Ancient Greek Theatre as an Athenian Social Institution

             The theatre in the City Dionysia was a great semi-circle on the slope of the Acropolis, with rows of stone seats. The front row consisted of marble chairs; these were reserved for the priests of Dionysus and the chief magistrates. Beyond the front row was a circular space called the orchestra, where the chorus sang, and in the centre of which stood the altar of Dionysus. Behind the orchestra was a stage on which the actors acted, at the back of which was a building to which the actors retire when they were not wanted on the stage or had to change their costumes. The completed stone auditorium seated 14,000 people nevertheless only a small population could have attended at any one time, thus while the theatre may have been open to all, only about one-tenth could have attended any given performance. Due to this, an introduction of tickets and admission fees were introduced, the price being two obols per ticket. To equalize the opportunity to attend, 'theorical funds' were introduced to provide tickets for the poor. Tickets admitted holders to a section rather than a seat and in these section there was areas set aside for women.
             Tragedies and comedies were part of a religious festival to Dionysus. On each of three days, three tragedies and a satyr-play were presented. A panel of judges awarded a prize for the best group of plays. The plot of a tragedy usually followed a known myth, Normally the dramas begin with a prologue by one or two actors; then the chorus enters and sings its first song; and a number of "acts" follow, separated by choral odes.
             Tragedies...... are fictional depiction of a series of ancient stories most often set in cities other
             Goldhill, S. (1986) Reading Greek Tragedy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
             Aristotle believed that comedy grew out of the improvisation of the leaders of phallic songs. Some of the pre-dramatic ceremonies were performed by a dancing chorus, who at ti
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