Greek THEATRE

On the stage:The first Dramas were Choral and dance presentations In the mid 6th century an actor was added to respond to the chorus. Thespis is credited with this.Aeschylus added a second actor in the early 5th century and reduced the chorus to 15Euripides added a 3rd actorOften the actors took several parts – masks made this easyAristophanes used 3 actors – though in one part of the Frogs e has a 4th actor on stage

Stage

The theatre was constructed of three major parts: skene -The skene was the place where the actors

performed. It was originally a hut, tent, or booth. It was the

background for the play. orchestra -The orchestra was the main part of the stage

where the chorus was located at. It was the place where the chorus danced and sang.

theatron : The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra (see the diagram above

• Theatron-”seeing place”; where the audience sat

• Orchestra- “The dancing place”; where the chorus performed

• Skene (tent)- low rectangular building with uncovered passages on either side– Gives us the word “scenery” because it

was eventually painted and decorated• Parados – passage way into the theatre for

the choros in the ‘parados’ • Proscenium- level area in front of skene;

most of the action took place there; not a stage but possibly raised one step above the orchestra

• Altar to Dionysus- in center of orchestra; used for sacrifices; also a stage prop (tree, boat, etc.) Thymele: the focal spot acoustically of the orchestra (also called the “sweet spot”)

Greek Drama and Theatre - Theatres

The hillside on which the Theatre of Dionysus was built

Tragedy Costumes

• Originally, actors smeared faces with paint to hide their identity.

• Later they wore elaborate costumes with wigs, makeup and masks.

• Stylized masks amplified emotion and acted as small megaphones to project the actor’s voice.

• kothornoi (high elevated boots or buskins) to add to size

• onkos (vertically elongated mask with a high head piece)

• Needed in order to allow all 20 000 of the audience to see and hear what was happening

• Costumes chosen by the playwight, paid for by the Choregos

• grotesque padding, masks, and phallus.

• Phallus a symbol of Dionysus – the god of theatre.

• A chiton – short sleeveless shirt was worn.

• A cloak draped around some actors - himation

• No fancy high buskins for comedies.

Costumes in Comedy

Costumes

The costumes in the ancient Greek theatre also have a symbolic significance in the way the production is understood.

Since the hypocrits were all male, it was necessary to make them look female for female roles.

"In order to have a female appearance, they were playing wearing the ‘prosterniad’ before the chest and the ‘progastrida’ before the belly.

In order to look taller and more impressive they were wearing ‘cothornous’ (wooden shoes with tall heels)"

The costumes allowed the audience to know who the actor was trying to portray.

The most essential part of their disguise was the mask

Masks in Greek Drama

• Masks portrayed character types or character emotions to the entire audience, which could be up to 20,000 people crowded onto a hillside.

• These masks fit over the head, with a wig attached, and had large mouth openings so that speech would not be muffled.

• prevented the audience from identifying the face of any actor with one specific character

• allowed men to impersonate women without confusion

• helped the audience identify the sex, age, and social rank of the characters

• were often changed by the actors when they would exit after an episode to assume a new role

Masks prevented the audience

from identifying the face of any actor with one specific character

allowed men to impersonate women without confusion

helped the audience identify the sex, age, and social rank of the characters

were often changed by the actors when they would exit after an episode to assume a new role

Theatrical Machines (mechanai)

The ekkyklema (“a wheeled-out thing”) was a cart on wheels which carried a dead body onto the stage.

It was sacrilegious to show a character actually dying on the stage.

• The mechane (machine) was a crane-like machine that could lift a character up as if flying, or could carry an actor, usually in the guise of a god, to the top of the skene.

Theater of Epidauros (built 330 B.C., near modern day Nauplion, Greece)