1. Greek Drama

2. Drama was born in ancient Greece!
600s B.C. - Greeks were giving choral performances of dancing and singing
Performances at festivals honoring Dionysus
Later they held drama
contests to honor him

3. Thespis (534 B. C.) First “actor”
Introduced art of acting a part on stage
dramatic impersonation of another character
Uncertain whether he was a playwright, an actor, or a priest
“Thespian” term comes from his name

4. Description of Greek Theater
Took place in large hillside amphitheaters
held as many as 20, 000 people!!
Players included a chorus and their leader
Lines were chanted rather than spoken
Chorus performed in an “orchestra”, not on a raised platform

5. Greek Theater (continued)
Masks used to represent characters
High-soled boots worn to add height
Both of these limited movement

6. Greek Theater

7. Most Important Era (400s B.C.)
Tragedies performed as part of a civic celebration called the City Dionysia
Festival lasted several days
Prizes given for best tragedy, comedy, acting, and choral singing

8. Theater of Dionysus Located on slope below the Acropolis in Athens
Seated 14,000 +
Circular acting area called orchestra
Skene (stage house)

9. The Physical Structure of the Greek Theater

10. Greek Tragedy Nearly all surviving tragedies are based on myth
Character’s struggle against hostile forces ended in defeat and ultimately in death
A series of dramatic episodes separated by choral odes (mini-songs).
Episodes performed by a few actors - never more than 3 on stage

11. Greek Drama (continued)
Wore masks to indicate the nature of the characters played.
Men played women’s roles
Same actor appeared in several parts.
Of the hundreds of Greek tragedies written, fewer than 35 survive.

12. Greek Tragedy The Three Greek Tragedians:
Aeschylus - his are the oldest surviving plays - began competing in 449 at Dionysus Theatre. Most of his plays were part of trilogies.
2. Sophocles: ( B.C.) won 24 contests, never lower than 2nd; believed to have introduced the 3rd actor; fixed the chorus at 15 (had been 50).
3. Euripides ( B.C.) very popular in later Greek times, little appreciated during his life sometimes known as "the father of melodrama".

13. Three Playwrights Aeschylus Most famous for Oresteia
Introduced concept of second actor
Expanded possibilities for plot

14. Sophocles
Innovation of the third actor
Most famous for Oedipus Rex

15. Euripides Created the ultimate form of drama
Far more naturalistic or human approach in his works
Showed interest in psychology through portraits of women
Medea is most famous work
Describes how a mother kills her children to gain
revenge against their father