1. Introduction To Theatre

2. Introduction to Theatre
Theatre: Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
While elements of theatre date back thousands of years, the Greeks truly established theatre and drama as we know it today.

3. Intro to Theatre Why would theatre begin? Preservation of culture
Payment to the gods/God
Entertainment

4. Preservation of culture
Initially rituals and celebrations were developed to honor the gods.
The rituals included: song, dance, sacrifice, and prayer
Through these traditions, a people’s culture and tradition could easily be preserved

5. Payment to the Gods/God
The Greeks had a festival known as the City of Dionysia to honor the god Dionysus
Dionysus – the Greek god of wine and fertility
Rituals, songs, and sacrifices began to take shape in to standard story lines and developed in to what we now see as theatre

6. Ancient Greece
Eventually the Greeks assembled a massive theatres to honor the gods and traditions of theater
One such theatre is the Theatre at Mt. Parnassus or The Theatre of Dionysisus in athens

7. Theatre of Dionysius - Athens

8. Ancient Greek Theatre
The theatres were built in to hillsides and designed so everyone could hear and see the play
Ancient Theatres sat roughly 12,000 – 14,000 spectators (The United Center seats 22,00)

9. Greek Drama Greek Drama fit in to 2 main concepts
Tragedy – a play that ends in a funeral
Comedy – a play that ends in a wedding

10. Greek Drama Aristotle wrote a piece known as Aristotle’s Poetics
In his writing he identified the six elements of Theatre that are still applied today

11. 6 elements of theatre
Plot
Character
Thought
Diction
Music
Spectacle

12. Plot Def: The pattern of events or main story in a narrative or drama
There are seven elements to a plot line

13. Elements of Plot
Exposition – when the audience learns any new information about character, setting, or plot
Exposition can take place at any point throughout the story. EXPOSTION IS NOT ONLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY!!!
Setting: Any information about time, location, and any other information about where the story takes place.

14. Elements of Plot
Inciting Incident - point in the story that sets all the events of plot in to motion
Think of the inciting incident like lighting the wick of a giant firework or knocking over the first domino in a pattern

15. Elements of Plot
Rising action – builds up the tension and eventually leads the story in to the climax
Includes complications, and plot twists, betrayals, etc.

16. Plot Elements
Climax – The peak, or turning point, in a a plot dramatic or dramatic action
If the story is a tragedy, this where everything turns ugly and goes wrong for the protagonist
If the story is a comedy, this where the protagonist begins to do well.

17. Plot Elements
Falling Action – The decline of action in a plot line immediately following the climax
Denouement - the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work
Translation: An untying

18. The Performance Space

20. Types of Stages
Proscenium Stage: Like a picture frame. The audience sits on one side to watch the action through the frame (also known as the fourth wall). Often, curtains hide the scenery until the play begins.

23. Continued…
Arena or In-the-round Stage: The audience sits all around it. The actors enter and exit from the aisles or sometimes from tunnels under the audience.

26. Continued…
Thrust Stage: A combination of the arena and proscenium stages. The audience sits on two or three sides of the acting area, which projects, or thrusts, into the audience area from a rear wall, which has some kind of scenery. The actors enter and exit through the audience as in an arena stage and also through doors in the rear-wall scenery as in a proscenium stage.

28. Theatre Layout Terms
The Lobby: The area where the audience gathers before, during intermission, and after performances. Restrooms, concession stands, and the ticket booth/box office are located in the lobby.
The House: The area where the audience sits.
Light and Sound Booth: Where the lighting and sound control boards are located. Located above the audience in the rear of the house.

29. Continued…
The Stage House: The area including the stage and the fly space above (where scenery and lights are suspended on ropes or “flown”).
Proscenium Arch: The picture frame through which the scenery and action are viewed.
Grand drape: The front curtain, which is typically made of luxurious fabric in deep colors.

30. Continued…
Apron: An acting area than extends forward beyond the arch on a proscenium stage.
Back wall: Separates the stage house from the backstage area.
Backstage: All areas other than the stage, house, and lobby in a theatre. The dressing rooms, make up rooms, and green room are backstage.

31. Continued…
Green Room: A lounge area in which actors may wait while not onstage or greet audience members after the performance.
Call Board: A bulletin board where rehearsal times, performance changes, and special notices are posted.

32. Stage and Body Positions

33. STAGE POSITIONS ARE FROM THE ACTOR’S POINT OF VIEW!!!
THE AUDIENCE
The Stage

34. THE STAGE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS ACROSS.
THE AUDIENCE
Left
Right
Center

35. THE STAGE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS FROM FRONT TO BACK
THE STAGE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS FROM FRONT TO BACK. UPSTAGE IS AWAY FROM THE AUDIENCE AND DOWNSTAGE IS TOWARD THE AUDIENCE. “THE ACTOR COMES DOWN TO THE AUDIENCE.”
THE AUDIENCE Up
Center
Down

36. THE ACTING AREA BECOMES A GRID OF 9 AREAS.
THE AUDIENCE
Up Right
Up Center
Up Left
Right Center
Center
Left Center
Down Right
Down Center
Down Left

37. So why is down stage down and up stage up???

38. In the Renaissance, stages were RAKED
In the Renaissance, stages were RAKED. They actually sloped down toward the audience to allow audience members to see the action.
Audience
Stage

40. Actor’s Body Positions
Full Front
Full Back
Profile Left
Profile Right
¼ Right
¾ Right
¾ Left
¼ Left