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Greek Theatre
Athenian – 5th – 4th century BC
Result of a contest; each playwright submitted a
trilogy of tragedy and one satyr play
Much pageantry and a winner at the end of each
week
Combination of myth, philosophy, music and
dance
Explored the violence of living
The First Theatre?
The famous Dionysan theatre was built into the
mountain that housed the famed Acropolis.
The Academy Awards
The Dionysia was a spring celebration of
the fertility god Dionysus – known as the
Festival of Dionysus
The last 3 days of the festival was dedicated
to 3 writers and their tragedies.
The winner received a lily wreath.
Famous competitors: Aeschylus, Sophocles
and Euripedes.
Order of Festival Days
Day 1 – proagon – plays announced
Day 2 – processions, parades, sacrifices
Day 3 – performance of the first five
comedies
Day 4-6 – performance of tragedies
Day 7 – judging and awards
The Dionysia: Athens
The Three Tragedians
Aeschylus – used two men as actors; one talking
to the other
Sophocles – used three actors; each played several
parts
Euripedes – used even more actors; angered the
Greeks because he showed the Greeks and gods in
a sometimes negative light as they really were;
portrayed strong female character; killed by wild
dogs
The Legend of Thespis
The "inventor of tragedy" was born in Attica
The first prize winner at the Great Dionysia in 534
BC.
He was an important innovator for the theatre,
introduced: the independent actor
masks
make up
costumes
More About Thespis
Thespis walked around Athens pulling a handcart,
setting up a kind of one man play, where he
showed the bad behavior of man.
The word for actor " thespian" comes from his
name.
His contemporary Solon resented him, with the
claim that what Thespis showed on stage would
soon be acted out in reality as well.
Actors
Men only -- one actor played several parts
wore high-heeled boots to add stature
masks often fitted with megaphones
Dodoni Ancient Greek Theatre