1. 1 Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Theatre (Actors and Acting)
Alexander the Great is said to have assembled more than performers from across the Greek world for a victory festival!
After that, plays were presented on numerous occasions:
Rulers who encouraged worshipping them as gods
Establishing festivals in rulers’ honor
Secular purposes
Plays were no longer performed exclusively at Dionysian festivals.
Rapid expansion in the number of festivals created a high demand for qualified performers.
As a result, theatre during the Hellenistic period became almost entirely professional.
Alexander the Great.
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2. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Theatre (Actors and Acting)
Due to the rise of professional actors, they began to have more power than playwrights.
Actors would change texts to suit their talents! (WHAT?!)
Acting competitions could involve performances in whole plays, just scenes, or even just monologues.
Actors were judged on the elaborate display of vocal virtuosity (did they sound pretty?) and the ability to convey emotion.
Not much has changed in this regard!
During this time theatre professionals formed a guild referred to as the Artists of Dionysus.
It was given official sanction in 277 BCE.
A relief showing actors sacrificing to Dionysus.
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3. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Theatre (Actors and Acting)
The Artists of Dionysus included poets (dramatic, epic, & lyric), actors, chorus members, trainers, musicians, and costumers.
Mime performers were never admitted to the guild and eventually had to create their own guild.
When planning a festival, a city negotiated a contract with the nearest branch of the guild.
The contract stated exactly what the obligations of each party were.
After the death of Alexander the Great, international agreements were set up to protect guild members even in times of war.
This was mostly due to the continued importance of festivals!
After Alexander the Great’s death, members of the Actors of Dionysus were protected even during times of war.
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4. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Theatre (Costumes)
Costumes and masks changed considerably after the 5th century, though the timeline of the changes cannot be tracked.
By the 1st century BCE, actors wore padded costumes, thick-soled boots, and a high headdress.
These were all intended to increase the actor’s apparent size.
Facial features on masks were enlarged and exaggerated.
Tragic actors were made to appear larger than life!
Their overall appearance was both distorted and conventionalized (standardized).
Reproduction of a slave mask. Note the exaggerated features.
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5. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Theatre (Actors and Acting)
Costumes in New Comedy were conventionalized, but based on the dress of ordinary life.
The character types were much more extensive than those in tragedy.
Most comic masks were probably realistic, with a few exceptions.
Slaves, certain old men, and ridiculous characters were caricatured.
Most slaves had red hair, while courtesans had yellow.
Modern reproduction of a young female character in Greek New Comedy.
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