� 2,500 years ago

� Athens, Greece

� Between 600 and 200 B.C.

� Greek plays still considered among the greatest works of drama today.

� More Greeks attended theatre, per capita, than any other civilization.

•HERCULES

•NIKE•ATLAS

•THE PALACE OF ZEUS

� Most Greek plays were based in the Greek

religion, with themes about man trying to

wrestle with the fates the gods had dealt

him.

� Myths are stories created to explain the

confusing occurrences of nature.

� MYTHOLOGY AND THE GREEK GODS

� ZEUS

� ARES

� APHRODITE

� HADES

� ATHENA

� NIKE

� AND OUR FAVORITE………………………….

� GREEK GOD OF WINE AND HARVESTS

� THE “PARTY GOD”

� FESTIVAL CREATED AROUND 508 B.C.

� 5 DAYS (3 TRAGEDIES & 1 SATYR)

� THE DITHYRAMB

� MEANS “CHORIC HYMN”

� STARTED PURELY AS A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY

� 50 MEN DRESSED AS SATYRS DANCING AND SINGING AROUND A GIANT STATUE OF DIONYSUS

� LATER TURNED INTO STORIES ABOUT ANYTHING…..

�DRAMA!!!!

The Theatre of Dionysus

•Orchestra: Literally the “dancing Place”

•Theatron: Literally the “seeing place”

•Skene: “Scene” or backdrop

•Paradoi/Eisodoi: Ramps

•Proskenion: In front of the scene

•Paraskenia: Beside the scene

•Terraced seating

•First wooden; later stone

•The “Dancing Place”

•“Scene”

•Behind orchestra

•Served as a backdrop, house

•Later became decorative

Plays are still performed in the Theatre at Epidaurus, built in 350 B.C

� AESCHYLUS (524-456 BC) TRAGEDY

� ARISTOPHANES (448-380 BC) COMEDY

� ARISTOTLE (384-322 BC) TRAGEDY

� EURIPEDES (480-406 BC) TRAGEDY

� MEANDER (342-292 BC) COMEDY

� SOPHOCLES (496-406 BC) TRAGEDY

� The sun provided the lighting.

� Torches were used, but as props.

� Costumes were large and flowing to allow for

free, athletic movement.

� Costumes had to make a strong visual

impression on the audience.

� Masks! Large strong faces.

� Masks had mouth holes. Some had

megaphones in them.

ONE SIMPLE FORMAT

1. PROLOGUE described the situation and set the scene.

2. PARADOS an ode sung by the chorus as it made its entrance.

3. KOMOS an exchange of laments by the chorus and the protagonist.

4. EXODUS the climax and conclusion.

� STILL THE FORMAT FOR

MUCH COMEDY TODAY

� OLD COMEDY

� NEW COMEDY

– MISTAKEN IDENTIES

– IRONIC SITUATIONS

– ORDINARY CHARACTERS

– WIT

� Greek Comedy is NOT very popular today because

the lyrics and jokes just don’t transfer very well into

other languages.

� AULOS- A flute like instrument used to

accompany drama.

� EMMELEIA- the dances of tragedy

� KORDAX- most common term for comic

dances.

� SATYR PLAY- Short comedic plays,

presented at the end of a tragedy;

forerunner of today’s cartoons.

•Could seat as many as 30,000 spectators

� A group of men acting on stage

� They usually spoke in unison

� They represented a group of Greek citizens, and provided background chants, similar to opera.

� They provided six important functions

1. A character in the play; it gives advise,

expresses opinions, asks questions, and

sometimes takes part in the action.

2. It would establish the social framework so

the audience could set up an opinion.

3. It served as an ideal spectator that reacted

to what was happening the way that the

playwright wanted the audience to react.

4. The chorus set the overall mood of the play

to heighten dramatic effects.

5. It added movement, spectacle, song, and

dance.

6. Served as an important rhythmical function.

It created pauses and slowed things down

so the audience could think about what

happened or what was to come.

� Considered first actor.

� Stepped out of the chorus and spoke alone.

� Modern term “THESPIAN” comes from him.

� All actors wore masks.

� Greeks placed emphasis on the voice.

� An actor was “great” if they had beautiful

vocal tone, and the ability to adapt the way

they spoke to the mood of the character.

� Voices did not even have to sound the right

age or gender!

� They did not allow women to act.

� Men played all roles.