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History of Drama
I. Origins
Western drama actually begins in ancient Ethiopia, with the development of the wooden threshing floor.
I. Origins
The concept of the stage gradually migrated to southern Greece, where the ancients Greeks fell in love with drama.
II. Greek DramaFirst, they built huge outdoor amphitheaters
II. Greek DramaNext, they added Changing Houses and rudimentary scenery
II. Greek Drama
• Basic Rules of Greek Drama– No females on stage– Very little scenery or props – Very little movement on stage– Costumes were togas and, occasionally, theater masks
II. Greek Drama
• Popularity of Greek Drama– Plays were hugely popular, mostly among
peasants who had little else in their lives in the way of entertainment or relief from their misery.
– Occasionally, members of royalty would attend.– By about 450 B.C.E., drama was so popular that
the Greeks would stage annual contests. The most frequent winner? Sophocles. The Prize? A stipend and a laurel bough.
II. Greek Drama
• The most impressive feature of ancient Greek amphitheaters???
The acoustics
II. Greek Drama
• Carnegie Hall– 1891, built by
William Burnet Tuthill
II. Greek Drama – The Poetics
• Aristotle– The Poetics– Written about 335 B.C.E.– Formalized the rules of drama
II. Greek Drama – The Poetics
• Tragedy1. High, noble characters2. Great fall from a great height, usually ending in
death3. Fall due to internal character flaw (Hamartía)4. Starts in order5. Becomes slowly chaotic6. Moment of catharsis (pity, fear)7. Ends in restoration of order
II. Greek Drama
• Comedy1. Deals with commoners2. Starts in order3. Becomes quickly chaotic4. Chaos due to masks, misunderstandings, and
mistaken identities5. Restoration of order, usually marriage
II. Greek Drama – The Poetics
• Aristotle’s Three Unities1. Time2. Place3. Action
II. Greek Drama – The Poetics
• Dramatic Progression1. Exposition2. Rising Action3. Reversal (Peripeteia)4. Recognition (Anagnorisis)5. Climax6. Denouement (falling action, unknotting)
III. The Romans
IV. The Dark Ages
IV. The Dark Ages
• Very little drama• Only clergy and royalty knew how to read &
write• Only plays written were Miracle and/or
Morality plays, usually based on Old Testament tales
V. The Renaissance
• Actually began in Florence in about 1400
• Lorenzo Ghiberti• The Gates of Paradise• Kinda looks like the
Tardis
V. The Renaissance
England• First theater built in 1576• It was called The Theatre (duh)• Other theaters soon followed, including:– The Rose– The Swan– Blackfriars, and . . .
V. The Renaissance
The Globe Theatre
V. The RenaissanceThe Globe Theatre
• First built in 1599 by carpenter Peter Street using timbers from The Theatre• Owned mostly by Richard and Cuthbert Burbage,
though Shakespeare had a small share• Lord Chamberlain’s Men• Still only male actors• Performed year round• Burned in 1613, rebuilt 1614, closed 1642
V. The Renaissance
Then one day in 1989 . . .
Ta Da!!!!!
Ta Da!!!!!
V. The Renaissance
Okay, it was actually only found in 1989, but fully rebuilt by 1998. But an interesting story . . .
V. The Renaissance
Shakespeare World Tour• Occasionally, Elizabethan acting troupes would
go on tour to put on performances in the outlying provinces since the poor rarely ever travelled more than five miles from home during their entire lifetimes. To help draw in crowds, the troupes would add . . .
V. The Renaissance
1. Bear Baiting
V. The Renaissance
V. The Renaissance
2. Cock Throwing
V. The Renaissance
Dramatic Difficulties1. Plagues2. The Clergy (Minister of Revelries)
VI. The End of Elizabethan Drama
• 1649, Charles II Overthrown & Beheaded
• Oliver Cromwell forms The Protectorate
• Cromwell dies 1658• 1660, the throne restored
by royalists and loyalists – Charles III
VII. 17th Century
• Charles III restores drama, but in a vastly different form1. Indoors2. Private residences (i.e., the wealthy)3. Masques, Occasional Drama4. Music now an integral part
VIII. 18th Century
Music became such a well-loved aspect of drama that most plays were now written without a spoken word –in other words, opera was born.
La Scala Opera House, Milan, Italy
IX. 19th CenturyDrama finally achieves a foothold in America. Where?
IX. 19th Century
Okay, it didn’t really look like that at first. In fact, drama was very slow to catch on in the U.S.1. Low popularity2. Slowly spread via community theaters3. Ah! Universities!
X. 20th Century
Still, drama experienced fairly limited appeal until one play came along and changed everything.
One play to rule them all,One play to find them.
One play to bring them allAnd in the darkness bind them.
X. 20th Century
And that play was . . .
Fiddler on the Roof?
West Side Story?The Lion King?
Mama Mia???
X. 20th CenturyNo!!! It was . . .
X. 20th Century
Cats was the first megamusical, the first play with a million-dollar set, and the first play to earn a gazillion dollars, showing investors that plays could make them
rich rich rich!!!
X. 20th Century
So . . .what professional musical plays have you seen?