JOHN DRYDEN - “All for Love”, “The Wild Gallant” OLIVER GOLDSMITH - “She Stoops to Conquer” WILLIAM WYCHERLY – “The Country Wife”

FRANCE MOLIERE Jean Baptiste-Poquelin. Trained Commedia actor used many of the traditions, plots and devices of that training.

MOLIERE (France) NOTABLE PLAYS: The Misanthrope Tartuffe The Imaginary Invalid

19th Century / 20th century theatre

REALISM Oppressive political and economic upheaval in most of Western Society led to the rise of REALISM. Playwrights attempted to promote social change and to reveal the injustices in their society.

REALISM Norwegian playwright, HENRIK IBSEN, established realism as an integral part of Drama. His most noted play, A DOLL’S HOUSE, tackles issues such as women’s rights.

George Bernard shaw Wrote intellectual comedies that preached social and political beliefs. “life force” – belief that humanity will improve. “thinking persons society” – wanted to convert more to “thinkers”.

George Bernard shaw “Saint Joan” “Man and Superman” “Candida”

The importance of being eArnest BY OSCAR WILDE

Anton chekov “The Cherry Orchard” “Uncle Vanya”

Theatre comes stateside

THEATRE IN THE U.S. Troupes from ENGLAND were first on the American stage. Early notable actors: IRA ALDRIDGE – an African-American CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN – played male roles The BARRYMORE family produced a number of noted American actors. Lionel / Ethel / John / Drew

NOTABLE AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS EUGENE O”NEILL – “The Iceman Cometh”, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”, “Strange Interlude” ARTHUR MILLER - “The Crucible”, “Death of a Salesman” LORRAINE HANSBERRY – “A Raisin in the Sun” NEIL SIMON – “Barefoot in the Park”, “The Odd Couple”, “Rumors”, “Brighton Beach Memoirs”.

AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS LILLIAN HELMAN – “The Children’s Hour”, “The Little Foxes” ALICE CHILDRESS – “Wine in the Wilderness” DAVID MAMET – “Glengary Glenn Ross” SAM SHEPARD – “Buried Child”, “Fool for Love” AUGUST WILSON – “Fences”, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” DAVID HENRY HWANG – “The Sound of a Voice”, “M Butterfly”

MUSICAL THEATRE Vaudeville + Jazz = First Hit Musical – “Showboat”

MUSICAL THEATRE The addition of technical implements gave rise to the theatrical nature of musical theatre.