Greek Theatre

1
Greek Theatre

• Humanities I
• Mrs. Cave-Mattie

2
The Roots of Drama
Ancient
Rituals
(Google Images)

• Drama is a Greek word meaning to do or to
  act.
• Drama is rooted in sacred ritual.
• It has been built on traditions that are up to
  2500 years old.
• The earliest forms of civilization acted out
  activities that were important to them before
  engaging in them.
• They believed that this form of drama would grant
  them success in meeting their real needs. They
  felt that by imitating the intended act, they
  would increase their chances of success in the
  act.
• Many plays were performed by these people to
  teach the young boys about the rituals they would
  soon partake in (hunting, fishing, war, etc.).
• Can you think of how individuals in todays
  society might do the same thing?
• Since most people were not able to read,
  religious plays were performed to teach important
  religious beliefs that the particular culture
  held in highest esteem.
• Are religious plays performed in our society?

(History of Theatre)
3
Ancient Festival
(Theater Animations)

• Many cultures made use of choral hymns and dances
  in their worship. This practice parallels what
  we commonly see in musicals that are performed in
  todays society.
• Classical forms of tragedy and comedy are said to
  have sprung from these folk celebrations.
• Todays drama is the direct descendant of
  primitive ritual, teaching ceremony and ancient
  festival.
• Isnt it interesting how although so much has
  changed, so much has also remained the same?
• Do you think this will be true 100 years from now?

(History of Theatre)
4
Greek Theatre

• The Classic, or Golden Age of Greece (500-400 BC)
  brought about the greatest tragedies of all time.
  The legacy of Greek Theatre has never been
  surpassedeven to this day.
• Greek drama has its roots in Greek religion.
• Celebrations were held in honor of the god of
  wine and fertility, Dionysus. During these
  celebrations, dancers would chant around the
  altar.
• This chanting evolved into Greek Tragedy, and the
  dancers became known as the chorus.
• Tragedy competitions were held in Athens each
  spring between many playwrights.
• By the 5th century, BC, a man named Thespis of
  Attica invented acting by designating one
  member of the chorus to stand out from the chorus
  and respond to them. This is why actors are
  often called Thespians.

Statues of Greek actors (Google Images)
(History of Theatre)
5
Greek Theatre

• Special practices of drama are called conventions
  and are based upon the traditions and customs of
  that particular time period.
• Greek Conventions
• Chorus
• Plays were performed outdoors
• Acting area was called the orchestra
• Theatres sat up to 17,000 people
• Actors wore thick shoes to appear taller
• Only three actors played all major roles
• Long speeches were the rule, rather than quick
  exchanges of dialogue
• Speeches were delivered more to the audience than
  other characters, taking away even more of the
  realism we expect today
• Rule ALL VIOLENCE MUST TAKE PLACE OFFSTAGE.
  Acts of violence must be out of sight by the
  audience. Usually a messenger or other character
  would enter and tell about the murder, suicide,
  or whatever had happened.
• Masks were constructed so that the mouthpiece
  amplified the actors voice
• Plays were based on myths and legends that the
  audience already knew about. The audience
  usually knew in advance how each play would end.
  This allowed the audience to concentrate on
  appreciating the poetry of the speeches, the
  skill of the actors presentations, and the
  spectacle of masks, costumes, and movements of
  the chorus.

The Greek Chorus (Google Images)
(History of Theatre)
6
Greek Playwrights

• Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
• Often called the Father of Tragedy
• Plays dealt with the interaction between gods and
  men,
• with emphasis on the inevitability of
  suffering.
• Known for his Orestia trilogy
• Sophocles (496-406 BC)
• Responsible for the addition of the third actor
  on stage
• He wrote over one hundred plays
• He won the City Dionysia prize 18 times
• Only seven of this plays have survived
• Known for Oedipus Rex
• Euripedes (480-406 BC)
• Youngest, most modern, and least popular of the
  three great writers of tragedy.
• Emphasized psychological motivation and social
  consciousness
• Appealed to the emotions by including in his
  plays a look at the small details of the daily
  lives of his characters
• Aeschylus wrote about gods, Sophocles wrote about
  heroes, and Euripedes wrote about men.

Sophocles (Google Images)
(History of Theatre)
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Greek Playwrights

• Aristophanes (448380 BC)
• The eleven surviving plays are the only examples
  we have of what is called Old Comedy.
• Wrote very funny and popular social satire
• He poked fun at public figures such as Socrates
  and Euripedes.
• He was not above having the gods come out second
  best in plays.
• Menander (342-291 BC)
• He is known for New Comedy.
• The only surviving work of this style was written
  by Menander
• He wrote comedies dealing with daily life and
  domestic situations
• His plays featured characters such as clever
  servants, protective fathers, and young
  loverstypes who have been standards in the comic
  theatre ever since.

Aristophanes (Google Images)
(History of Theatre)