1. THE BIRTHPLACE OF WESTERN DRAMA
GREEK THEATRE
THE BIRTHPLACE OF
WESTERN DRAMA

2. FESTIVALS OF DIONYSUS In honor of the god of Wine and Fertility
Myths relate to seasonal growing cycles and passions of Man
Purpose of worship was inducement of fertility
8th-7th Century B.C.--contests of choral dancing held at many festivals ; “dithyrambs”

3. DITHYRAMB “Ecstatic Hymn”
A RELIGIOUS CHANT OR SONG PERFORMED IN RYTHYM AND WITH DANCING

4. First Definite Record of Drama in Greece: 534 B.C.
“City Dionysia” (late March) reorganized
Contest for Best Tragedy instituted
Winner of first contest is Thespis, who also acted in the performance
Actors today are known as “Thespians”, in honor of the first known Greek actor.

5. GREEK WORD FOR ACTOR, MEANS “WEARER OF MASKS”
“HYPOKRITE”
GREEK WORD FOR ACTOR, MEANS “WEARER OF MASKS”

6. “CHORAGUS”
A wealthy patron, wishing to honor the gods, pays for the cost of a production
Precursor to the “Producer”

7. GREEK THEATRE STRUCTURES
“Amphitheatres”
Built onto hillsides
Originally temporary wooden structures, later made of stone
Were considered a form of temple
Some held up to 20,000 spectators

8. Parts of a Greek Theatre
ORKESTRA: circular acting space at center, translates as “dancing place”
THYMELE: Altar stone at center of orkestra
TEATRON: Spectator seating; “seeing place”
SKENE: Stage building behind orkestra; where we get the words “scene” and “scenery”

9. Parts of a Greek Theatre
PARADOS/PARADOI: entry ramps for the chorus between the Teatron and Skene; where we get the word “parade”
PERIAKTOI: Three-sided turnable column used as a scenic device, placed in space between columns of skene
MACHINA: Crane-like device used to suspend celestial figures above the action; “deus ex machina” means “god from the machine”

10. SKENE
STAGE HOUSE: provides scenic background, a place to change costumes, place to exit
Had one to three doors
May have been raised up off ground level
Developed a second story in later years

11. Side View: Orkestra and Teatron

12. Orkestra with Thymele, Skene

13. Teatron

14. AUDITORIUM “The Hearing Place” Includes Orkestra and Teatron

15. Seating for the Priests

16. The Head Priest’s Chair

17. GREEK PLAYWRIGHTS Only 5 playwrights and 45 plays survive
According to Aristotle, drama developed out of improvisation by the leaders of the dithyrambs
Early “plays”, such as those by Thespis, were no more than a discourse between one actor (“Protagonist”) and the chorus.
In later years, playwrights wrote 3 Tragedies and one Satyr Play for the contests at the City Dionysia

18. AESCHYLUS: B.C.
Tragic Playwright, Introduced Second Actor, “Deuteragonist”
Encouraged face-to-face conflict between characters
reduced importance of chorus, size from 50
Wrote AGAMEMMNON and PROMETHEUS BOUND

19. SOPHOCLES: B.C.
Considered greatest Greek dramatist, wrote tragedies
Created Third Actor
More concerned with human relationships than religious issues
Wrote OEDIPUS THE KING and ANTIGONE

20. EURIPIDES: 480-406 B.C. Last of great Greek Tragic playwrights
Reduced chorus to relatively unimportant role
Treated Gods with lack of awe
Wrote MEDEA and THE TROJAN WOMEN

21. ARISTOPHANES: B.C.
Comic Playwright, “Old Comedy”, discusses “happy idea”
Wrote LYSISTRATA, an anti-war comedy

22. MENANDER: 342-292 B.C. Comic playwright, “New Comedy”
More secular-based, often a comedy of “manners”
Copied by the Romans, more like a “sitcom”
Wrote ARBITRATION and DYSCOLUS (“The Old Grouch”)

23. GREEK TRAGEDIES General pattern developed by Aeschylus
PROLOGOS: establishes dramatic situation
PARODOS: Entrance of Chorus, “exposition”
EPEISODA: main action, equivalent of an “Act”
STASIMA: Choral interlude, makes comment on the action in the Epeisoda
Climax occurs in last Epeisoda, so that last Stasima allows final comment by the chorus
EXODOS: Final summation and exit of Chorus