ANCIENT GREEK THEATREANCIENT GREEK THEATRE

Theatre began during the Theatre began during the Golden Age of Greece (5Golden Age of Greece (5thth Century B.C.)Century B.C.)

Each year in the spring the Each year in the spring the Greeks celebrated The Greeks celebrated The Dionyseia, a festival of Dionyseia, a festival of rebirthrebirth

DIONYSUSDIONYSUS,

THE GOD OF

WINE &

FERTILITY

Performers are dressed as satyrs wearing goat skins…

THE AMPHITHEATRE

THE THEATRON

ALTAR

ORCHESTRA

PARADOS ( PARADOI )

SKINA

TRAGODIA = “GOAT SONG” = TRAGEDY

5-5-DAY FESTIVALDAY FESTIVAL

• DAY 1: Procession of Dionysus• DAYS 2-4: Play presentations Each day: 3 tragedies

1 satyrlude 1 comedy

• DAY 5: Parade again

THE WINNERS?

• Best tragedy? • Best comedy?

A JUG OF WINE

OR

A BASKET OF FIGSA GOAT

First actor and playwright to win the contest?

Thespis

thespian= actor

THE GREEK ACTOR

•Professionals•Males• Incredible

projection•3 actors

cover all roles

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CHORUS

•A single actor•Moral or

ethical framework (narrator)

•A spectator•Scenery/

atmosphere

COSTUMES

•Elaborate•Religious•Masks (allow

for actors to double up on roles)

SCENERY

MACHINA

PERIAKTOI

Aeschylus• Theme: Suffering

and what we learn from it

• Trilogy: The Oresteia

• Trivia

OUCH!!

Sophocles• Theme:

Forgetting religion will lead to decay and destruction

• Play: Oedipus Rex

• Trivia

Euripedes• Themes: anti-

war; women’s rights; breaking the class structure

• Play: Medea

• Trivia