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History of Greek Drama AKA the coolest church service EVER! How did they start? Religious festival celebrating Dionysius Public rituals/festivals were how people worshipped Temples were houses for the gods Subjects almost exclusively the myths, legends and heroes from the Bronze Iron Age transition Often events surrounding the Trojan War 550 BCE Remember – these WERE religions stories to Greeks Usually featured humans dominated by hubris How did they start? At start- only chorus parts Chorus leader would deliver key lines This key character started representing a hero Called a hypocrite Became the Greek word for actor Tradition says, first dude to do this was named Thespis, 530 BCE Evolved into actors/drama Height of the form 534-404 BCE Ended with defeat of Athens by Sparta Drama competitions! Playwrights submitted plays for consideration Three tragedies and a satyr play (comic relief sketch) At first, tragedies had to be a cycle – later this was dropped Three sets were selected for performance Winner crowned with laurels Legacy of the Greeks From, structure and practice are basis of Western drama today! Eastern drama has different history and style Very few plays survive Thousands were written Exceptions: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides Hand written on papyrus, few copies made, performed once Considered the best authors, plays performed throughout Greece Multiple copies made, then recopied Hundreds of their plays survived into the Middle Ages Christianity eliminated those remaining Byzantine empire saved many – classical Greek revival movement The survivors 7 of Aeschylus, 7 from Sophocles, 19 from Euripides survive Lots of quotes from ancient writers Manuscript fragments from ancient Egyptian sites Egypt loved Greek culture Staging the Play Who’s onstage? Very serious pastime for Athenians Wealthy patrons sponsored plays as a duty to state Called Choragos, leader of the chorus Sometimes actually played this role Three professional actors paid by state Costumes Robe Skene and traditional Sets, props Absolutely minimal Dialogue was used to Orchestra masks“tent” establish time and Building Thus only threefor actors, costumes and props “dancing place” setting First actors for all thea tent, then became a decorated “Here I stand on where chorus performed building roles the steps of the Parados altar of Dionysius in We get our word “scene” from this palace” *Roof of the skene middle had a crane (mechane) walkway where chorus used for hoisting the actors playing gods entered andProscenium exited *Gods frequently resolved wooden platform in front whereproblems/conflicts actors stood by dropping down Today: proscenium is the frame from sky around and fixing the things stage *“Deus ex machina” (god out of the machine) refers to a plot device resolving a conflict that comes from outside and has no logical basis. Theater of Epidauros Theater of Dionysius, in Athens