Prehistory presentation for media class
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Transcript of Prehistory presentation for media class
Theater HistoryA Very Brief Overview
Why is it important to look at the past?
Have you ever looked at an old photo albums?
You probably have and seen:
..Old pictures of your family look kind of funny
I mean…you look cooler than they did
Learning from the past-you can learn a lot about yourself by looking at your past
-the same goes for theater
Prehistory:From out of the primordial ooze….
Drama as a process of social
development…….eventually becomes theater as performance
Primitive TheaterStorytelling
NO SPOKEN WORD
Theater’s Slightly Less Older Roots
Ceremony/Pseudo-Religion
To educate & enlightenTo pay homageCeremony/ritual = theater
NO WRITTEN WORD
Theater as RitualThree ConcernsPleasure - entertainmentPower – influencing controlling eventsDuty – to please the gods and teach about culture
EgyptDealt mostly with religion
Egyptian TheaterTECHNICALLY “written” (hieroglyphics)
-plays to honor the Pharoah at his coronation
-plays to heal the sick
-plays to celebrate Epyptian religious beliefs
-All plays performed by PRIESTS
Abydos Passion Play
About 2000BC
Stone tablet, preserved in German museum
Click icon for video
ChinaClick video to play
More ritual-involved music & dance
-dramatized occupations & the accompanying sensations of
working
joy
fatigue
contentment
Ritual StorytellingNot written down
Oral TraditionEroded by written media
Fun FactThe Story of Scherherazade in the Muslim Tradition
Fictional but shows prominent role women in storytelling tradition (rare in theater)
Oldest Storytelling Tradition: Griot
West African oral historianEmployed by kings/wealthyBecame a living archiveSome became tutors to young princesTradition survived from LACK of written language
Art of the GriotClick icon for video A MAJOR community
eventFocal point of festivals, etc.Drums, percussionCharacters, movement, sound effectsMusic integralAudience participationNearly dead by 20th century
Egungan ApidanGroup version of GriotTraveling group of up to 1518 scenes
Female chorusOrchestra of drums
common topics:Included:Entire village was their stageOften connected to ancestor worship
SIMILAR in North AmericaUsually established in the tribe, not travelersHeavier on masksStarted adding propsLIVELY audience participationTo entertain & impresssome in a special hut and just for the menOthers in flat, treeless area for women/children
NA Theater Prezi