Greek Theatre

Theatre of Dionysus

One of the biggest influences on our culture from ancient times would be the formalizing of artistic performances, which lead to the creation of Theatre. This was apparently first done by the Greeks, although their inspiration appears to have been from the traditional storytelling that was already a staple of many religions. Taking the storytelling role of a religious figure, such as a shaman, they adapted this to plays. While they oftentimes dealt with religious matters or custom, they were not limited in scope. These plays were like recited poetry, performed by choruses of up to fifty men. A man named Thespis either introduced the concept of a single "actor" interacting with the chorus, playing the main character, or he may have been the first actor. This is where the worth 'thespian' comes from, which is a term still used today to describe modern day actors. This role of one man interacting with the chorus slowly expanded, but it appears that the Greeks never had more than three individuals perform at any one time. Around 534 B.C. the performances were arranged into formal competitions.

Modern day Hollywood Bowl

These competitions in turn lead to full-fledged theatres being constructed just for the purpose of housing them, and allowing for as many spectators as possible. The Theatre of Dionysus, named after the original religious festival, could seat up to 17,000 people. It's design is still used today as many amphitheatres have the same basic layout, with tiered rows rising up from the stage area, to allow clear views for as many audience members as possible. The 'orchestra pit' as well, derives from the Greek theatres, as the word was derived from the name of the platform which was originally where the chorus would be that chanted and interacted with the actors on stage.


There were two main areas of performance. While the Greeks originally started the competitions to select the best Tragedies, the genre expanded to include Comedy. The original Tragedies were designed not just to have sad endings, but to teach moral lessons. They often showed the folly of arrogance by mortal man, especially when competing with the Gods. While Comedies did not have the same heavy handed feel, they also taught moral lessons, albeit in a not so depressing manner.



It would be hard to find another event that has transcended time and culture as much as the Greek Theatre has. While the profession of being an actor has sometimes waned in social status depending on the particular culture, more often than not actors were considered celebrities. In today's world most any person will have at some times in their lives entertained the thought of being an actor. While the form of 'Theatre' can be said to have evolved, as film, television, and other mediums have been invented, the basic premise of gathering to watch a form of story played out by actors is a fundamental aspect of the world population. All over the world there are cultures that have some form of performance art that can trace its roots to the Greek Theatre. Today, we still flock to see movies and plays. We still have festivals and ceremonies where the best of the genre's are awarded, and Tragedy and Comedy still rank amongst the most popular forms of theatre that exist today.


 
Informative Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_Ancient_Greece

http://www.crystalinks.com/greektheater.html