Grecian Theatre: Structure, Plays, and Historical Context

What is a theatre?

dramatic representation as an art or profession OR a building used for dramatic art or performance

Dithyramb

"goat song" sung to the god Dionysus

Tretalogy

ancient Grecian theater contests (3 tragedies, 1 comedy)

Satyr Play

comedy element in tetralogy, often sexualized

Skene

Separates on stage from backstage

Orchestra

Chorus performance space

parados

entrance and exit points side stage

Theatron

viewing area

masks

primary costume pieces, indicative of god worship, symbolic of characters, very expressive for audience engagement

GREEK VS ROMAN

Decorum/ lack of

Religious/ entertaining

Civic/fun

Antigone

written in 441 for the play festivals, focused on 1 main isolated character

Aristotle's poetics

earliest surviving form of dramatic criticism

Aristotelian theory

material, efficient, formal, final

3 unities

time, action, place

Who forbids Olympic Games 300sBC?

Roman Empire

When did theatre become allowed again?

10 cent. AD

liturgical drama

sung parts of Mass

Mystery plays

bible stories, community style

Miracle plays

based on saint's lives, performed on feast days

Morality plays

allegories: good deeds, beauty, strength ( everyman)

wagons

portable stages typically for mystery plays

mansions

also for mystery plays, audience and stage stationary, hell mouth

reformation

1517-1648, 95 THESES > THIRTY YEARS WAR

renaissance

cultural shift from 1400s-1600s

England

professionalism

spain

women in theater

italy

improv

france

Aristotle on steroids

Shakespeare

-"the bard"

-born 1564 in Stratford-upon-avon

-the world's preeminent poet

-allowed English language a larger vocabulary / standardized English language

Lord Chamberlain's Men (King's Men)

primary holder of "rights" to Shakespeare's plays

English company of actors

3 Shakespearean Plays

Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet

Macbeth