2. Theatre History GREEK

3. Greek Drama 5 th Century 500 B.C. To 400 B.C.

4. Locations Theatres/Festivals held/built near sanctuaries or places of worship

5. Origins of Tragedy In 534 B.C., Athens instituted a contest for the best tragedy presented at the City of Dionysia. The City of Dionysia was the major religious festival. An actor by the name of Thespis was said to be the first winner of the contest. (also a playwright) During one of these festivals, Thespis created and used a prologue and lines-drama was born. FIRST ACTOR Aristotle wrote a book called Poetics. Poetics explained that hymn songs and dance were in honor of the Greek god of Wine and Fertility, Dionysus. Difference of goodness in the characters Difference in how the narrative is presented: telling a story or acting it out.

6. 5 Rules of Tragedy Must provide catharsis; purification and purging ofemotionsThe hero must possess a tragic flaw;Must be a change of fortune involving reversal ordiscovery;Must be written in highest form of poetry;Plots must conform to 3 unities: action, time, &place.

7. Literature We base what we know about Greek Tragedy on three major playwrights: Aeschylus 7 plays survived Sophocles 7 plays survived Euripides More complex plots/suspense Reduced chorus 19 plays survived Parts of a Play Prologue: Tells us what happened prior to the play being written. Parados: Entrance of the chorus (singing/dancing) Stasima: Main action of the play. Exodus: Concluding scene where characters and chorus leave.

8. The Satyr Play A burlesque treatment of mythology often ridiculing gods and/or heroes and their adventures Only one satyr play survived the ages: Euripides’ Cyclops

9. Greek Comedy Possible birth of Greek comedy: (the song of the komos) The mime appeared around 518 B.C. Making fun of other nationalities Protagonist often reached his goal

10. Greek Comedy One of the greatest playwrights of Old Comedy was Aristophanes Wrote 40 plays, but only 11 survived. He’s noteworthy for because of his commentary of contemporary society, politics, and literature.

11. Greek Comedy Characteristics of Old Comedy Fantastic exaggerations Farcical situations Plot emphasis on the pleasure of eating, drinking, promiscuity, wealth, and leisure.

12. The Greek Actor Originally, the playwright and the actor were one in the same. Hypocrite – to answer from under a mask By 468 B.C., three actors were allowed for each playwright. The chorus were the narrators, they dominated the play, they spoke half the lines, and they were usually above 50 people.

13. The Greek Actor Traits Voice was of great importance. Vocal Tone Setting the mood Showing and becoming a character

14. The Greek Actor Traits Movement and gestures Tragedy--simplified and broadened Men played all the roles Song, recitation, Choral passage, dance, and masks were used liberally and with great stylization

15. Costumes and Masks The costumes of the time period were actually the actors own clothes. Masks were worn to depict the different characters. Facial expressions were not important because they wore the masks. Vocal quality was more important because the masks restricted the voice.

16. Music and Dance Music Major part of Greek Drama Accompaniment for the genre was a single flute

17. Music and Dance Dance Used for any expressive rhythmical movement Was mimetical (I.e. expressive of a particular kind of character or situation) Basic dance of comedy was intentionally ridiculous Basic dance of the satyr had vigorous leaping, horse playing, and lewd pantomime.

18. Theatre Architecture The oldest part of the Theatre of Dionysus was the orchestra,dancing space. Theatron – Seeing place The audience stood around or up on a hill in outdoor theatre The Greeks felt that the Orchestra and the audience were the most important part of the theatre.

19. Theatre Architecture The skene, or scene building, was later built onto the orchestra The actors changed behind the skene and entered/exited here Became a backdrop Flats/moveable sets

20. Theatre Architecture The auditorium is where the audience sits. The parodoi is the entrance onto the orchestra from the skene Used primarily by the chorus Also used by the audience

21. Theatre Architecture The auditorium… The theatron is the seeing place First on the hillside Eventually, stone seats were developed.

22. Greek Machinery Ekkyklema was a devise used to reveal the bodies of the characters killed offstage. A platform Similar to an alter Machane was a crane that showed characters in flight. (Deus Ex Machina)