A Brief and Comprehensive Look at THEATRE HISTORY

1. A Brief and Comprehensive Look at THEATRE HISTORY Technical Theatre Horizon High School

2. GREEK THEATRE • Religious festival in honor of the God DIONYSUS; the God of Wine and Fertility • Held in Athens • The festival…nicely put was basically a drunken orgy • The festival was thought to have lasted anywhere from 7 to 15 days • Playwrights would enter plays into a contest; the winner won money and a ivy wreath as a symbol of victory

3. GREEK THEATRE • THESPIS is credited as the first actor; stepped away from the chorus and delivered lines independently from the chorus (International Thespian Society is named in his honor); actors are generally referred to as thespians • Actors of Greek theatre played more than one role; to distinguish between the different characters actors would wear large masks; the comedy and tragedy mask (symbol of theatre) originated from this practice

4. GREEK THEATRE • COMEDY: light humorous dramas with a happy ending • TRAGEDY: the main character suffers a disastrous end • SATYR (satire): made fun of Greek legends • All of these play types were written and performed during this time period… although the interpretation of these art forms has evolved they are still the general dramatic forms still written and performed at present

5. GREEK THEATRE • Greek philosopher ARISTOTLE wrote the work The Poetics; important topics of theatre such as PLOT (what happens), THEME (the ideas and messages), CHARACTER, MUSIC, DICTION (speech), and SPECTACLE (what is seen) were discussed… these topics are still the primary focus of theatre actors and directors in modern theatre

6. GREEK THEATRE Greek theatres were constructed in hillsides using the natural slope of the hill for seating the audience ORCHESTRA: Large circular area located at the foot of the hill; location from where the chorus would chant their lines Behind the ORCHESTRA was a raised platform where the actors performed a small building called the SKENE was at the back of the platform-it was where the actors would change their masks- the front of the SKENE was used to represent location; modern day word SCENE comes from SKENE

7. GREEK THEATRE • Greek theatre used specialty machinery; most noted was the platform on wheels and the DEUS EX MACHINA (literally translated God by Machine)-a device used to lower actors from the top of the SKENE to the stage; used to show the dissention of Gods from the Heavens to earth • Greek era considered to be the most important time in theatre history

8. SOPHOCLES: wrote tragedies; Oedipus Rex AESCHYLUS: wrote tragedies EURIPIDES: wrote tragedies ARISTOPHANES: wrote comedies MENANDER: wrote comedies GREEK PLAYWRIGHTS

9. THE MIDDLE AGES • Other names for this period in history include the Dark Ages and the Medieval Era • Theatre was banned by the church during the Middle Ages because it was thought to be evil and vulgar • In an effort to spread the teachings of God further into society CYCLE plays were developed and performed during church services as well as in the towns and villages; CYCLES: A series of biblical plays

10. THE MIDDLE AGES • Traveling performers presented their plays from PAGEANT WAGONS • Even after banning theatre the church is credited with giving the theatre new life in the latter part of the Middle Ages • After theatre began to take up too much time in the church service the responsibility of the performances was turned over to the CRAFT GUILDS

11. RENAISSANCE • Meaning re-birth – a renewed interest in the arts and sciences • The birthplace of the Renaissance was Italy during the 15th Century • During this time period theatre was very influential and elaborately staged productions were used to entertain the royal courts and the upper class.

12. RENAISSANCE • Theatre moved indoors and better methods of lighting were developed • Realistic 3-D scenery began to be used • Italian theatre was set within in an arch called the PROSCENIUM-which serves as a picture frame through which the audience viewed the performance • Music, song, and dance were incorporated into theatrical productions

13. RENAISSANCE • Opera became very “fashionable” for the upper class during the Renaissance: considered prestigious and artful • Commedia dell’ arte became “fashionable” for the middle and lower class during the Renaissance: considered crass and with low reputation; all work was improvised • Commedia dell’ arte was mostly performed by traveling groups

14. RENAISSANCE • Stock characters were used in all commedia plays • The most important of the characters was Harlequin- the clever servant-recognized by his patchwork costume • Pantalone-the foolish old man-recognized by his baggy trousers; present day word pants was derived from name and costume

15. RENAISSANCE • The Renaissance spread throughout Europe; the French often imitated the Italian theatre • Spain performed religious dramas and adventure plays

16. RENAISSANCE PLAYWRIGHTS • MOLIERE, France; Tartuffe • Lope De Vega, Spain; wrote religious and adventure plays • Calderon, Spain; wrote religious and adventure plays • Between these two men there are over 700 plays to their credit.

17. ELIZABETHAN THEATRE • The Renaissance of England; known as the Elizabethan era as it took place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I • During this time their were several talented and noteworthy playwrights such as Christopher Marlowe who wrote important tragedies and Ben Jonson who wrote important comedies but their plays were overshadowed by William Shakespeare…who is thought to be the greatest English playwright of all time.

18. Shakespeare’s Theatre • WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: 37+ plays and 100+ poems and sonnets to his credit • Shakespeare’s works were enjoyed by both the royal court as well as the common people • Audience members did not expect realistic portrayals of life during the Shakespearean time period

19. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • Shakespeare and his partners built The Globe theater in 1599 in Southwark; located on the bank of the Thames River • The Globe was a 3 storied building with a small hut on top of the roof • A flag was raised atop the hut on the days when there was to be a performance • The Globe enclosed an open courtyard; the courtyard was referred to as the pit

20. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • The GROUNDLINGS would stand to watch the performances from this area; these were the cheapest seats in the house • Surrounding the pit were the SEATING GALLERIES where patrons would sit to watch the performances; these were the more expensive seats; patrons seated here were protected from the sun and rain by the thatch roof

21. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • The MAIN STAGE- a large platform that protruded from one end of the pit; most of the action in the play took place on the MAIN STAGE • A trap-door was cut into the center of the MAIN STAGE to allow ghost and demons to appear and disappear during the plays • The trap-door was also used as a grave in some plays

22. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • A roof covered the MAIN STAGE; this protected the actors and their costumes from sun and rain • Suns, moons and stars covered the under side of the roof; this area became known as the HEAVENS because of its decorative drawings • Actors portraying angels and spirits were often lowered from the HEAVENS to the MAIN STAGE area

23. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • A curtain hung between the MAIN STAGE and the INNER-BELOW- a small room in back of the MAIN STAGE area • The curtain would open to reveal interior locations during a scene • Above was a balcony that overlooked the MAIN STAGE area • Behind the balcony was another curtain that lead to the INNER-ABOVE which was used in the same manner as the INNER-BELOW

24. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • Two additional balconies were located on each side of the MAIN STAGE • No scenery was used during performances • Furniture was used to indicate location • Thrones were used to indicate palaces or castles • Tree branches were used to indicate an exterior or outdoor location

25. Shakespeare’s Theatre: The Globe • Plays contained many short scenes in a variety of locations • Since no scenery and special lighting was used a greater emphasis was placed on colorful and elaborate costumes, musical accompaniment and special sound effects

26. RESTORATION • Puritans forced King Charles I out of power; after his death the Commonwealth was established but ended in 1660 when Charles II was named king…thus begins the Restoration Era • Return from exile on France Charles II brought many French influenced changes to the theatre

27. RESTORATION • Charles II issued royal patents to two of his friends which allowed them to establish two officially legitimate theaters • These were the only 2 theater groups allowed to perform in London • The term legitimate is still used to refer to LIVE THEATRE • One of the groups built the Drury Lane; a theatre still in operation today

28. RESTORATION • For the first time beginning in 1660 women were allowed to appear and perform onstage • At first the idea was extremely controversial but eventually the idea of female actors (actresses) became very popular

29. RESTORATION • THOMAS BETTERTON eras most famous actor • ELIZABETH BARRY, ANNE BRACEGIRDLE and NELL GWYNN most famous actresses of the era • During the 18th Century DAVID GARRICK achieved fame as an actor, playwright and theater manager; still referred to as England’s greatest actor

30. RESTORATION • Most audience members were part of the upper class; all classes no longer attended the theater • Playwrights wrote to please the new selective audiences; often including current gossip as content in their plays • Generally audience members went to the theater to be seen not to see the performances

31. RESTORATION • The wealthy patrons often sent their servants early to save the best seats; patrons would usually arrive after the performance had already begun • Ladies would typically wear masks at the theater to hide their identities

32. RESTORATION PLAYWRIGHTS • WILLIAM WYCHERLEY; The Country Wife • RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN; The Rivals, The School for Scandal • WILLIAM CONGREVE, The Way of the World • OLIVER GOLDSMITH, She Stoops to Conquer • APHRA BEHN; one of theatre’s first woman playwrights

33. ROMANTICISM • Major literary and artistic for of the 19th century • Romantic theatre represented life as people wished it would be rather than how it really was • Beliefs of the period were driven by the individuals feelings and emotions • Began in Germany • The most popular entertainment form of the period was the MELODRAMA-an emphasis on the story as opposed to the characters

34. ROMANTICISM • Special effects emerge onstage during this era; special effects shown onstage included fires, floods, train wrecks, and horse races • Over-exaggeration vocal techniques and gesturing were indicative of the Romantic acting style

35. ROMANTIC PLAYWRIGHTS • JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE: The Faust • ALEXANDER DUMAS: The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo

36. REALISM • Began in reaction to Romanticism • Represented things as they were in real life • Dealt with social problems • Scientific discoveries were often incorporated into the storyline of the Realist plays • The mind ruled over the emotions • Most plays did not have a happy ending • Initially not very popular art form • Still a major artistic form today

37. REALISM • New acting style became necessary with Realism; more subtle and believable • CONSTANTIN STANISLAVSKY: a Russian actor and director and fellow colleagues from the Moscow Art Theatre developed “METHOD ACTING” • Still has a great impact on acting techniques used today

38. REALIST PLAYWRIGHTS • HENRIK IBSEN: the father of Realism; wrote about subjects that had never been in plays before- A Doll’s House, Hedda Gabbler, An Enemy of the People- work considered very controversial for the time • AUGUST STRINDBERG: explored the psychology of character; The Father • Anton Chekhov: wrote about changing society in Russia; The Cherry Orchard • George Bernard Shaw: dealt with political and social issues

39. MODERN THEATRE • ADOLPHE APPIA & GORDON CRAIG improved scenery and further developed the 3-D scenery design • Incorporated MOOD & ATMOSPHERE into the theatre with the use of lighting • Latter 20th century regional theatres are established • Theatre today continues to grow and exhibit a mix of styles

40. MODERN PLAYWRIGHTS • EUGENE O’NEILL: first American Playwright to achieve an international reputation; Anna Christie, The Hairy Ape, Long Days Journey Into Night • TENNESSE WILLIAMS Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie • AUTHUR MILLER The Crucible, Death of a Salesman

41. MODERN PLAYWRIGHTS • LORRAINE HANSBERRY: first prominent African-American female playwright A Raisin in the Sun

42. MUSICAL THEATRE • Musicals are the most popular form of theatrical entertainment • The musical tells a story through a combination of spoken words (dialogue), song and dance • The musical first appears in the United States in the mid-1800’s

43. MUSICAL THEATRE • The first musical was The Black Crook • The Black Crook was first performed in 1866 • Early musicals had a strong European influence • RUDOLF FRIMEL, SIGMUND RHOMBERG, AND VICTOR HERBERT were the three major musical composers at the beginning of the 20th century

44. MUSICAL THEATRE • Musicals written by these three include: Naughty Marietta, The Red Mill, The Student Prince, and Rose Marie • George M. Cohan is the first major American born musical composer. • Cohan’s musicals include: Little Johnny Jones and Forty-five Minutes from Broadway • During this time, music from Broadway musicals was considered the Popular music of the time and was what was being played on the radio

45. MUSICAL THEATRE • Other Notable American Composers include: • Jerome Kern, Showboat • Showboat, is one of the most important musicals ever written because it was the first to deal with serious subject matters and done in a realistic manner • George & Ira Gershwin, Of Thee I Sing • The popular song “Old Man River” was written for this musical • Of Thee I Sing was the first musical awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1932

46. MUSICAL THEATRE • Irving Berlin, Annie Get Your Gun (1946) • Cole Porter, Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes • Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Showboat, Oklahoma! (1943), The King and I, The Sound of Music • Oklahoma! Is the first to present the musical as a unified combination of music, words and dance that flowed with seamless transitions to tell the story • This presentation is still the president for the manner in which musicals are presented today

47. MUSICAL THEATRE • Notable composers of the 1950-1960’s: • Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, My Fair Lady, Camelot • Leonard Bernstein, West Side Story • Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story, Company, Sweeny Todd • Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick established a Broadway record with 3000 performance • Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line broke the Fiddler on the Roof performance record just a few years later

48. MUSICAL THEATRE • Andrew Lloyd Webber is the most important modern musical composer in history • Webber’s works include: Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Evita • Stephen Schwartz, Godspell, Pippen, Children of Eden, Wicked

49. THEATRE HISTORY • THE END.