Theater History

Alright now would be a good time to take notes

No really, this will for sure be on a test…soon.

Please?

Medieval and Renaissance

Theater

“Oh, how fine it is to know a thing or two.”

-Moliere

Classical Theater (Greek & Roman theater) in its form and function pretty much died out in the Dark Ages - Theater needed to be reinvented…

Medieval Theater

MYSTERY CIRCLES AND PAGEANTS

You might want to take note of this picture as I’m pretty sure you will be doing something very similar, very soon.

Music: Most original Medieval dramas had a lot of music in it (Gregorian chant) some were all

music

Religion & Ritual: Just as in Classical Theater, Medieval Theater began in the church as

ceremony - usually in the form of chanting

Medieval Theater

Pageant: a raised wagon platform that carried actors who were acting out a section of

a story.

Mystery Cycle: a group of pageant wagons put together to form a long story, usually from the

Bible

Style: Despite their religious content these plays were performed in a lively, energetic and

entertaining fashion. Often times sections of the story would be left out to make sure that the energy and life in the story would be felt

throughout the performance

Pageant Plays

Interlude: This was a small break in the story to perform a sketch and to give the actors in the pageant a break. These interludes were

wildly funny and filled with physical comedy.

“Sketch vs. Skit” What’s the difference?

The Chester Mystery Circle (1375)

Fall of Lucifer

Creation and Fall

Noah’s Flood

Lot, Abraham, & Isaac

Nativity

Shepherds

Three Kings

Lazarus

Entry into Jerusalem

Betrayal of Christ

Passion

Crucifixion

Harrowing of Hell

Ressurection

Ascention

Heaven

•What began as simply reciting the story turned into an exciting dramatic

presentation

Storytelling

•It was of the utmost importance not simply that the words were said - but HOW they

were said•Focus became on speaking skills and presentationSTORYTELLING IS THE ART - VOICE IS THE

TOOLIntonation - High or low sounds in the voice

Articulation - How clearly you speak

“DAY OF THE READER” Example

Resonation - Is your voice able to be heard?

Renaissance Theater

THE RENAISSANCE THEATRE SPACE

YOU DO NOT NEED TO COPY THIS DOWN JUST UNDERSTAND THAT AT THIS POINT THE

THEATRE SPACE MOVES INDOORS - THAT WILL BE ON THE TEST…I PROMISE.

Buildings: Ornate architecture with great columns and intricate arches and sculptures.

THE RENAISSANCE THEATRE

Sets & Backdrops: It was common for famous painters to come and paint sets. Raphael was said to have painted several backdrops for a

production.

Perspective: This was a tool used, for the first time during this time period, to indicate things that were closer and things that were

further away in distance

•A show combining music, amazing spectacle, and great elaborate sets

Intermizzi

Types of Renaissance Theater

•Mythological events portrayed in tableau

•Beginnings of today’s opera

FIRST APPEARANCE OF TODAY’S ORCHESTRA PIT

“tableau” - French for posed position “picture”

Opera Seria

•Some spoken word - mostly music

•Translated means “theatre of the professional artist”

Commedia dell’ ArteTypes of Renaissance Theater

•Encourages inventiveness, lightness, and is fun

•Dates back to 1570

•Plays stock characters were well identified by their costumes, colors, and the masks

they wore.

•Improvisation around the same general plot with stock characters but no fixed

script or dialogue

•The word “zany” comes from this art form and is used to describe the servant

characters from this genre of theater

Pantalone: Old man, Columbine’s father or husband

Types of Commedia dell’ Arte Characters

Il Dottore: Pedant, know-it-all

Arlecchino: Comic servant, Columbine’s lover

Il Capitano: Swash-buckling soldier, braggart

Pulcinella: Comic servant, humped-back, crooked nose

Columbine: Female maid servant, Arlecchino’s lover

Pedrolino: Comic servant, clown

Mezitino: Comic male servant

Scapino: Comic male servant, crafty, quick footedScaramuccia: Comic servant