Greek Theatre
There have been many artistic achievements that have had a substantial role in shaping outlooks and tastes for cultures and generations for 1000's of years. Of all the different kinds of productions the Greeks have established, the tragedy is the most extraordinary of their spiritual contributions. Everything from style, intellect, appearance of stage, costume, and people had all been the main influences of drama and theatre over the past twenty-five hundred years. The earliest of Greek theatre's dates back to not long before 300 B.C.. The theatre itself was a large open-air structure consisting of three parts. Its original and central element was a level circle; some ninety feet in diameter called the orchestra (which means "dancing place") where the chorus performed. Outside one arc of the circle was a low rectangular building called skene or tent, the actors usually made there entrances and exits through and in it they changed their costumes and masks; eventually its front was decorated with simple paintings- whence the word "scenery". Rising from the circle of the orchestra was an auditorium of many tiers of stone seats, in sections divided by transverse passages. (Greek Drama, 11). The audience -area was r
The number stuck at three (for comedy also), sharing all the parts between them (Taplin, 17). As stated before the audience was moderately large. With this embarrassing possibility at stake, playwrights might flatter them with a gift in the beginning of the play. Each role had a different mask, but not necessarily a different actor. For example, a comedian might tell jokes or tease the audience in the beginning. There is some evidence of actors putting up temporary wooden stages. Although it was difficult to gain audience support at times, it may have been an easier task than gaining the people's attention. Whether these masks were derived from primeval cults of Dionysus, or were invented for the theatre, the players, actors and chorus alike, in tragedy and satyr play and comedy, all wore whole-headed masks, probably made with stiffened linen. The large crowds were very loud and probably did not notice when the actor first stepped onstage. If people disliked what was being presented to them they might interrupt it by mocking the actors or throwing food. The hallmark of the comic mask, male and female was that it was ugly- all its features were distorted from the ideals, which were typical of the tragic mask. Bibliography ---Brown, John Russell The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre University of Oxford Press Oxford, 1995 Hadas,Moses Greek Drama University of Virginia Press Virginia, 1962 Bieber, ---Margarete History of Greek and Roman Theatre Princeton University Press Princeton, 1961 Green, Richard, and Eric Handley Images of Greek Theatre Austin: University of Texas Press,1995 . The individual who judged plays were individuals whose favor could often be swayed by audience response.
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