history of theatre arts: part 1
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Theatre 101. History of Theatre Arts: Part 1. Drama. Greek word meaning “to do” or “to act” Born out of the dance ceremonies of primitive people before Greek civilization. Egyptian Theatre. Ritualistic rites = our idea of a play 3000 B.C. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
HISTORY OF THEATRE ARTS:
PART 1
Theatre 101
Drama
Greek word meaning “to do” or “to act” Born out of the dance ceremonies of
primitive people before Greek civilization
Egyptian Theatre
Ritualistic rites = our idea of a play 3000 B.C. Egyptian people were concerned about
life after death, which was illustrated in their dramas
Plays were written for important events (coronation of a new pharaoh)
Hebrew Theatre
No substantial evidence of definite theatre in Judea.
Biblical literature has theatrical elements:Job= 5 act play with prologue and epilogueSong of Solomon= chanting/ poetic dialogue
Greek Theatre
Unsurpassed legacy of theatre The Classic (Golden Age) of Greece
brought the greatest tragedies of all time500-400 B.C.
Religious homage to Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility
Ritual dancing and singing developed tragedy (tragos- “goat song”)
Greek Festivals lasted for days
Greek Theatre Comedies komos meaning “a band of revelers”
and tragedies took place during festival Plays were performed outdoors Sloping hill – amphitheatre
Held up to 20,000 people Far away from audience:
RhetoricalPlatform shoesMasks Megaphones
Greek Theatre
Costumes Mantels
Simple staging – scenery painted on boards
Greek tragedies were based on ancient myths (well known to audience)
Modeled many elements of Aristotle Playwriting contests
Greek Playwrights
First tragedian to win prize: ThespisFirst to add a leader to the “chorus”Leader became first Greek actorThespian- another word for actor
Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.)Father of TragedyGreatest tragic poet of all timeInvented the trilogy and added a second
actor to the playsCharacter : Prometheus
Greek Playwrights
Sophocles (496-406 B.C.)○ Great writer of tragedies○ Handsome, well-educated, multi-talented
Wrote more than 100 scripts and won 18 festivals
Electra, Oedipus Rex, and Antigone
Greek Playwrights
Euripides (480-406 B.C.)○ Boxing and painting○ Retired to a cave overlooking the sea
Unorthodox thinker who questioned religious ideas
First to humanize drama by appealing to the emotions
Medea
Greek Comedies
Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.)The finest comic writer of ancient GreeceSatireWrote about public lifeThe Birds, the Frogs, and the Clouds
Menander (342-291 B.C.)Wrote about domestic or private lifeIn 1957 his complete work The
Curmudgeon was discovered.
Greek to Roman
Caesar’s armies marched over the land Greek drama begin to deteriorate.
Romans established their theatre from the seeds of Greek drama.
Roman Theatre
Began with crude, native drama… Replaced with adaptations and
translations of Greek plays. Aristocracy frowned upon theatre
Audiences were lower classScoffed intellectuals and artists; demanded
spectacle and vulgarity○ Greek theatre became decadent & hollow
Roman Theatre Playhouses were portable wooden
platforms 61B.C.: Pompey built auditorium Caesar ordered playhouse to be built The Romans were first to use a front curtain 2 Roman playwrights to note:
Seneca (4BC-65AD): gory dramatist who wrote closet drama
Plautus (254-184 BC): plays influenced Shakespeare and others
Roman Theatre
Production of plays were soon overshadowed by spectacles:Gladiatorial contestsKilling of Christians and slaves
When Rome fell, the Christian church banned all theatrical activity
Chinese Theatre
2000 BCInterpretative dance
○ Dance that tells a storyReligious rituals
Eventually a school for actors was founded- Ming Huang
Drama was highly formalAncestor worship, military glory, and
faithfulness to a husband
Chinese Theatre
When Mongols invaded drama changedDemanded action, acrobatic stunts, songs
and dancesThese dramas came to be known as
“traditional theatre” Most acting is done by men Acting is regarded as a life study Graceful movements Symbolic props
Japanese Theatre- Noh
Based on ritualistic dance of Shinto religion
Noh plays appeared in the 14th century Written in a formal, classical language
Meant for aristocrats Short, serious, philosophical studies
combined with poetry, dance and music Scenery in Noh consists of one tapestry
hung on back wall
Japanese Theatre- Bunraku 17th century Doll Theatre
Wooden marionettesElaborately costumed
Japanese Theatre- Kabuki Japanese drama of the common man Incorporates song and dance
More melodramatic and sensational than Noh drama
Actors enter from flowerwayRamp that extends through audience
Colorful, extravagant Acting skill is all-important
Hindu Theatre 1500 B.C. Dialogue was used in religious hymns Brahma invented theatre Plays were composed in high class
language Scenery was a decorated wall with doors
leading to the greenroom Hindu theatre is very intimate, delicate and
retrained First to permit women to act on stage