Renaissance Theatre

1. Renaissance Theatre Drama 1-2 Biesbrouck

2. The English Renaissance

3. Background Theaters were built outside of London, across the Thames River in order to be outside the jurisdiction of city officials and laws. Sold apples, nuts, water, ale. Bathrooms are river or bucket.

4. Royalty Henry VII was King when Renaissance began. Henry VIII broke w/ Roman Catholic Church so he could annul marriage to Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn in 1534. Created Anglican Church- Protestant. Edward VI was King for short time. Son of Henry VIII. Mary- Queen and tried to reinstate Catholicism. 5 year reign- �Bloody Mary� due to of executions- daughter of Henry VIII Elizabeth I- Henry and Anne�s daughter, reigned 45 years during Renaissance so called �Elizabethan Period�- Ended Catholic claim to throne 1. Killed Mary, Queen of Scots. 2. Unite English people.3. Defeat Spanish Armada 1588.

5. Early Drama 1. Interludes- brief dramatic entertainments written and staged by professionals, court, and homes of nobility. 2. School drama- written and performed at schools, not for public. 3. Boys acting companies- Established by Elizabeth I for court entertainment. 4. University wits- graduates and professional dramatists wrote for boys, paved way for Shakespeare.

6. ELIZABETHAN PLAYWRIGHTS

7. Christopher Marlowe University wit Son of Shoemaker. Developed �mighty line� = iambic pentameter. Secret Gov. Agent. 2 weeks in prison for killing man in street fight. To be arrested for atheism, but stabbed to death in bar-> death said to be government related.

8. William Shakespeare Married Anne Hathaway Actor, playwright, shareholder of Lord Chamberlain�s men. Children Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.

9. Ben Jonson Developed �Comedy of Humours� Principal characters had an excess of one trait. Wrote �Isle of Dogs� so offensive that all involved imprisoned. Wrote masques for court.

10. Controversy Primary Source- material surviving from period. We do not know exactly what Globe looked like due to questions about Primary sources.

11. PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE THEATERS

12. Public Theater Globe- most famous, constructed 1599 by Burbage brothers. Outdoor 1500-3000 seats Lord�s rooms- level 1, boxes frequented by wealthy. Yard- floor in front of stage, lower-class stood. Groundling- people in yard. Trapdoors in stage. Tiring house- 3 story building used to change costume and store scenery, created basic scenery (like skene). Musicians gallery- 3rd level for musicians. Heavens/shadows- roof painted. Flag flown to advertise.

13. Private Theater Indoor lit with candles. All people could come. More expensive. 600-750 seats.

14. Cost

15. SCENERY No perspective sets. Used spoken descriptions. COSTUMES Contemporary English fashion. ACTING Not realistic due to double casting, type-casting, no women, so many plays.

16. ACTING COMPANIES

17. Lord Chamberlain�s Men All troupes had to be sponsored by noblemen and licensed by master of revels. 1594 founded by Richard and Cuthbert Burbage, Will Kempe, and Shakespeare. Globe was theater. Became King�s Men under James I.

18. Lord Admiral�s Men Phillip Henslowe and Edward Allyn. Played Rose and Fortune. 2nd to Lord Chamberlain�s Men

19. DEFINITIONS Shareholders- own part of troupe. Hirelings- actor hired for specific time and pay and they only played minor roles. Apprentices- young performers get training from shareholders, received room, board, training. Householder- owned theater Sides- actor�s lines and cues not whole script. Plots- outlines of dramatic action posted backstage. * No female actors in England due to religious attitudes. Actress was considered no better than whore.*

20. THE MASQUE

21. Masque Not in either public or private/ only presented at court, elaborate plays embellished with music and dance to praise the monarch. Ben Jonson major playwright of these. Indigo Jones was designer.

22. Indigo Jones Court architect and designer for James I and Charles I. Brought Italian innovations to England. Proscenium arch. Systems for changing scenery. Perspective painted sets. Designed elaborate costumes.

23. THE END of the English Renaissance 1642- 1649~ Civil War between Charles I and Puritanism. 1649~ Charles I beheaded, Oliver Cromwell rules. 1658~ Cromwell died, his son took over until 1660. 1642~ Theater outlawed, Puritans believed it taught immorality and was den of sin.

24. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

25. Background Trade growing- merchant/middle class grew in strength and power. Printing Press developed by Johannes Gutenberg. Sailing expeditions brought discoveries. Galileo, Copernicus, and Kepler proved sun, not earth is center of solar system. Italy known for comedic acting, dramatic criticism, theater architecture, and scene design. With plays only copy Greek and Roman.

26. Plays Religious Dramas- based on biblical stories and lives of saints. Intermezzi- Short pieces depicting myths, between acts of full lengths, spectacular effects. Pastorals- Satyr, short comic piece about romance. Opera- (Mozart) all sung, only form, still surviving.

27. Commedia dell` Arte

28. Not written, improvised, invented words and actions. Scenario- Plot outline. Actors played same stock characters: Pantalone- miserly, old, mask. Capitane- Coward, foolish, braggart soldier, mask? uniform. Dottore- Acedemic type? acedemic robe, mask. Harlequin, Zanni, Arlecchino- comic servant, mask, patchwork clothes. Lovers- no mask, present clothing mask and costume identify character.

29. Lazzi- repeated physical comic business. Slapstick- physical horseplay? was actual stick. (see this in Stooges, Laurel and Hardy) Influenced modern comedy and characters. I Gelosi- most famous troup run by Francesco and Isabella Andreini. Women could act only if related or married to actor.

30. Neoclassical Ideas

31. Imitate ? partly why no memorable plays. Rules to force authors to imitate Greeks and Romans. Decorum- Character behave based on sex, rank, etc. Verisimilitude- all drama �true to life� no ghosts or supernatural events. Unity of Time- Happen in 24 hours. Unity of Place- 1 location Unity of Action- 1 central story, no subplots. Didactic- teach lesson, all drama should be didactic. Genre- tragedy-royal people, end sad comedy- common people, happy

32. Theaters Teatro Olimpico- lst perspective and proscenium arch.

33. Designers

34. Sebastiano Serlio Visual realism in set design, using perspective- illusion of depth- appears 3-D on 2-D surface. Raked- slant upward-stage Backdrop Lighting with colors. Sound effects- thunder and lightning. Groove system of scene changes, flats in grooves on stage floor, could be slid off easily.

35. Giacomo Torelli Pole and chariot system of scene changes, winches and pulleys controlled flats similar to a fly system, but- winches under stage. Cutout flats- 3-D trees and shrubs.

36. Other innovations Glories-flying machines Color for lighting. Sound effects- wind, thunder

37. ORAL REPORT CRITERIA!!!

38. Groups of 2. Topic (subject)- Renaissance art, music, theater, lifestyle, ? Italian and English. Approve topic with Ms. B. Use at least 3 different sources (only 1 internet) Bibliography notecard. Presentation Teach lesson on topic. Use notecards- do not read source. Hand out- info. Measure understanding; quiz, crossword, w/s, question or test. Visual aid- poster, model, overhead.