1. Greek Theatre History

2. Greek Theatre
Grew out of religious ceremonies (rituals), which were prominent features of Greek society
Ceremonies included funeral services, festivals celebrating the seasons, and ceremonies honoring the gods
City Dionysia held a festival in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility

3. Festival of Dionysia
Many believe that Greek drama originated in the dithyrambic chorus presented to honor Dionysus
Dithyramb – a lengthy hymn, sung and danced by a group of 50 men (chorus)
Chorus – group of men, elders that represented the voice of society
There were 4 plays performed at the festival: 3 tragedies and 1 comedy

4. Greek Tragedy Tragedy – means “goat song” in Greek
The protagonist (main character) in a tragedy, usually does not reach his goal so tragedies have sad endings
Tragedies are based on myths, which are stories or legends sometimes based on fact, which are handed down from generation to generation
Three Greek tragedy playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedes

5. Thespis Greek tragic playwright
Is credited with transforming the dithyramb into tragedy
Added the first actor (hypokrite) to the play
Hypokrite – means an actor speaking behind a mask
Thespians (actors) are named for Thespis

6. Aeschylus “Father” of tragedy Added second actor to plays
Reduced the chorus from 50 to 12 men
Wrote about gods

7. Sophocles Wrote about heroes Added the third actor to plays
Added dramatic action and defined plot structure
Wrote 110 plays; 7 survived
Most noted works:
Oedipus Rex and Antigone

8. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
Ideal tragedy
Tragic story of a man in search of truth
Fate has preordained that Oedipus to kill his father and marry his mother

9. Euripides Playwright who questioned life
Wrote about man not gods or heroes; more interested in human problems rather than religious interests
Emphasized human relationships and emotions
Reduced importance of the chorus
Most famous play was Medea, a tragedy about a woman who seeks revenge on her unfaithful husband by killing their children

10. Medea by Euripides
Most famous play was Medea, a tragedy about a woman who seeks revenge on her unfaithful husband by killing their children

11. Aristophanes Greek Comedy playwright Wrote 40 plays
Combined satire, wit and farce (slapstick comedy) to create the Greek comedy form
Nothing was sacred – made fun of everyone and everthing
Most famous play Lysistrata; women try to stop war by refusing to sleep with their husbands until they quit fighting

12. Lysistrata by Aristophanes
Most famous play Lysistrata; women try to stop war by refusing to sleep with their husbands until they quit fighting

13. Aristotle Greek philosopher
Published The Poetics, guideline for the arts
Established six elements of drama:
Plot
Character
Theme
Language (Dialogue)
Music (what you hear)
Spectacle (what you see)

14. Conventions of Greek Theatre
No violence on stage
Men played all the roles
Only 3 main actors on stage at all times; these actors played multiple roles wearing masks
Audience included all social classes
Audience learned lessons from the plays
Catharsis – purging of emotions – the audience feared the same thing that happened to the protagonist would happen to them

15. More Conventions Masks - Actors wore masks to change characters
Large stylized movements were needed to help audience understand the plot
Periaktoi – 3-sided scenic unit to change scenery

16. More Conventions Special effects –
Ekkylema – a wagon used to bring characters onstage; often to reveal the results of offstage violence
Deus ex machina – crane hidden behind the upper level of the skene; used for the entrance of the actor playing a god

17. Greek Play Structure
Prologos – opening scene which begins the action and provides background information
Parados – the chorus enters
Choral ode – performed by the chorus
Exodus – final scene in which all the characters exit from the stage

18. Theatre and Stage Area
Orchestra – the circular playing space where the actors performed
Parados – the entrance way for the chorus
Proskenion – the bottom level of the skene or stage house
Skene – the scene house behind the orchestra; used to present several locales; actors changed their costumes behind the skene
Theatron – “viewing place”; where audience sat

19. Greek Theatre