Greek Theatre

1. Greek Theatre Historical Profile: Sophocles

2. The Theatre Space • Links with sacred ritual and with the social and political system • All plays were written for the annual spring festival of Dionysus • Held in large, open-air theatre built into natural slope of the hill • Hel 14 – 15,000 spectators on wooden benches

3. Performances took place during daylight hours • Orchestra – a circular area with an alter in the center • Skene – building in back of orchestra which served as the setting for all plays • Proskenion – framework in front of the skene

6. Theatre of Dionysus • 1st plays were performed her in Athens at the beginning of the 5th century • So popular they soon spread throughout Greece

7. Who is Dionysus? • According to Greek Mythology, he was the son of Zeus – only god born of one god and one mortal parent • He was the god of wine, fertility, and revelry

8. Raised by satyrs, killed, dismembered, and resurrected • Other gods had temples, the cult of Dionysus met in the wood • It was believed he could liberate and inspire man. It was also believed that he could endow man with divine creativity. Therefore, he came to be considered a patron of the arts.

9. “City of Dionysia” • Established as a festival in honor of the god Dionysus. • Featured competitions in music, singing, dance, and poetry • Most remarkable winner was Thespis.

10. Thespian • Of or relating to drama; dramatic: thespian talents • Thespian: of or relating to Thespis

11. 4 Qualities of Greek Drama • 1. performed for special occasions (Athens had 4 festivals worshipping Dionysus) • 2. competitive – prizes were awarded, actors and playwrights competed • 3. choral – there was singing and dancing, composed of men (3-50) • 4. the stories were based on myth or history

12. Essential pieces of Greek Drama • The play • The actors • the chorus

13. The play: Types of Greek Drama • Comedy • Tragedy • Satyr plays

14. Comedy • Late entrance into the festivals • 1st comedies were mainly satirical and mocked men in power • Master of comedy - Aristophanes

15. Tragedy • Late point of attack • Violence and death offstage • Frequent use of messengers to relate information • Usually continuous time of action • Usually single place • Stories based on myth or history, but varied interpretation of events • Focus on psychological and ethical attributes of characters, rather than physical and sociological

16. Dealt with love, loss, pride, the abuse of power, and fraught relationships between men and gods • Typically main character commits terrible crime without realizing it • 3 great playwrights – Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides

17. Acting Thespis priest that walked away from the chorus during a presentation of a story and, instead of singing, began to recite words and create extra dialogue FIRST ACTOR and PLAYWRIGHT

18. Large Theater: too large to depend on facial expressions or vocal inflections to convey characters • Had to rely on physical gestures and their ability to declaim the poetry of the script • Stylized character masks – could easily be seen by all audience members – also help project the voice

19. 3 actors to play all roles, including female ones – no females on stage, masks helped with this • Chorus included about 15 actors who represented townspeople and other groups • Chorus remained in the orchestra and sang, danced in ritualistic/formal patterns and commented on the action • No stage directions written down

20. Style of Costumes • Same as Greek daily wear • Both men and women draped themselves in robes of finely woven wool or linen – much variety was possible • Variety of colors, elaborate embroidery • Held in place with pins, laces, or belts • Sandals (both men and women) – calf high boots (soldiers) • Top robe and switch of the mask could completely change a character in minutes