TribalOral TraditionStorytelling through dance

Origins of Theatre

Greek Theatre

…to explain the divine approach to favor and

disfavor

Purpose of Greek Theatre…

Began with dytharam (chorus)Performed in the orkestra (dancing

place)

Festival of Dionysus

Began with dytharam (chorus)Performed in the orkestra (dancing

place)532 BC first actor stepped out of the

chorusThespus won first best actor awardUsed masks to distinguish between

different characters

Festival of Dionysus

Began with dytharam (chorus)Performed in the orkestra (dancing

place)532 BC first actor stepped out of the

chorusThespus won first best actor awardUsed masks to distinguish between

different charactersPatrons paid for playwright to do

nothing but write plays to win competitions

Festival of Dionysus

Tragedy writersAeschylus – added a second actorEuripedes – wrote over 700 plays in his lifetimeSophocles – added a third actor

Comedy writersAristophanes – Old ComedyMenander – New Comedy

Greek Playwrights

Most important because it completely fulfilled the purpose of Greek theatre

Festival would consist of one or two days of dytharam then three to five days of tragedies

Most often written in trilogiesChorus always represented the voice of

reason and the voice of the communityJudges based decision for winner on how well

the play followed the tragedy rules

Greek Tragedy

Hero must be of noble birthHero must suffer from HUBRIS (fatal flaw)Hero must be at mercy of MOIRA(fate)Story must comply with unity of time,

space and plotStory must end badly for hero; either

death or exilePlay must bring about CATHARSIS

(emotional release)

Rules for Greek Tragedy

Only one performance of a comedy play at the very end of the festival

Must end well for heroOld comedy – physical and base humor, very

sexual, lots of slapstick, farceExamples: Saturday Night Live, Three

Stooges, Dumb and DumberNew comedy – More relationship based,

children vs. parentsExamples: Sit-coms, romantic comedy

movies

Greek Comedy