Ancient Greek Theatre

What was the difference between an archon and a choregus?

An archon is an Athenian governments official appointed to oversee the staging of drama at the City Dionysia festival while a choregus was a wealthy person who underwrote most of the expenses for the production of an individual playwright's works at a dramatic festival.

What devices did Old Comedy rely on?

It relied on having a large cast of characters with a plot that made fun of society, politics, or culture with recognizable characters. Old Comedies employed a chorus and have sections similar to those in tragedy: prologos, episodes alternating with choral odes, and the exodos

Which is the only tetralogy we possess?

The Oresteia

True or False: Ancient Greek audiences included rich and poor, male and possibly/likely female citizens

True

Mechane

a crane used for flying characters in the playing area

Chorus

a group if performers who sang and danced, sometimes participating in the action but usually simply commenting on it

Pinake

a painted flat

Parabasis

a scene in which the chorus directly addressed the audience members and made fun of them

Agon

a scene with a debate between the two opposing forces in the play, each representing one side of a social or political issue

Periakoi

a three-sided scenic piece that could be revolved to show the audience three different scenes

Ekkyylema

a wagon used to bring characters on stage—often to reveal the results of off-stage violence

Thymele

an altar at the center of the orchestra

Satire

drama that uses techniques of comedy-such as wit, irony, and exaggeration—to expose and attack folly and vice

Proedria

front-row seats reserved for political and religious dignitaries

Tragoidia

goat song

Greek acting style

masks, costumes, not realistic, male performers only, dance/music

What are the 6 main elements of tragedy according to Aristotle?

1) the plot, 2) the characters, 3) the thought or theme, 4) the language, 5) the music, and 6) the spectacle.

What is the structure of a Greek tragedy?

1) the prologos, 2) the parodos, 3) episodes, 4) the choral ode, and 5) the exodos.

Episodes

3 to 6 of them in a Greek play; develop the main action

Katharsis

A Greek word, usually translated as "purgation," that Aristotle used in his definition of tragedy. For some, it refers to the vicarious cleansing of certain emotions in the audience through their representation onstage

What is a satyr play and when was it performed?

A comical play involving a chorus of satyrs, mythological creatures who were half goat and half man. It was structured like a Greek tragedy but parodied the mythological and heroic tales that were treated seriously in tragedies. They were presented after a trilogy of dramatic plays.

What preceded the opening of the City of Dionysus to advertise upcoming performances?

A parade of all the major theatrical participants or a "proagon."

Who were the main 3 tragic playwrights?

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides

Who is the only author of Greek old comedies by whom we have a significant corpus of plays?

Aristophanes

Which god was the City of Dionysia dedicated to?

Dionysus

What genres were performed at the City of Dionysia?

Drama, comedy, and satyr play

True or False: Greek theatre is NOT foundational for Western drama

False

What was the century of Ancient Greek theatre's greatest development?

Fifth century B.C.E.

Exodos

Final scene in a classical Greek tragedy; exit of the chorus

Why was Thespis important for Greek theatre?

He was said to have been the first recorded author of tragedies as well as the first actor. Thought to have been the first person to step out from the chorus and deliver a monologue in character (started a dialogue between himself and the chorus). Where we get the term "thespian"

Dithyramb

In Ancient Greece, a long hymn sung and danced by a chorus of fifty men in honor of Dionysus. By about 600 B.C.E., became a literary form that usually related heroic stories.

What made up a tetralogy?

In classical Greek theatre, four plays-three tragedies and one satyr play-written by a single author for a festival

Why is katharsis important for the spectator?

It is a purging of negative emotions that could bring balance to the soul.

How is violence treated in Greek tragedy and what does this imply?

It is never shown on stage. It is almost always done off stage with a messenger being the one to tell the audience what happened. Almost always happens later on in the play. This implies that the Ancient Greeks had a very sanitized view of violence even though their stories included a lot of violence.

Why was myth important for Greek theatre?

It was the source of the subject matter of plays written for Greek festivals. Was a large part of the religious aspect of Greek theatre

What is the status of the question: did women attend theatre festivals?

Mostly unknown. It is believed that women attended the tragic plays but were not allowed to attend the comic/satyr plays

What forerunners preceded theatre proper?

Religious ceremonies like funerals, festivals celebrating the seasons, and ceremonies honoring the gods (especially those honoring Dionysus)

What was the most important theatre festival and where did it take place?

The City Dionysia and it took place in Athens.

Which is the only extant satyr play and by whom?

The Cyclops and it was written by Euripides.

What roles would an archon and a choregus correspond to today?

The roles that they would correspond to today is the role of a producer in modern-day shows.

What were the main functions of the chorus?

To provide expository or background info, commented on the action of the play, interacted with other characters, and described off-stage action.

True or False: There was a strong relation between Greek theatre and religion, Dionysus and other Gods

True

How was Greek society set up? How is this reflected in history?

as collection of city-states, often in competition with each other, but also collectively against external forces (e.g., Persians); it is reflected in dramatic debates/conflicts

Stasismon (plural: stasima)

choral dance songs

Proskenion

the bottom level of the skene

Orchestra

the circular playing space

Skene

the scene house behind the orchestra

Parodos

the scene in which the chorus enters. The entranceway for the chorus.

Theatron

the seating area, carved into a hillside

Paraskenia

the wings of the skene