1. The Origins and Development of Classical Greek Theatre (The 6 th and 5 th centuries BCE) Robert Cohen, Theatre, Mayfield Pub. Co., 1996

2. How we know about Greek theatre 43 intact plays Fragments of other plays (transmitted to us through long and tortuous journeys of scribing and translation) 1 piece of criticism: Aristotle’s Poetics (written in 335 BCE, 200 years after the birth of theatre) Archaeological remains of several theatres

3. Theatre of Dionysus (Athens) Remains of the stone version of the theatre, built in 325 BCE

4. Theatre of Dionysus (Athens) Remains of the stone version of the theatre, built in 325 BCE

5. Theatre had its origins in religion and religious ritual Theatre of Dionysus, dedicated to the Greek God of Fertility, (wine, agriculture, sexuality) New dramas performed at the annual festival of Dionysus Festival involved a week of drinking and fertility rituals and worship

6. Greek Religion Greek religion > polytheistic Geek deities > anthropomorphic Shaman > conduit between the divine and the human

7. Dionysus

8. The Choric Dithyramb Rhythmic choral song or chant of vehement or wild character and of usually irregular form Rituals began as gatherings in threshing circles at harvest time, designed to give thanks and prayers to Dionysus. These rituals were the re-enactments and story telling of the death and resurrection of Dionysus. Supplicants sang songs and sacrificed goats. Ritual Symbols: Phallus –Fertility; Goat - Death and appeasement; Wine – Resurrection; Song - Voice and Prayers; Circle – Female; Alter - Decorum / Presentation; Phallus – Male

9. The Choric Dithyramb 50 priests clad in goatskins danced around a huge phallus erected in a circle of leveled earth (probably a threshing circle) Audience of spectators surrounding them Drunkeness an integral part of the ritual (possible magic mushrooms too) Bulls, goats sacrificed

10. The Birth of Theatre Theatre developed out of the dithyramb 534 BCE – Thespis moves out of the chorus and assumes the role of hypokrites (answerer) who engages in exchange with the chorus Thespis also invents the mask, enabling him to adopt the role of a number of characters > Story could now be revealed through action and dialogue

11. Thespis

12. Tragedy Tragedy: "play or other serious literary work with an unhappy ending," from O.Fr. tragedie (14c.), from L. tragedia "a tragedy," from Gk. tragodia "a dramatic poem or play in formal language and having an unhappy resolution," apparently lit. "goat song," from tragos "goat" + oide "song." The connection may be via satyric drama, from which tragedy later developed, in which actors or singers were dressed in goatskins to represent satyrs. But many other theories have been made (including "singer who competes for a goat as a prize"), and even the "goat" connection is at times questioned. Meaning "any unhappy event, disaster" is from c.1500.

13. The Evolution of Theatre in the 5 th Century The playwright, Aeschylus, increased the number of actors to two, allowing for dialogue between them. By Aeschylus’ time, the dithyrambic chorus had been reduced to twelve Sophocles introduced a third actor, allowing for overheard dialogue

14. Dramatic Forms Plays presented in a competition as part of the City Dionysia On the third day, five comedies presented A tetralogy presented on fourth, fifth and sixth day Three playwrights would present tetralogies (three related tragedies and a satyr play) Tetralogies selected in advance by archons and produced by wealthy sponsors