Theatre of Spain
Life is a Dream: quiz/key due
The Imaginary Invalid: FINAL GROUPit is yours!

Get into your groups based on page numbers/last name and you have until 1:45 to write a POEM (that you will recite) that highlights the most important ideas of your section. Please make sure that all names are on the paper and that someone turns it in at the end of class.

Short History

Heavy Islamic Influence1200Christian kingdoms unite1276-drove Islamic groups to the Southern point1479Aragon and Castile/Ferdinand & Isabella1480Spanish Inquisition1492--????Holy Roman Emperors1519-1598:Charles I/V1556-1598: Phillip II-brother-in-law to Queen Elizabeth (married to Bloody Mary)Spanish Armada defeat (1588)1580-1680-Siglo de Oro/Golden AgePhilip III (1598-1621) & Philip IV (1621-1665)HUGE EMPIRE1500s/most powerful nation

Religious Drama

Small but not popular before the 1300s1500sautos sacramentales (acts of the sacrament)Corpus ChristiCarrostwo for scenery and then a portable stage p.138Procession carrying the hostbegan the festivalplays soon followed.Allegorical storiesTrade guilds until 1558-City Council took overProfessional troupes and dramatists then performed the playsCalderon wrote the autos for Madrid from 1647-1681

More on the autos

From two carros to fourServed as scenic pieces, entrances/exits, dressing roomsFaade of upper story unhinged to reveal something insideFlying machineryThe fixed stage needed to be larger40 feet wide by 20 feet deepTroupes were paid wellHad to give a preview performance to City CouncilSpecific performances for the King & governmentPublic last

Secular Drama

Beginning in late 1400sA renewed interest in classical works/why?All aimed at an aristocratic audienceNot necessarily influential on the professional theatre.Fernando de Rojas/novel in dialogueJuan del Encinahis plays were the first secular dramas to be performed in SpainBartolome de Torres Naharrohonor/vengeance themeEncina and Bartolome lived in Italy

Early Professional Theatre

1454Actors being paid to perform at Corpus ChristiLocation, location, locationItaly provided influence and competitionLope de RuedaActor-ManagerFarce sketches (pasos)Focus on fools and simpletons

Autores de Comedias
mid-late 1500s

Comediaany full length play serious or comicCape and sword playCommon themes: honor, love, patriotism, religionStructure/Typically 3 acts:LoaprologueEntremeses (interludes)Ended with a danceJuan de la Cuevapolymetry???Miguel de CervantesDon Quixote

Playwrights
Early 1600s

Lope Felix de Vega CarpioIn the Spanish Armada, business/love, priest800 PLAYS!?!?!?First playwright to really make a living out of itQuality or Quantity?Suspense, love, honor, optimism/didnt like unhappy endingsGraciososimpletonThe Sheep Well/Fuente OvejunaTirso de MolinaPolitical issues=exileDon JuanJuan Ruiz AlarconMexico, court life

Playwrights mid/late 1600s

Pedro Calderon de la BarcaWrote for the courtUniversity, personal issues, priest200 plays including autosCape and sword and honor playsZarzuela---what is this?Rojas Zorillapompous character/graciosoAugustin Moreto y Cabanaadaptations of VegaGOLDEN AGE 10,000-30,000 PLAYSNot super deep or universal

Actors and Acting

1587women first licensed to appear on stageBanning women did not work (1596)Theatre at court was #1Long hours for the actorGuild=Confradia de la NovenaRaised the social status of the actorRecruited from the common peoplePerformances could not contradict religious teachings.Better off than the English actorsWHY?

Acting Companies

1603-restricting Italian companies and 8 licensed Spanish companieslater raised to 12Sharing troupesAutos sacramentales or corralesContracts specified travel, food, and lodging Got paid after all expenses were subtracted16-20 men and WOMENLicensing for each play/excommunicationSalaried actorsPaid by the dayWorked for companies of the roadStayed in operation after the closure of the theatre

Costumes

Most actors had their own stockHelped to secure employmentMoor characters had special costumesSpecial prizes for awesome costumes

Performances (1600s)

Initially only on Sundays and Feast DaysEveryday except Saturday (not during Lent)Would close for mourning, war, and plaguesTypically began at 2:00p.m.Structurevery similar to the early structure:Music and dancingPrologueAnother danceComedia/play separated by entremesesDance concluded the production

Corrales and Coliseos

For theatre other than the autos sacramentalesCorrales (courtyards)=theatreEarly 1500sUnroofed until 1700sAwnings used for shadeCharitable confraternities A means of raising money for charityNot as much criticism1600sCorrales were leased to entrepreneursStill used as a means of fundraising until 1800sColiseosRoofed for court useOpen to public often

Encenario/Stage

Vestuario/tiring house

Patio

Gradas/bleacher style

taburetes

Protective awnings

aposento/ theatre box

alojeria/refreshment booth

Cazuelagallery for unaccompanied

women enforced by the alcalde

Tertuliaupper cazuela for city officials, intellectuals, and clergy

$$--Two fees

1 to the lesse

1 to the charity

Extra fee for gradas

or taburetes/men only

Aposentos:

Extra fees

Some owned year round

Desvanes/attics

The Stage and Scenery

Stage: Raised platformAction viewed from three sidesCurtains: Reveal DiscoveriesMansions and basic piecesTrap door and flying machinery

Audiences

Patio and cazuela=noisyThrew fruit Had noisemakers: whistles, keysAlcalde and his assistants would remind audience members to keep order.Had to work with the homeowner.

Theatre in the Americas

By 1581 Spain conquered:Bahamas, Caribbean, Cuba, Aztec Empire of Mexico and Central America, western South America, Florida, Portugal, and BrazilDid not value the customs or traditions of these other culturesAs much as 90% of indigenous populations were destroyed by disease, hunger, slavery, warfareWho was writing down this history?Why is that important?

Theatre in the Americas

Mayans: farce/baldzamil and dance dramaMan of the Rabinal Kingdomabout a rebel warriorRefuses to submit and is slain by eagle and jaguar warriorsStill performed todaySo demanding that each role is played by multiple actorsNicaragua: comic buffoon character/The Old ManPeru: Social satireFriars used theatre as a form of conversionNative song, costume and dance was incorporated.Sound familiar?Mexico: Focal point of Spain: New SpainPrizes for best play for Corpus ChristiSor Juana Ines de la Cruz1601:three acting companies in Mexico

Court Entertainments

Philip III (1598-1621): Theatre popular at courtPhilip IV (1621-1665): Lavish theatre at court, more Italian scenery, and outdoor performancesCosme Lotti: designer, floating stage on a lake, spectators watched from gondolas.Masquerades, tournaments, carnivals.The Coliseo1640frequently open to the publicFirst proscenium arch in SpainSpectacular performances

Decline of Spanish Theatre

1640: Catalan and Portuguese rebellions1646-1651: Public theatres closedDeath of royalty1651: Reopened, but not as much interestLate 1600sfinancial resources were depletedWHY?After Calderon, playwrights sought to reclaim previous gloryNo new ideas1700: End of the lavish and productive Spanish theatre.