Theater History

Take notes now.

No really, this will be on a test.

Seriously, I know there was no test last year but this year there will be a test.

Okay, I warned you.

Greek and RomanTheaterDramaan imitation of action not the action itself.-Aristotle

The role of drama in the ancient Greek culture was a specific one: it played a significant part in the religious rites of the period.

Thank you to Lycurgus who, aside from giving us that great name which I will probably give to my first born son, also established a library in 330BC, which was the only way in which we have any record of any of these early Greek works. While the Greeks were great at writing plays, they were not so great at keeping them for future reading, most of the early great works were lost. How do we know about the Greeks?

Thespis, was the earliest recorded theater practitioner. He was the first recorded winner of the competition for the performance of tragic plays. It is unclear whether he was an actor, a playwright, a priest, or all or some of these. I am a ThespianHis name lives on in the word Thespian, which is the name for someone who practices the art of the theater.

Greek Theater

DIAGRAM OF AN ANCIENT GREEK THEATER SPACEYou might wish to copy this down, this looks strikingly similar to the diagram that you will be drawing and labeling on the test. Only if you wantI dont want to bother you

Orchestra: a circular area with an altar in the center where the performances took placeSkene: A building behind everything in which the actors changed costumes The Ancient Greek Theatre SpaceProskenion: a raised platform that supported a small stage. AMC FULLERTON MOVIE TIMES WEDDING CRASHERS 2:00 4:15 6:45 7:05 8:45 10:00 WAR OF THE WORLDS 3:30 5:45 7:00 8:15 9:45 10:30 BEWITCHED 2:45 4:00 5:15 7:00 8:30 9:30 THE RED TIMES ARE ON THE CLASSIC SIDE THE YELLOW TIMES ARE ON THE STADIUM-SEATING SIDEAudience: Usually the theatre spaces were built into hillsides and the seating was arranged in a large semi-circle

Eccyclema: a platform on wheels used to display the effects of violence within a playPeriaktos: Triangle prisms which could be pivoted to reveal three different backgroundsThe Ancient Greek Theatre SpaceDeus ex Machina: (god from the machine) a crane-like machine that was used to lower an actor, playing the part of god, onto the stage in order to fix the problems at hand

THE CHORUSa group of actors onstage who often spoke in unison to prepare the audience for what is about to happen or what has just taken place

The mask was designed to be oversized in order to better convey the expressed emotion to an audience in a large theater.Some masks were designed with a megaphone-like mouth-piece in order to help the actor project his voice.Masks also allowed for one actor to play many different parts in the course of one play. The MaskWhat does it mean to project your voice?

The Tragedy: A play in which the main character(s) struggle against an outside force, and usually comes to a disastrous conclusion. Most of the successful surviving Greek plays were in the tragic form. THE TRILOGY (OH AND A COMEDIC PLAY MEANT TO MAKE YOU FORGET WHAT YOU JUST SAW)The Ancient Greek Plays & PlaywrightsTragedies were often presented in threes, connected by a theme or storyline, and then followed by a comic piece called a satyr play The Satyr play: These plays were used to sugar the pill of the tragedy and would often pick up the same story-line and poke fun at it. Sometimes these would be indecent or base.

A choric performer Sophocles (496-406 BC)The Ancient Greek Plays & PlaywrightsIntroduction of the third actorHis works became more actor-lead rather than choric-lead characterization by actionWrote over 100 plays 20 won him first prizeONLY SEVEN TEXTS SURVIVEDAjax, The Trachiniae, Philoctetes, ElectraTHE THEBAN LEGEND: His only remaining trilogy consists of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. What is the Oedipus Complex?

Late start studied philosophy and didnt win a festival until age 40 (next at 54) Euripedes (480-406 BC)The Ancient Greek Plays & PlaywrightsDeveloped the PrologueEmphasis on personal life daily livingWrote over 90 plays 5 won him first prize18 TEXTS SURVIVEDHis plays often dealt with serious, controversial issues in society: roles of women and illegitimate children. Many of his plays deal with a central female character that was shown as very strong

Used pen-name (pseudonym) Kallistratos Aristophanes (445-380 BC)The Ancient Greek Plays & PlaywrightsHe used his plays to poke fun at EuripedesOld Comedy: poked fun at period-specific events, people, and placesWrote over 40 comedies11 TEXTS SURVIVEDThe Clouds (mockery of Socrates & philosophy) The Frogs (mockery of Euripedes)Many of his plays poke fun at the poor and democracy. It is said that he was desperately trying to fit in with high class people.

Philosopher and scientist Aristotle (384-322 BC)The Ancient Greek InfluenceCathartic Effect it allows the viewer to watch the experience without being to involvedAristotle Quotes:The instinct for imitation is inherent in man from his earliest days, he learns earliest lessons by imitation. Drama is an imitation of action not the action itself.ARISTOTILEAN CASE

Roman Theater

Ancient Roman TheaterROMAN MASKSThe Roman masks were now more specific to archetypal characters: the handsome youth, the father, the prostitute, the parasite, the miser, the mother, the clever slave, and the braggart soldier(you do need to know these archetypes)

A freed slave Terence (190-159 BC)The Ancient Roman Plays & PlaywrightsAll of his plays were re-workings of Greek playsHis works were characterized as light and witty with a sophisticated plotONLY SIX TEXTS SURVIVEDAndria, Hecyra, Heauton, Timorumenos, Eunuchus, Phormio, AdelphiFour of his surviving plays are carbon-copies of Meanders Greek comedies Beginnings of stealing or borrowing works

Roman comic actorPlautus (254-184 BC)The Ancient Roman Plays & PlaywrightsPlays based on Greek worksPlays included debauchery, songs, jokes, and topical allusionsWrote over 130 plays - 20 TEXTS SURVIVED Seneca (4 BC 65 AD)Only example of Roman tragedy to survive His father was a famous rhetorician so he was often referred to as Seneca the Younger Became tutor to Nero (emperor of Rome) 65 AD he was implicated in a plot to assassinate Nero and was condemned to death but he took his own life