Drama 6-12 FTCE Theater History

Elements of Tragedy

a heroic character, through unfortunate circumstances experiences a downfall-lead by the gods as a Punishment for the sin of Hubris, the sin of pride. Beginning the tragedy as an ignorant being but ends the tragedy as an enlightened being. The hero is not required to die to learn his lesson. But must go through a major change or enlightenment as the tragedy progresses.

Old Greek Comedy:

450 B.C.E. markd the start of _______________ which evolved from the celebration of the god Dionysus. Best known for its crude language and lack of restriction. Exercised poetic license to the fullest extent. Common for actors to verbally attack, ridicule and defame a well-known person who was generally disliked by the people of Greece. A source of entertainment and as a front for political campaigns. To better understand it is important that the reader look into the political climate of that era when the work was written. - ____________did not use myths or legends as a basis for plot.

Middle Greek Comedy

Dominant form of Greek comedy from the end of the fifth century to the middle of the fourth century BCE This form of comedy lacked a chorus, impersonated public characters on stage., getting rid of the political outlet- a shift to fictional characters rather than current and historical figures.

New greek Comedy

Fourth century through 260 BCE and focused on the idea of requited or unattainable love, introduced the character of the mercenary soldier returning home from war. Characters were common people who faced everyday problems. Eliminated a chorus and was received well by audiences because of the nature of the plays. Translated well into other geographic regions- and spread to Rome, Italy and England. - foundation for today's comedy.

Ancient Athenian Drama

Not only as a souse of entertainment but also as religious celebration. Religious connection was a result of the fact that Athenian plays were performed only twice a year, - during Dionysian festivals. Decisions on plays were chosen by the state- had a lot to do with government. State chose playwrights, and actors while the wealthy upper class citizens footed the bill. Plays were performed morning to night on several different occasions.

Origins of Satire

Invented by the Romans, a tool used to criticize the current social situations. Two forms: Menippean or Verse which ridiculed various social characters.- Example the Apogolocyntosis-

Verse satire created by lucilius bust most readily seen in the work of Horace, generally composed in epic meter. It is similar to Greek form of Old Comedy, in both were a means of attacking the injustices perpetuated by the political climate of the time.

Preservation of Greek plays

It was the responsibility of the Athenian Archons or magistrates to maintain records of Greek production. Recorded the names of the upper class citizens who financed the productions, the poets, actors, plays and contest winners. Written by Adapters. Now held in the Library of Alexandria.

Origins of Roman Theater.

Traced to Greek Roots - Borrowing much Greek theater Greek poets, using Greek actors - The first imitator of Greek theater. Forms were easily converted from Greek to Roman were that of new Comedy and Tragedy. . The chorus sat in the orchestra- Comedies were easily received.

Experience Attending a Roman Play

Day time production which lasted two hours. Performed before or after a noon meal. Comedy was dominate. Masks, wigs, costumes and makeup were used. Women were forbidden- Female characters were played by young boys. Early ampitheatres where audiences reclined on the ground. Few resources

Background were houses and flute players entertained the audience. Around 55BC audiences were entertained by cruse spectacles.

Decline of Roman Drama-

Offered little entertainment- daily live were filled with shocking drama- common for Romans to see Crucifixions, chained slaves paraded through the street, men killed by beasts in arena shows. - this culture has little tolerance socially or politically for the offerings of the theatre. Upper class began to move around and spread out- leaving people how were undereducated and would never be able to understand classical latin language which was commong in theater. No one as intrigued by arena shows and circus performers -this lead to the outlaw of drama by the Christian Churches.

Rise of Drama

The church began using drama as a form of spreading its beliefs. Priests would each read the lines spoken by one character in the story. Priests would act out the lines to capture the interest of the congregation. Performances were common during Easter and the tradition soon extended to Christmas mass, where the Nativity story was retold through a theatrical production. Production began to grow more elaborate- priests could no longer handle the multitude of roles in a performance and were forced to invite other to participate. Eventually the laymen took over and formed guilds and various organizations and thus handled each aspect of the productions.

English Cycles

Religious drama began as performances created by Priests began reenacting stories of Jesus. The popularity grew to such an extent that the priests could no longer handle the various roles and the walls of the church could not accommodate the eager audiences. The productions were originally a unit portraying a certain episode in the life of Jesus or a saint. These units were eventually linked together to form cohesive narrative called a_____________________

Three main groups of English cycles.

Creation of man and the Old testament.

The mystery of Atonement

History of the Living Church.

Old Testament Plays

Adam and Eve in the garden, the corruption of mankind, and the great flood.

Atonement tells the birth, life and sufferings of Jesu.

History- living church live of the saints, ministry of the apostles and the Miracle of Sacrement.

Morality Plays

15th Century miracle plays of the Middle ages gave way to this different nature. - Miracle plays started at the hands of the priest, episodes of the life of Jesus. - These plays grew into popularity- The plays about Jesus began to be refocused to the lives of everyday people. These plays began to teach a moral lesson. Examples: Good counsel, Prive and Avarice and the role of the Devil was popularized- the message maintained a religious tone- Good men were religious men.

Dramatic literature in the Middle Ages.

Drama was out loud as a vile and blasphemous spectacle- Roman experienced a fall from grace as the city of Constantinople became the new capital of civilization, during which time drama was mostly extinct.- Acrobats and traveling minstrels visited towns and performed for audiences and jesters and singers were called upon to entertain at the feast of rulers. Greek poets plays were looked upon as texts rather than scripts. People read forms of scripts, but did not feel that they need to place into action on the stage.

Midevil plays

Winchells traveled town to town and medieval days offering some source of entertainment the minstrels often dressed and festive costume and wondered between towns on the back of the mule. Ventral served in important role paving the way for the reintroduction of drama in the Middle Ages after Greek drama have been outlawed by the Christian church

Origins of pantomime

The ___________maintain a very distinctive role in productions until English actor Joseph multi reinvented the pantomime clown role in the Harlequin clowns especially were a common character in many forms of theater, and were generally portrayed as the servants of the more important character. Or mall day had a talent for visual tricks and general buffoonery and brought clowns to live through his elaborate mechanical tricks. Actor John Rich, and 1717, played the role of Harliquin in there Harliquin executed. Harliquin was originally a speaking part, but people like John Rich use only gesture, movement and facial expression to convey the same sentiments that had previously been express only three words

Prolecult

This is a term given to the Russian movement of 1917, which change it to create a form of art that was devoid of Bourgeois influence. The intent of this type of theater was to create productions in which political propaganda was not The Sole content and purpose. This type of theater served a reminder Russia's working class that they were subservient to an arrogant and often tyrannous upper-classthis form of there was also called Theatre of attraction was because it did not use plot driven Scripps, but I said Floyd random dynamic spectacles to shock the audience or solicit some other form of emotion.

Comedy of manners

This is a theatrical form credit it to William Wycherley, George Etheridge and William Congreve of 17 citrate England, through Oscar Wilde rejuvenated the form in the 1890s. This is characterized by the distance between us ascites selfish individual motives and simultaneously concerned of projecting the image of being polite, well mannered, educated citizens. This form of comedy became what is now known as a restoration company. The style is characterized by it's mocking of society and social norms and often targets marriage and love as the subject of its mockery.

Origins of the Elizabethan. Theater

The story of Robin Hood was popularized in tutor England by the companies roving players. Productions were held in Barnes and in as Public theater was poorly regarded by English government of the time. The government even attempted to stop the strolling players from performing in 1572 with the passage of the laws for bidding the practice. There was a concern that the performance was apt to incite rebellion among the population that the players were escorting diseases such as the plate from town to town. Only Actors hired by nobleman were allowed to perform and from 1572 to 1574 only for nobleman obtain a license to Beacon theater companies. As in Roman theater, women were for bidden from participation and female roles were played by young boys. The popularity of the performance is great to such an extent that James Burbage, in 1576, built a theater in London to accommodate a large audiences

William Shakespeare's roll

This is one of the most notable play right of the Elizabethan drama. Henry the fourth was performed in 1592, followed by Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, the merchant of Venice, King Lear, Julius Caesar and McBeth.tudor audiences favorite these plays involving the corrupt former kings of England and Elizabethan drama was both a source of entertainment and a podium for political propaganda these works were well received by the masses because it appeal to all classes and all levels of education. His work could you upon both current and classical period of the organization of the universe and man's place within this work was greatly influenced by the events of this time but it also maintained A unity that can be appreciated even today. Christianity was no longer the single source of religion, the authority of Rome was in question and capitalism was on the rise. The replacement of classical ideas with more modern knowledge and thought made audiences all the more receptive to the works of this person

Regulations imposed upon Elizabethan Actors:

It was common for nobility to employ troops of performers these troops begin rapidly and some falsely claimed to be in the service of this or that Lord members of false troops were often baggers and vagabonds from him nobility preferred to be distance. In order to regulate the activity of false troupe, credentials were granted to credible performers in the aristocracy that maintain them. Elizabeth Grant today royal patent, at first of its kind, to James Burbage and his for partners allowing them to perform anywhere in England. The only restriction was that political and religious subject matter could not perform on stage, which led to objections by groups who had previously encourage productions so long as they carried a religious message. In 1578 a total of six companies had a licenseto perform. Elizabethan times, it was also common practice for place to be right by several authors with the actual owner being the company to perform the piece

Restoration theater

This is also known as the comedy of manners. From us 20 years prior to return of the Stuart dynasty in England, Theatre was outlawed. Charles the second, rolling king of England in 1660, greatly influenced by his earlier years in Paris, allowed to companies of players to begin performing well he ruled England. William Davenant was in charge of the Dukes Company while Thomas Killigrew ran the Kings company. During this time, women began to appear on stage for the first time. The most notable playwrights of restoration comedy include William WYcherley, George Etheridge and William Congreve. Popular things of restoration company include the comical nature of love and marriage.

Indian drama

This is born from an ancient tradition which social and religious poetry was read to at celebrations and he. According to Indian lore, theater has mythical origins. This culture believe there were three ages of man, each growing more distant from the will of the gods. Cording to this philosophy, human again warring with each other, so the gods split the race into two sexes: men and women The goal of the split was to create love however, it only created desires for worldly things. Once the heart was drawn to our desire, man lost his ability to be introspective. Pitying man's insatiable desire is, the God in solicited the head God to create a spectacle so that humans could state their appetite. The head God came up with the idea of Natya Veda or the Veda of the theater. Drama is the fifth Veda, A combination of the four earlier Vedas, which are dance, song, mimicry and passion.

India's Indigenous drama:

india's drama is unique in that its development was unaffected by foreign influence. Early european scholars held the view that indian drama was originally and imitation of Greek Drama but modern scholars know this to be untrue. Many plays were written - thirteen of which exist today. The majority of the plays' lines were in the formof prose in which beauty, morality and wisdom were described adn reflected upon. Acting of violence and displays of affection were not part of indian productions., though the plays did use stock characters such as the sneaky servant, the hero and the jester. Magic was the subject of many performances, having a character changed into an animal and requiring the intervention of the gods. They play would end with another play.

British Theatre/ Attack by Puritans

Elizabethan drama came under attack by Puritanical minds. In 1622 popularity of theater declined rapidly, 1642 laws demanded that theatre's be closed. Lawmakers believer that theater was unfit indulgences for the times and that the minds of citizens should be focused upon political strife ocuring within the country. 1647 law threatened to improsion and punish anyone who attempted to violate the non theater laws, followed by another law declaring all actors vagabonds and required the demolition of any thater- related equipment and buildings. Actors who were found in villation of lows were fined, whipped, stripped of clothing and imprisoned.

Chinese Drama

rooted in and still holds true to religious tradition, heavy principles, superstitions and symbols of taoism, confucisnism and buddhism. Combinations of these beliefs allow for Chinese dramatists to create extravagant productions-set in unearthly realms- Highly involved with religions. Confucianism involves morality, the dead past and worship of man; Buddhism involves idolatry, the changing future and worship of images; Taoism involves superstition, evils in the present and worship of spirits

Noh Plays

Created by Kwanami Kiotsugu, were the dominatnt form of drama in 14th Century Japan. Featuring only one actor, incorporated the use of masks for the parts of woman or gods. This form of theater is characterized by its rigid structure and unchanging tradition. Play begins- Traveler reveals name and destination. Chorus describes the thoughts of the traveler. Traveler visits a ghost that must tell a story of suffering. Ancient legends are revealed through a combination of dialogue among actors and recitations from the chorus- Play ends as the traveler prays for the ghost to find peace and then a song is sung to honor the gods.

Kabuki

began in japan in the 16th Century. In the Japanese Edo Era, there was a strictly observed distinction between the warrior class and the common people. This form of theater addressed the injustices of the people faced with the harsh laws of feudal system. A means of expression for the merchant class. female roles are played by males called onnagata. Combines several other types of japanese theater.

Court Comedies

produtions that were to be performed for the queen. Variation on the popular pastoral drama form, many written by dramatist John Lyly.

Court Masques

introduced during the reign of Henry VIII in 1512. Players were members of the kings courts or even the royal family. Elaborate spectacles featuring music, costumes, scenery, mechanical effects and characters of mythological or allegorical origin, limited to private viewing by royalty as the performances were too costly to show in public theater.

Origin of Russian Drama

Drama made it ways to Russia in the 12th century exclusively performed for monestaries featuring different passion plays such as Adam dated 1507 and The life of the savior from His entry into Jerusalem which is dated 1533. A unique form of theater called Vertep. - which is puppet theater. The word Vertep means the Secret Place and refers to the cave to which Russian Orthodox Church believes Jesus was born. Russian Drama was very religious and centered around Christ.

Creation of Opera

17th Century Italy. Took the science of Music and make sure that the primary method of delivery became singing rather than dialogue unlike the Greek form which is speaking dialogue among actors- it became increasingly common for poets to write pieces specifically to be sung rather than spoken.

Origins of Spain

Known for its ballads which translates into a dramatic performance. ballads of spain contained legends that were introduced to the area from various locations. Spain's battle with the Moors had ended, but the culture of the Moors had left an imprint upon the Spanish. Travelers from the north of spain brought tales of chivalry, knightly quests and heroic tournaments. These stories as well as other make their way into the ballads. Lobe De Vega and Colderon De Barca characterize Spanis drama at its height.

origin of Realism

in the fifth year stint of Romanticism that began in 1852. It rejected the sentimental notion of the Romantics for a more practical view on life.- Sought to examine the inner motives of the human being, desiring to use art as a means of depicting real life, as opposed to the Romantics., who used art to express what they wanted live to be like. Realists rejected the Romantic idea that life was rational and emotionally fulfilling. This was an attempt to objectively portray life through various forms of art. The modern way of thinking was drawing organized opposition in France, Germany and England, Italy had no mass of opposition. Certain small groups and outspoken individuals criticized this, but there was organized movement to protest it in Italy as there was in other countries.

Origins of Vaudeville

Creator Tony Pastor, was a professional circus clown. A type of variety show involving various types of acts, usually unrelated to each other. Included singers, dancers, acrobats, comedians, animal acts, impersonators and magicians. these show were originally exclusive to bars and dance halls until Tony Pastor altered the style to make it suitable for the stage. In order to achieve the level of success that pastor wanted, he knew that he had to make the shows appeal to highly reputed citizens. Pastor rejected the lewd acts that were typical of vaudeville shows and banned drinking and smoking in the theater where the shows were held. Edward Albee and B.F. Keith also played a large part in shaping the vaudeville theater.

Position of Actor: Profession:

in the plays of ancient Greece, there were two distinct roles: an actor and chorus members. Chorus members were selected by a group called the Choregus, while actors were chosen by the state. The title of actor only applied to the person in the play with the most prominent dialogue. Early Greek plays featured only one actor with the number increasing to three in later years. Only a limited number were called actors, several characters were present in plays, most of who were silent or spoke only a few words. Before aeschylus, the profession of actor was not distinct that of a poet because poets generally performed as actors. This distinction came about when Aeschylus introduced the second actor, meaning someone other than the poet was required to play a role in the production. In the early Athenian contests, only the poets received awards for their playwriting skills, but by the fifth century, awards were given to actors for their talents, thus turning acting into a distinct profession.

Social position

Ancient Greece, the status of the actor was elevated over time. 5th century BCE acting became the profession Actors were often slaves or foreign captives who were made to perform in exchange for their freedom. Roman rulers passed laws forbidding certain high-ranking officials from entering theatres or consorting with those who participated in the theatre. Women rarely appeared in Roman productions and those who did so were limited o roles as mimes.

Evolution of Stage Lighting

Theater lighting was limited to the effects that could harnessed from the sun, moon and stars. Early theater was presented during daylight hours and the light that was cast upon the stage was cornolled by nature. The stages were build in a position where shadows would be cast upon the stage and was controlled by nature.

Candles for lighting effects in the 16th century- Italian Theater. English Theater 17th Century- Oil lamps, in the 18th century became the lighting method of choice- Gas lighting in the 19th century. London's Savory Theater in 1879 were the first to use electricity. In America, Boston's Bijou Theater was the first to install electric lighting.

`Contributions of Constantin Stanislavsky

German-Born- Influential figures of the 20th Century with regard to the acting process. Called the Stanislavsky System method. The fundamental principle of the Method is that it is the actor's primary responsibility to be believed. Method acting uses emotional memory. The approach was a novel idea in the acting world because it required actors to use parts of their own life, memories and personality while acting, whereas previous methods required actors to be blank slates, always ready to assume a new character's identity.

Lewis Carroll

pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, author of Alice's Adventure in Wonderland. 1865 and it's sequal "Through the looking Glass" 1871. His literary reputation rests on these two children's books, although he wrote several other novels including : The Hunting of the Shark 1876. A Tangled Tale 1885 and Sylvie and Bruno 1889. Carroll also wrote several significant works on logic mathematics. "Alice " was inspired by his favored child-friend Alice Liddell, and her two sisters to whom he related the story.

Born in England in 1832 became a mathematics teacher and redisent scholar of Christ Church College, Oxford. It brought him instant celebrity, and served as an entree to Victorian Society.

Louisa May Alcott

America's beloved Children's writer, novelist, and short story writer. Began publishing career writing popular "Dime novels" under pseudonyms to make a living. Publication of Little Women in 1868 and its huge popularity, allowed her to pursue serious fiction thereafter. Little Men, Rose in Bloom , Moods, Work. She as born in Boston in 1832 and reared in nearby Concord. Her father was the famous Transcendentalist thinker, Bronson Alcott. She died in 1888.

Mark Twain

Pen Name Samuel Langhorne Clemens. True American Voice in Literature. Writing Tom Sawyer, 1876 Adventures of huckleberry Finn. 1884 Life on the Mississippi 1883. His literary success made him popular lecturer in America and Europe. His travels abroad provided Twain with the material of Satirical "A connectitut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. 1889 The Innocents Abroad 1869 he died in 1910 in America.