HISTORY OF WESTERN THEATRE

HOW DID THEATRE, AS WE KNOW IT, COME TO BE?

GREEK THEATRE

• Rooted in Dionysian festivals of the 6TH CENTURYB.C.

• Life cycle / rebirth, in honor of the god DIONYSUS

• Began with only a chorus speaking / unifying story. Later they held drama contests to honor him

• THESPIS + first actor

• THESPIAN = actor

THESPIS (534 B. C.)

• Defined Theatre

• art of acting a part on stage

• dramatic impersonation of a character other than yourself

• Uncertain whether he was a playwright, an actor, or a priest

• The term “Thespian” comes from his name. It is another word for “actor”.

DESCRIPTION OF GREEK THEATER• Took place in large hillside

amphitheaters. Some held up to 20, 000 people!!

• Players included a chorus and their leader.

• Lines were chanted.

• Chorus performed in an “orchestra”, not on a raised platform.

• Only Men performed.

•

MANY OF THE STAGE TERMS WE USE TODAY CAN BE TRACED BACK TO GREEK THEATRE

• ORCHESTRA – flat performance space in front of hillside

• SKENE – structure to wall off portion of stage

• PROSKENION – façade on the first floor of the skene

• MACHINA – crane-like hoist

• CHORUS – explained, commented and engaged

• TRAGOIDIA – origin of the word TRAGEDY.

GREEK MASKS

• Every character has specific mask

THE RISE OF TRAGEDY

• AESCHYLUS

• Sometimes called father of tragedy. Author of ORESTEIA. Introduced concept of second actor.

• SOPHOCLES

• Introduces third actor and tragic flaw. Author of ANTIGONE and OEDIPUS REX. Characters questioned the will of the gods.

• EURIPIDES

• Inner conflict – man vs. conscience. Master of expressing PATHOS, the mix of human sorrow and compassion. MEDEA is his most famous work.

COMEDY

• Origin not certain

• Improvised portions of Dionysian festivals?

• Groups (komos) joining Dionysian processions and exchanging barbs?

• Notable writers:

• ARISTOPHANES – Old Comedy

• MENANDER – New Comedy

ROMAN DRAMA

ROMAN DRAMA

• Mostly adaptations from Greek. Result of invasion. Degraded theatre into debauchery. (Latin word for play – “ludus”)

• ANDRONICUS – first Roman writer (from a Greek colony)

• PLAUTUS

• TERENCE

• Performed in AMPITHEATERS

• SENECA – wrote “CLOSET DRAMAS”, plays meant to be read rather than performed.

MEDIEVAL THEATRE

MEDIEVAL THEATRE

• 400 AD, Augustine: “The Theatres are falling, those sinks of uncleanness and public places of debauchery. And why are they falling? They are falling because of the reformation of the age, because they lewd and sacrilegious practices for which they are built are out of fashion.”

• Ironically, it is in the church that drama is reborn. A century later, the church begins producing morality and liturgical plays to communicate to the uneducated masses.

MEDIEVAL THEATRE

• TROPE – short dramatized scene from the Bible.

• LITURGICAL SONG – Question and answer song performed by Monks.

• SAINT PLAYS – based on legends of Saints

• MYSTERY PLAYS – stories based on biblical history.

• PASSION PLAY – based on the last week of Christ’s life.

MEDIEVAL THEATRE

• Although against theater during Roman Empire, churches are most responsible for bringing theater back

• Church needed to establish itself in the community.

• Began using drama to tell stories about religious holidays

MEDIEVAL THEATRE• By late 14th century, plays

presented by CRAFT GUILDS and performed on PAGEANT WAGONS.

• FOLK PLAYS– planting, harvest related.

• ROBIN HOOD plays – based on a hero stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

PLAYS MOVE OUTSIDE

• MORALITY PLAYS– dealt with principles of right and wrong.

• “EVERYMAN”

RENAISSANCE THEATRE

RENAISSANCE (1400 A.D.)• Revival of the Greek drama as OPERA.

• Comic troupes – COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE.

• Improvised scenarios using humorous stage business (LAZZI) using stock characters including INNAMORATI (young male lover) and INNAMORATAE (young female lover)

• Spain – CERVANTES, LOPE DE VEGA, and CALDERON.

• France – professional theatre developed under the patronage of the STATE.

COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE

ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

ELIZABETHAN DRAMATISTS

• SHAKESPEARE – noted use of SOLILOQUY.

• CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE– first use of BLANK VERSE.

• BEN JONSON– specialized in ENGLISH COMEDY and made use of existing beliefs about the HUMORS.

ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

• Began early afternoon; ended just before dusk

• Women never on stage; parts played by boys

• Attended by all classes of society

• Refreshments sold during performances

• Audience in a “holiday” mood

ELIZABETHAN PLAYHOUSE

• Inspired by INN YARDS.

• Included:

• PIT – area surrounding the stage.

• GROUNDLINGS – playgoers who stood in the pit.

• HEAVENS – roof with specialized celestial paintings.

• TIRING HOUSE – actor’s dressing room.

RESTORATION DRAMA

• 1642 – 1660 – government controlled by PURITANS and all theatre banned. Actors thrown in prison.

• ENGLISH ROYAL PATENT OF 1662. Theatre organized under the state, women first appear as actors.

• Stage was RAKED.

• Notable authors: WILLIAM WYCHERLY, WILLIAM CONGRAVES, and GEORGE FARQUHAR.

AFTER SHAKESPEARE

• Moliere

• Trained Commedia actor used many of the traditions, plots and devices of that training.

RESTORATION DRAMA

SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER

ENGLISH DRAMA SINCE 1700

• REALISM

• RICHARD BRIMSLEY SHERIDAN– author of SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL and creator of MRS. MALAPROP.

• OLIVER GOLDSMITH – Author of She Stoops to Conquer.

• OSCAR WILDE– Noted use of EPIGRAMS and clever dialogue. Author of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

ENGLISH DRAMA SINCE 1700

• GEORGE BERNARD SHAW – author of PYGMALLION, CANDIDA, MAN AND SUPERMAN.

• “life force” – belief that humanity will improve.

• “thinking persons society” – wanted to convert more to “thinkers”.

THEATRE COMES STATESIDE

THEATRE IN THE U.S.

• DAVID DOUGLASS managed THE AMERICAN COMPANY.

• Troupes from ENGLAND were first on the American stage.

• The BARRYMORE family produced a number of noted American actors.

• Early notable actors:

• IRA ALDRIDGE – an African-American

• CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN – played male roles.

AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS

• EUGENE O”NEILL – plays include: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and Strange Interlude.

• LORRAINE HANSBERRY – A Raisin in the Sun.

• CHARLES GORDONE – first African-American Pulitzer winner.

• ALISON’S HOUSE by SUSAN GLASPELL is another Pulitzer Winner.

• Neil Simon author of Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Rumors, Brighton Beach Memoirs.

MUSICAL THEATRE

• Vaudeville + Jazz

• Showboat! – the first hit musical

MUSICAL THEATRE• The addition of technical implements gave rise to the

theatrical nature of musical theatre.