Intro to Theatre Greek Theater

The Greek Theater 5th Century B. C. Golden Age of Greek Drama Dramatic festivals were popular People witnessed tragic and comic plays 2

The Land Greece has thousands of inhabited islands and dramatic mountain ranges Greece has a rich culture and history Democracy was founded in Greece Patriarchal (male dominated) society Philosophy, as a practice, began in Greece (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)

The Stage Three Main Portions of Greek Theatre: Skene – Portion of stage where actors performed (included 1-3 doors in and out) Orchestra – “Dancing Place” where chorus sang to the audience Theatron – Seating for audience

The Stage

The Stage Greek plays were performed during religious ceremonies held in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry (altars generally on stage) Banks would shut down for days, people would travel from all around to see the drama competitions—even prisoners were temporarily released to see the plays Tragedy means “goat song” (relates to Dionysian rituals)

The Stage

Where and how were the dramas performed? …In an amphitheatre …With a chorus who described most of the action. …With masks …With all the fighting and movement going on off stage. ….With tragedy first, then comedy later.

Masks of Greek Theater

The masks were worn for many reason including: 1. Visibility 2. Acoustic Assistance 3. Few Actors, Many Roles 4. Characterization

Some general categories of masks 1. OLD MEN Smooth-Faced, White, Grizzled, Black-Haired, Flaxen and More Flaxen 2. YOUNG MEN Common, Curled, More Curled, Graceful, Horrid, Pale and Less Pale 3. SLAVES Leathern, Peaked-Beard, Flat Nose 4. WOMEN Freed Old Woman, Old Domestic, Middle Aged, Leathern, Pale-Disheveled, Pale Middle Aged, Whorish-Disheveled, Virgin, Girl 5. SPECIALIST MASKS Some made for specific characters, others for: Mourning, Blindness, Deceit, Drunkenness...etc. (The comic masks, those especially of old comedy, were as like as possible to true persons they represented, or made to appear more ridiculous)

Theater at Epidaurus

Theater at Epidaurus

Major Greek Dramatists Aeschylus 524 B.C. Seven Against Thebes Sophocles 496 B.C. Antigone Oedipus Euripides 480 B.C. Medea Dramatist Born Wrote

Sophocles’ Antigone Set in Thebes (a city in ancient Greece) Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta Antigone’s brothers, Eteokles and Polyneces, took opposite sides in a war Eteokles and Polyneces killed each other in battle Antigone’s uncle, Kreon, became king of Thebes

Euripides’ Medea Medea is a princess from Colchis Medea marries Jason, who is in Colchis on a quest for the Golden Fleece Medea betrays her father and murders her brother for her love of Jason Medea has magical powers Jason takes Medea back to his homeland, Corinth, where they have children Jason takes another wife, the king of Corinth’s daughter

Roots in Worship of Dionysus God of wine and revelry

Theater of Dionysus Dionysia was an annual festival in honor of the god Dionysus Theater of Dionysus was an open-air Theater with room for fifteen thousand spectators 20

carved out of a stone hillside Theater of Dionysus carved out of a stone hillside looked like a semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats 21

Theater of Dionysus 22

Theater of Dionysus Male actors performed all the roles Actors switched masks to play a number of roles – both female and male 23

The Storyline

Central Character is of the Elite Class

Central Character suffers a Downfall

Central Character is Neither Wholly good nor wholly evil

Downfall is the result of a Fatal Flaw

Misfortunes involve characters who are related or who are friends

Tragic actions take place offstage

Central Character has a moment of recognition

Audience experiences pity and fear

Pity and Fear leads to a catharsis

The End