Since before the Common Era, people have found new ways of showing emotions and talent on stage. This is also referred to as stage performance, or Theatre. From play writes, to costumes, to acting, all of these things have contributed over the centuries to the modern plays that you see today, whether it be in New York, London, China, or at your local college. Beginning with the early Greeks, to the Chinese Dynasties through Shakespeare and into modern times, theatre has continuously evolved as an art form. However, it still remains a commentary on society. Theatre originated in Greece. Reason being, it was to show love for the god Dionysus, god of fertility and wine. Four festivals were held throughout the year in his honor. This all started …show more content…
This theatre was built in the shadows of the Acropolis9, in Athens. “In its first form, the Greek theatre consisted of a circular dancing-place or “orchestra” marked out by a narrow margin of flat stones for the use of those participating in the exhibitions.”10 The seats were arranged in a semi-circle to get an unobstructed view of the stage. There was also a table set to the side to perform their sacrifice to the gods. In later years, Romans built their stage, but this time, it had walls around it, with no roof. The orchestra became smaller, the sacrificial table was gone and now, more spectators could watch these dramas. Romans were also known for creating mime plays. This took place later on, during the Christian era. Townspeople would watch gladiator games in their arena and then go see a play. “Just as the ancient theatre, originally designed for joyous display through the religious enthusiasm of a devout people, and later assuming a more secular aspect that necessitated corresponding changes in architecture, so, too, has the theatre of a later civilization continued to advance with like physical changes to accommodate its new uses. It is not necessary to trace the history of the theatre through its various vicissitudes to the period of the housed-in theatre of mediaeval Europe, and thence onward, to demonstrate that the seating arrangement of an almost prehistoric generation dictated the ultimate conformation of the classic hemicycle now in
The theater of Dionysus stands at the foot of the acropolis and its date originates back to the 6th Century, B.C.. Its originally wood seats rise in tiers above one another against the slope of the acropolis, creating a natural setting for the plays (D'ooge, 231). The Greek Theater was built to house a drama which, during the festivals of Dionysus, had evolved from the long tradition of choral hymns which were presented each year. As Greek culture changed and flourished, entertainment transformed from being a series of choral chanting and dancing to placing an emphasis on the actor. As the actors' importance grew, there became a need for a stage from which they could be seen by each of the fourteen thousand spectators the theater housed. The chorus was still a very active part of the entertainment and they resided in the orchestra (Norwich, 64). The orchestra was the oldest part of the Greek theater and thus, when the actor was given
Difference between Greek and Modern Theatres Theatre today as in ancient Greek times is a popular form of entertainment. The adage is a slam. Today’s theatres share many similarities with the Greek. predecessors, however they are also very different. There are in fact many differences for example; layout, special effects, seating.
As an Ancient Greek, one could expect to spend a fair amount of time in theatres for social and religious reasons. Thus, the design and construction of auditoriums was vital to the comfort and experience of viewers.
"The arts of the western world have been largely dominated by the artistic standards established by the Greeks of the classical period" (Spreloosel 86). It is from the Greek word theatron, meaning a place for sitting, that we get our word theater. According to James Butler, "The Greeks were the first people to erect special structures to bring audiences and theatrical performers together" (27). "The theaters were normally located near a populated area at the bottom of or cut out of a carefully selected, sloping hillside overlooking a seascape, a plain, or a city" (Butler 30). "They eventually with few exceptions consisted of three distinct parts: theatron (viewing place) for spectators, orchestra (dancing place) where the chorus and actors performed; and a later addition, a skene (scene building), which provided a scenic backing" (Butler 30).
When Karl Marx wrote “the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte,” he interpreted the historical stage and his writing of history as parts of a theatre: he writes;
The Roman theatre was shaped with a half circle or orchestra space in front of the stage. Most often the audience sat here in comfortable chairs. Occasionally, however, the actors
This essay will be talking about how the architecture of theatres changed during the Victorian era. The topics discussed will be how the social changes, political changes and the technological changes played a factor in the change of architecture of theatres in the Victorian era. The main focus of this essay will be how the creation of the stage space changed. 100 Before the Victorian era, in the Georgian era, actors were not really on stage that much, meaning they were a lot closer to the audience. During the Georgian era, theatres were not a really nice place to go to.
Theatre’s original root from Greece greatly expanded throughout the world by 1650 and was a mean of entertainment. In the year 1665, America experiences it first form of theatrical activity in Boston, Massachusetts and other heavy population centers. The performance art median experiences growth and change throughout its timeline. Playwrights shift from using the old methodical styled layout of neoclassicism to employ newer forms such as romanticism, melodrama, musical, specialty, naturalism, and surrealism. Theatre also adapts to reflect the numerous challenges, political, social and world events of specific time periods. Playwrights voiced the issues that were being left unsolved or avoided by their political and world leaders. This, oftentimes, left them titled as “rebellious”, “enemies of the state”, or “bombastic”. Writers such as Ibsen, Shaw, Chekov, Synge, O’Neill, Kern and Hammerstein and Rogers, Hellman, Wilder as well as Williams were all successful writers in capturing the essence of both the theatre and the culture of their times within their plays.
There is no denying the fact that theatre is truly a link between all civilizations it comes in many forms spiritual rituals, storytelling, hymns, odes, and performances. It has been utilized during the many downfalls of civilizations as a means of communication and was truly shaped by the Greeks. The origins of theatre can be traced back to the Greeks as a religious ritual to their gods, to their implementations of the technical aspects of theatre, through their plays and also through the actual stages that they constructed. These aspects have proven to have a lasting effect even into todays society and without the Greeks influence on theatre, theatre as we know it, would cease to exist (Schanker and Ommanney 298).
“The drama in Greece was inextricably bound up with religious feeling and religious observance.” (Cheney 33) The citizens of the Greek states were the first European communities to raise dramatic performances to the level of an art. Furthermore, the Greek playwrights still exercise a potent creative force, and many modern dramatists find strong relationships between these legendary themes and modern conditions. The Greek’s religion is wholly responsible for the creation of all facets of early Greek theatre; whether it is the content of the plays, or the immense size of the theaters required to accommodate the attendance of the city’s men.
Mel Brooks said, “Hope for the best. Expect the worst. The world’s a stage. We’re Unrehearsed.” Brooks was not wrong in pointing out that the world is a stage. Brooks did not say that the world is a film, or a painting, or a comic book strip. The world is a stage, and theatre – barring ozone depletion – is our best representation of the human race on this earth. The theatre – and subsequently acting – has existed and functioned as a societal common place dating as far back as to nearly the start of recorded history. The theatre is said to be the most realistic art form, serving as the closest thing to an accurate depiction of human life. The visceral stage is only feet away from the viewer and the art is happening in real-time, by living humans, in the flesh. Of course, the most effective and realistic aspect of the theatre is acting. Acting is an art, skill, and profession that has continuously progressed and evolved since the evolution of the theatre. It could be said that this progression took on an almost linear path of augmented development, or at least up until the advent of the twentieth century. This linear progression has exponentially developed, profoundly expanding over the last hundred years. Most of the “recent” growth in the acting field can be attributed to Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio. At the helm of the Actors Studio, Strasberg revolutionized depth in acting and has had a lasting affect, forever changing actors’ training and their quality of work.
Greek and Elizabethan theatre, while similar in some respects, had a few large differences. The Greeks believed in a certain unity of theme, which was prevalent throughout the production. Greek plays were often drawn from myth or of historical significance, so it seems that only ki...
Theatre first came about from all different cultures acting out part of their bible, or performing rituals to the Gods. It was not until the middle ages when dramatists wrote about all aspects of life. Theatre has therefore changed continuously to suit the demands of each new age for fantasy, spectacle, or serious drama.
For as long as humankind exists, theatre will always take on an important function within its cultures. Through theatre, a culture expresses itself, reflects its society, and displays its individuality. It invites people to experience other cultures.
For thousands of years, people have been arguing that theatre is a dying art form. Many people think theatre is all just cheesy singing and dancing or just boring old Shakespeare, but there is much more to theatre than those two extremes. Theatre is important to our society because it teaches us more about real life than recorded media. Theatre has been around for thousands of years and began as a religious ceremony that evolved into an art form that teaches about the true essence of life. Theatre can incorporate profound, and provocative, observations of the human condition that can transcend time; lessons found in Greek plays can still be relevant to the modern world. People argue that the very essence of theatre is being snuffed out by modern