The The Renaissance Renaissance

TheaterTheater(pg 283)(pg 283)

Drama as Teacher: The Drama as Teacher: The ForerunnersForerunners

Some scholars believe medieval drama Some scholars believe medieval drama evolved evolved from church ceremoniesfrom church ceremonies

The four cycles of the early plays were named for The four cycles of the early plays were named for their towns of origin (York, Chester, Coventry, their towns of origin (York, Chester, Coventry, Wakefield)Wakefield)

Deus ex machinaDeus ex machina- “God in the machine,” artificial - “God in the machine,” artificial device used to arbitrarily resolve a plotdevice used to arbitrarily resolve a plot

Why was early drama so important because it Why was early drama so important because it taught taught lessons and morals lessons and morals and combined the and combined the comedic and seriouscomedic and serious

Before Renaissance drama, there were two main Before Renaissance drama, there were two main types of plays:types of plays: Miracle & MysteryMiracle & Mystery: Bible stories, lives of the saints: Bible stories, lives of the saints MoralityMorality: How to live and die: How to live and die

Plays in the early 1500s were often Plays in the early 1500s were often interludesinterludes: : one-act farces where the playwright got creditone-act farces where the playwright got credit

Old Traditions, New Old Traditions, New TheatersTheaters

Although new theaters were being Although new theaters were being built, many performances were built, many performances were taking place in itaking place in improvised spaces mprovised spaces or the large house of or the large house of royalty/nobilityroyalty/nobility

James BurbageJames Burbage took part in the took part in the creation of the first theater. It was creation of the first theater. It was named…named… the Theater the Theater

The Globe: “This Wooden The Globe: “This Wooden O”O”

The most famous of the theaters was the The most famous of the theaters was the GlobeGlobe because because ShakespeareShakespeare performed and performed and authored plays that were performed thereauthored plays that were performed there

The three main parts to The Globe Theater The three main parts to The Globe Theater were the were the building proper, tiring house, building proper, tiring house, stagestage

A trip to the theater cost A trip to the theater cost one centone cent; one could ; one could watch from the watch from the yardyard (standing), from the (standing), from the upper balconiesupper balconies (sitting, which cost more), (sitting, which cost more), and from the and from the stagestage itself itself

It held up to It held up to 3000 people3000 people Theaters were often closed due to Theaters were often closed due to epidemics epidemics

of the plagueof the plague

Up Close and PersonalUp Close and Personal Because they were so close to the audience, Because they were so close to the audience,

actors needed many skills, including actors needed many skills, including singing, singing, dancing, declaiming, wrestling, fencing, dancing, declaiming, wrestling, fencing, clowning, roaring, weeping, and whispering.clowning, roaring, weeping, and whispering.

The ceiling represented The ceiling represented the “Heaven”the “Heaven” and the and the floor represented floor represented the “Hell”the “Hell”

Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes The tiring house contained The tiring house contained machinery and machinery and

dressing rooms; it was the 2-story back wall dressing rooms; it was the 2-story back wall for the stagefor the stage

The The gallerygallery held the held the audience audience oror musicians, or musicians, or it was part of the stage it was part of the stage (balcony, tree, tower, (balcony, tree, tower, etc.)etc.)

To let the audience know if the production was To let the audience know if the production was taking place indoors or outdoors, the furniture was taking place indoors or outdoors, the furniture was moved moved forward through a curtain (indoors)forward through a curtain (indoors) or or backwards (outdoors)backwards (outdoors); ; dialoguedialogue was also a big was also a big clueclue

The Tiring House

Balconies

The Stage

Groundlings

Gallery

Heaven

Hell

The Power of Make-BelieveThe Power of Make-Believe The audience knew time and place for a scene The audience knew time and place for a scene

through through props and dialogueprops and dialogue Renaissance drama was “a drama of persons, not Renaissance drama was “a drama of persons, not

a drama of places because it a drama of places because it focused on focused on characters (characters (no setsno sets; dialogue gave the ; dialogue gave the time/place)time/place)

Pomp and PageantryPomp and Pageantry Although any scenery was basic, many things Although any scenery was basic, many things

about the theater were ornate (very decorative): about the theater were ornate (very decorative): the theater was the theater was painted brightly with curtains painted brightly with curtains and tapestries. and tapestries.

The actors wore The actors wore elaborate and expensive elaborate and expensive costumescostumes and used and used elaborate propselaborate props; they ; they staged staged complicated processions.complicated processions.

Music Most EloquentMusic Most Eloquent Music (Music (vocal and instrumentalvocal and instrumental) was ) was

used in the plays to used in the plays to set tone, announce set tone, announce a play, show character or mood, or a play, show character or mood, or entertain between actsentertain between acts

The songs in Shakespeare’s plays are the The songs in Shakespeare’s plays are the best because of best because of good lyric and dramatic good lyric and dramatic poetry; poetry; there was athere was a variety of songs variety of songs

Varying the VenueVarying the Venue Acting companies also performed in Acting companies also performed in great great

halls of castles or manors, (bear pits), halls of castles or manors, (bear pits), or private theaters (Blackfriars – a or private theaters (Blackfriars – a former monastery)former monastery)

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare Born in Born in Stratford-on-Avon Stratford-on-Avon on on April 23, 1564April 23, 1564 Performed his plays for two monarchs of England: Performed his plays for two monarchs of England:

Elizabeth I, James IElizabeth I, James I Shakespeare Shakespeare applied for a coat of arms and applied for a coat of arms and

bought an estate in Stratford bought an estate in Stratford to become one to become one of the “gentlefolk.”of the “gentlefolk.”

James I did much for Shakespeare and his James I did much for Shakespeare and his company: he became their company: he became their patronpatron (“The King’s (“The King’s Men”), gave them Men”), gave them patentspatents to perform anywhere, to perform anywhere, gave them gave them clothingclothing for state occasions, for state occasions, increased their increased their salariessalaries, appointed chief , appointed chief members to be members to be grooms of the royal chambergrooms of the royal chamber

Shakespeare wrote three types of plays: Shakespeare wrote three types of plays: Comedies, Tragedies, HistoriesComedies, Tragedies, Histories