Transcript Greek Theatre - reitzmemorial.org

GREEK THEATRE
Greek Theatre
• Texts: 30 tragedies and 12 comedies
• Archeology: buildings, painted vases
• Festival of Dionysus- 4days
• Between March and April-the beginning
of sailing season
• 10 members of the jury were voted on at
the beginning of the festival. Lots of
audience pressure!
• Extremely competitive.
• Winner’s name inscribed on wall of
theatre-Glory of state!
Greek Theatre
• 3 types of Greek plays
• Tragedies-Most important to
the Greeks and based on
myth and history.
• Comedies
• Satyrs
• 4 great playwrights-5th c. B.C.
• Aristophanes-comedian
• Aeschylus-tragedian
• Sophocles-tragedian
• Euripides-tragedian
Greek Theatre
• Open air, built into hillsides
• Raised seating
• Capable of holding large
audiences.
• Example: the theatre in Athens
that was built for the Festival of
Dionysus could hold at least
14,000 people.
• Many modern theaters are built
to mimic the Greek theatre
model.
CHORUS
Chorus
• The chorus was a group of 12+ welltrained young men.
• Many actors were members of the
chorus before they became actors.
• The leader of the chorus was called
the choragus
• They chorus sang, danced, and wore
elaborate costumes and masks.
• Very exciting and popular with the
audience.
• Chorus Modern theatre and music in
modern theatre.
Chorus
• The chorus bridged the gap between
audience and actors.
• set the scene
• Commented on the action
• helped the audience think about
relevant, important issues.
• Represented the opinion of the
people.
• Performed in the orchestra between
scenes. These interludes between
scenes are often referred to as odes
or stasimon.
Masks
• Dionysus
• 1. democratic god, not
aristocratic
• 2. shown as masked
• 3. possession, loss of individual
identity, dance
• Masks
• Religious worship
• Useful-change characters
• 2-3 actors on stage at a time
SOPHOCLES
Sophocles
• Born at Colonus in 496 B.C. Died when he
was 90.
• Wrote 123 plays
• Only 7 of his plays exist now
• First won at the Festival of Dionysus in 468 B.C.
defeated Aeschylus
• Won a total of 18 times at the festival
• Tried acting in his own play like his competitor
Aeschylus, but his voice was not strong
enough.
Sophocles
• Antigone was first produced around
441 B.C.
• Refused to leave Colonus/Athens
despite numerous invitations
• Close friend of Pericles and Herodotus
• Contributions to theatre:
• Skene painting
• Introduction of a third character into Greek
tragedies