1. The Greek Theater

2. Origins of the theater
Initially, Greek drama was performed in village festivals. It soon moved to Athens and became a major annual event and competition.
Dramatists were asked to submit four plays – three tragedies and one comedy.
The plays would be performed over three days, and a prize would be given on the third day for the winner. This was one of the greatest honors an Athenian could receive.

3. Staging Greek theaters were always outdoors.
The stage consisted of an orchestra for the chorus and a stage for the actors. A ‘skene’ (scene) was introduced – a backdrop or wall that stood behind the stage.
This later became a stone construct and is where today’s proscenium originates.
The theaters were carefully constructed to maximise acoustics.

6. Actors
Originally, plays were just a Chorus – a group of 50 speakers who recited a story in verse
Traditional drama really began when an actor named Thespis had the idea for one person to break away from the chorus and reply to what they said.
The chorus quickly shrank to 15 speakers, with three actors performing on stage.

7. Actors
The Chorus would narrate the drama and comment on what was happening. They would be asking the questions the audience would want to ask.
Meanwhile, three actors would be on stage performing numerous roles

8. Masks and Costume The actors would change roles by using masks.
They would be made of natural materials such as wood, linen, leather, or cork. Human or animal hair would be used for a wig.
The mouth would be wide to magnify the actor’s voice.
They were designed to show age, gender, and emotion.

10. Masks and Costume
Costumes also helped the actors change role. They would wear robes in striking colors
The audience would associate certain attributes with costumes, e.g. purple for royalty, trailing robes for grief, a hat signified a character was taking a journey

11. The Chorus
The Chorus is one of the most famous relics of the Greek theater
Its purpose was to speak in unison, effectively as one loud voice
The Chorus would comment on what was happening, express an opinion, or narrate the story. Occasionally, an individual would come forward from the Chorus to speak
The Chorus would represent a group of people within the context of the play – e.g. Elders

12. The Chorus
The chorus would wear plain masks and plain robes to distinguish them from the main actors
Their function was aural, not visual.
They would stay in the Orchestra while the actors remained on stage.

13. Summary Greek theater flourished in the 5th and 4th Centuries B.C.
Stages were outdoors and the audience were sat in a semicircle around the stage
A maximum of three actors were used in the drama, with 15 speakers in the Chorus
The chorus narrates and comments on the drama. They speak in unison
Masks and costumes were used to distinguish between the actors’ various roles

14. Sophocles Sophocles was one of the most famous Greek playwrights
He regularly won the competitions at the theater festivals
He wrote a very famous tragedy called ‘King Oedipus’ or ‘Oedipus Rex’

15. Oedipus Rex
Laius and Jocasta are king and queen of Thebes. An oracle tells them that if they have a child, he will kill his father, the king, and marry his mother.
When Jocasta does give birth to a child, they try and prevent the prophecy coming true. The king has the child’s ankles pinned together, and a shepherd is sent to abandon him on a mountainside.
The shepherd was sympathetic to the child, however, and he was given to the king and queen of Corinth, who were childless.

16. Oedipus Rex
When older, Oedipus finds out he was adopted. He visits the same Oracle who made the original prophecy. The oracle tells him the prophecy, but not who his parents really are.
To avoid the prophecy coming true, Oedipus flees Corinth and goes to Thebes.
As he travels, he encounters a chariot. He fights with the driver, and Oedipus kills him. Although he does not know it, the chariot’s driver was Oedipus’s natural father, Laius

17. Oedipus Rex
When he arrives at Thebes, a Sphinx stops him and asks him a riddle, which he gets right. The Sphinx is astounded and throws herself off a cliff.
The people of Thebes, grateful to Oedipus, appoint him king and give him Jocasta’s hand in marriage. They have four children.
A plague strikes, and thanks to another prophet, Oedipus’s true identity is revealed.

18. Oedipus Rex
Oedipus is horrified to discover he killed his own father and married his own mother, just as the prophecy predicted
Oedipus discovers that Jocasta has hanged herself.
He takes two pins from her dress and gouges his own eyes out.