1. Theatre History Project
Sit back, hold on tight, and enjoy this wild and crazy ride!

2. Project Goals Educate the class on your time period of theatre
history and transport us to that period by:
Building a Model / Collage of what a theatre looked like for your time period.
Performing a Piece of a play from your time period (2 minutes).
Having an element of period costuming. This can be large pictures.
Playwrights and Plays popular during the time
Prepare a quiz for the class on the info you give in the presentation .

3. 5 Periods of Theatre History
Ancient Greek Theatre
Medieval Theatre
Italian Renaissance Theatre
Elizabethan Theatre
Kabuki Theatre

4. Ancient Greece Life in Greece Stone or clay houses
Food: Healthy. Bread, beans, fresh fruit, vegetables, fish.
Clothing: Light loose garments, tunics, loincloth, barefoot/sandals, jewelry.
Activities: Festivals - races, wrestling, boxing, javelin, etc. Olympic Games!

5. Ancient Greece Theatre in Greece Theatre ORIGINATED in ancient Greece.
Religious ceremonies to the god Dionysus eventually were written down and became plays.
Plays had loud music, bright colors, extensive dancing.

6. Ancient Greece Theatre in Greece (cont.) A chorus narrated the play.
Only males could be actors!
Wore masks & costumes.
The structure was an outdoor theatre.
Famous Greek playwrights include Sophocles.

7. Medieval Theatre Life in the Middle Ages
Houses: Timber frame with woven twigs, clay and straw.
Food: Geese, chicken, beef, lamb, etc. available to the rich. The poor were reliant on bread, peas and beans.
Clothing: Barbarians wore fur, wool, leather. Knights wore coat of arms. Tunics, cloaks.
Activities: Fairs, knight tournaments like jousts, acrobatics, chess, checkers, taverns.

8. Medieval Theatre Medieval Drama
Largely tied into the Catholic church. A lot of plays based on Biblical history and legends of the saints.
Plays commonly staged in pageant wagons – stages on wheels.
Most famous play from Medieval times is “Everyman”.

9. Italian Renaissance Life in the Italian Renaissance
Houses: Architecture gained importance. Columns, arches and domes were frequently used.
Food: Bread, hard biscuits, wine, rice, pasta, lasagna, ravioli, pizza.
Clothing: Women – underdress, tight bodice, high waisted skirts. Veils, ribbons, floral garlands. Men – shirts with flowing sleeves, doublets.
Activities: arts, literature, politics, philosophy emphasized.

10. Italian Renaissance Commedia dell’arte
Comic improv performed by professional troupes.
Created plot outlines, not scripts.
Specific character types that were identified by their costumes and masks.
Example: Pantalone was a middle-aged or elderly man – the father or husband. Arlecchino was the schemer or prankster.

11. Elizabethan Theatre Life in the Elizabethan Renaissance
Houses: mix of royal estates, great homes, country homes and farmhouses, depending on social class.
Food: Bread, cider, wine, pretzels, cheesecakes, puddings
Clothing: Women – ruffled dresses with tight bodices, pendants. Men – jerkins (vests), loose fit knickers, silk stockings, hats.
Activities: instrumental music, dancing, plays, dice, cards, golf, horse racing, tennis, archery … and yes – public hangings!

12. Elizabethan Theatre Elizabethan Drama
William Shakespeare! Known as the best dramatist of all time.
Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson were also popular playwrights.
Plays were intended to be seen, not read. An emotional experience designed to get a reaction from the audience.
Theatres: three stories for audience seating, acting area was a platform, open area in the middle, groundlings sat in the pit.

13. Kabuki Theatre Life in Japan
Houses: Pit-dwelling house (columns in the ground surrounded by grass), elevated house, shiden-zuriki (garden home), shoin-zuriki (samurai home)
Food: rice, noodles, fish, vegetables, fruits
Clothing: kimono
Activities: tea ceremonies, floral artwork, theatre, anime, classical music

14. Kabuki Theatre Kabuki Drama Started in the 1500’s, still around today.
250 year ban on actresses.
Historical dramas (warrior stories) and domestic dramas (life of the commoner)
Stylized, beauty emphasized, lines have a sing-song quality, colorful, music incorporated.

15. Kabuki Theatre Kabuki Drama (cont.)
Theatre: Revolving stage for quick scene changes, flower path raised passageway, proscenium, curtains.
White makeup, often with red or blue bold lines.

16. Project Grading Time Period Presentation – 30% Theatre Model – 30%
This project is divided into 5 major components:
Time Period Presentation – 30%
Theatre Model – 30%
Play Performance – 30%
Quiz – 5%
Peer Evaluation – 5%

17. Getting Started – Day One Goals
Choose and break into groups of 4
Discuss which time period interests your group.
Turn in your top 2 choices to Mrs. Wallis.
Presentations will be Monday, October 10. Last major project of the quarter. !