The History of Theatre Guided NotesA Caveat

This is not the ENTIRE history of theatreo That would take way too long to discuss

This is only a brief discussion of the evolution of WESTERN theatre So remember: lots of other stuff was going on theatre wise around the

world

Ancient Greek Theatre ________________________________ B.C.E.Drama played a ____________________________ role in Greek culture: it was a _________________________ part of the ___________________________________ ____________________ of the period.A ______________________________ would either _____________________ or __________________ the scriptThe main speaker was called the ________________________________________.The Greeks were good at _______________________________________________, but not good at ________________________________________________________.______________________________ created a _________________________________ in ____________________________ to save early Greek works.The first actor was named ___________________________________. He was a ________________________________ _____________________________________.He was the first __________________________________ ____________________________ of the festival of Dionysus drama competitions.His name is where we get the word _______________________________, which means _____________________________________________________________________.

Skene:

Orchestra:

Proskenion:

The periaktos were __________________________ ____________________________ that could be _____________________ to reveal three different __________________________.The eccyclema was a _________________________________________________________ used to display the effects of _________________________ within a play.Deus ex Machina (___________ _____________ __________ _________________________) was a _________________________________________ that lowered an ________________ playing a _______________ onto the stage in order to ______________________________ _________________________________________________________________ in the plot.

Theatre spaces were built ___________________________________________________ and seating was arranged ____________________________________________________.

Before Aeschylus and Sophocles plays were _____________________________________ ______________________ and there was very little _________________________________.

Aeschylus introduced a ____________________ ______________________, which allowed for more interaction between characters.

Sophocles added a ______________________ ________________________ and used the ________________________ _________________________ to create more ________________________ __________________________ characters.

Roman Theatre __________________________________ B.C.E.

The word __________________ comes from Latin, ______________________, which means ____________________ or _____________________.Roman playwright ________________________________ introduced ________________________ which meant you could show _________________________ of different characters to the _________________________ _________________________.

Roman theatre was less influenced by _________________________ than _________________ theatre.

Roman audiences were ________________________ and ____________________________.They couldn’t hear __________________________, so the actors mostly _________________________ and dialogue was ________________________________.Actors developed a ____________________________, so the audience could tell about characters ____________________________________________________________________.

Medieval European theatre ________________________________________

After the fall of the _____________________ ___________________________, cities were ___________________ and Europe became more _________________________________.After several hundred years, __________________________________________________.The ___________________ ____________________________ ________________________ dominated ______________________, ____________________________ and ________________________. It also influenced __________________________.Theatre was reborn as _________________________ ______________________ which were written in ______________________ and performed by _______________________ or ___________________ ____________________________. Plots were taken from the ___________________________________ ______________________________.Performances were held to _____________________________________________________ __________________________ ________________________________, like in _________________________ ______________________________.Later, ____________________________ ____________________________ were written in common ______________________________ so everyone could understand them.These plays were performed in ______________________________________________ ___________________________ on ____________________________________________ _________________________.

Three types of vernacular dramas:1. Mystery plays:

2. Miracle plays:

3. Morality plays:

Renaissance and Reformation

Commedia Dell’Arte began ____________________________________________________ in _______________________.This was a unique form of theatre created for ____________________________________.It required __________________________________________________________________.Plays didn’t come from __________________________ but from _____________________.Actors __________________________ the ______________________________ with __________________ _____________________________.Actors wore ___________________ _______________________ to indicate _____________________________________________________________________________.Commedia troupes consisted of _________________________________________, including _______________________.Plays were based on ____________________________ ______________________________.

Italians created the ________________________________ or ____________________________________________________________________________.

England’s ContributionsEnglish plays had more emphasis on _______________________________ and continued to have ____________________________ themes.Later, __________________________ themes were replaced with themes of _____________________________________________________________________________.

Performers were organized into ____________________________ or _____________________________ who developed a _______________________________ of _________________________ that they could perform.

English stages were _____________________________ stages, which created a more _________________ stage. Audience members _______________________________ the stage and sometimes were _____________ the stage.

In the 16th century, England’s ________________________ swung back and forth between ___________________________ and ____________________________________.Playwrights who worked to revive plays written in _________________________ were thought to be supporting the ________________________________ Church.Playwrights who worked to revive _______________________________ plays were associated with _________________________________________________________.Depending on who was in power at the time, a _________________________________ could be put to ____________________________ for reviving the “wrong” ___________________________.Many playwrights avoided revival of _________________________ ___________________________ and wrote ______________________________________ and ___________________________________ plays.Political problems in England made theatre ______________________________________.Performances could inspire __________________________________________________.Theatres were thought to encourage _________________________________________ and ______________________________________, because prostitutes would be __________________________________________________ where plays were performed, and sometimes even ___________________________________________________.On top of political problems, fear of ______________________________ closed theatres.These conditions lead to the ____________________________ of acting companies which leads to _______________________ control of ___________________________ by the ______________________.

A Theatre God is Born

William Shakespeare (_____________________________ - ______________________)Shakespeare was the most ______________________________________ playwright in the history of theatre.Other notable playwrights in the era ____________________________________________ and _______________________________________________________________________.Shakespeare and his contemporaries encouraged a more _________________________ style of ______________________________ and _________________________. They also explored the theme of ___________________________ ____________________________.Shakespeare’s _________________________________ were more ___________________ with both _______________________ and __________________________ aspects of their character being explored.

During this time, plays were still presented in ____________________________________ or sometimes _________________________________.

France’s Contribution to TheatreIn ______________, English Parliament ____________________________ all _______________________ in England. Many English actors fled to ____________________________.Theatre in France began to focus on _______________________________ and creating ______________________________.Plays now included _____________________________, _______________________ and ______________________________ _____________________________. These aspects were more emphasized that _________________________________ or ____________________________.Theatres also used the __________________________________ ____________________ of stage, where the acting took place on the ______________________ and the stage behind the ______________________________ was used to _____________________________________________________________________________.The French also allowed ___________________________________ to perform on stage. (When Theatre returned to England in ________________, women were allowed on stage there too. This is due to the ______________________________________________).

18th Century TheatreIn the 18th Century, going to the theatre became __________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________.During the ___________________________________________ of the 18th century, actors assumed _____________________________ and performed their lines in a _________________________________________________ manner.Actors dressed in _____________________________________________________________.There was a ___________________________ between ________________________ as to who would wear ___________________________________________________________.___________________________________________ was still popular and promoted the development of ______________________________________________________, ________________________________________ and ___________________________________________________________.

David GarrickGarrick is one of Britain’s _______________________________________ and the first to be called a ____________________________. From _______________ until his retirement in _____________, he was a highly successful _______________________, _________________________ and ____________________________________________________. He wrote more than ____________ plays, and adapted many more (including plays by __________________________.) Garrick emphasized a more natural form of speaking and acting that _____________________________________________________________________________.This form of acting inspired the movement towards __________________________ and ___________________________________________ in theatre.

Garrick “_______________________________” the audience from the stage, and actors now performed ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.Plays began to be written about _________________________________________________.This could also explain why theatre had become more ____________________________, since it could reach a __________________________________________________________.

19th Century TheatreThe _______________________________ _____________________________________ of the 19th Century changed theatre as well.________________________ _________________________ was first introduced in ___________ in London’s __________________________ _______________________ ____________________________.By the end of the century, ________________________________ ____________________________ made its appearance on stage.Elaborate mechanisms for changing ______________________ were developed, including _____________________________________, ____________________________, and _______________________________ _______________________________.

MelodramaThe ______________________ ______________________ of lighting and the ________________________ in set design lead to a theatre style which emphasized _______________________ and ______________________________________ and not ______________________________________.Melodrama was created. Comes from "_____________________________ ______________________________" – ___________________________ was used to increase ____________________________ or to signify ____________________________________.Actors performed their characters using _______________________________ and ___________________ ___________________________ to demonstrate their characters.A simplified _________________________ ____________________________; ___________________ and _______________________ are embodied in stock characters.Many special effects were part of the performance: _______________________________

____________________________________________________________________________.____________________________ ________________________: the villain poses a threat, the hero or heroine escapes, etc., ends with a happy ending.During the first half of the century, playwrights were ____________________________ ________________________.In the ___________________________ ____________________________ of the 19th c., ___________________________ incredible playwrights changed theatre.

____________________________________________________ (Norwegian)

________________________________________________________ (Irish)

______________________________________________________ (Russian)Their work began the movement of “______________________________________” (which was to bring “_____________________________________________________”.)It would be as if the audience was watching through a “__________________________ _____________________________,” spying on these characters.

Konstatin StanislavskiThe ____________________________ and _____________________________ drama that was being created in the second half of the 19th century _________________________ actors to learn _____________________________________________________________.Konstantin Stanislavski wrote several works on the ___________________________________________________________, such as An Actor Prepares.Stanislavski’s method of acting is ____________________ used today and is considered to be the _________________________ _______________________________ for actors. (Called ___________________________ ___________________________)The following actors have studied Stanislavski’s methods: Jack Nicholson, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Benicio Del Toro, and Johnny Depp. (And many more).

20th Century TheatreDuring the 20th Century, the world changed forever (____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.)The ____________________________________ movement in theatre created a more __________________________ acting style which continued to flourish in the 20th Century.Many other theatre movements also began; one such theatre style was _______________________________________________________________________.Theatre of the Absurd, which grew out of the post-modern movement, believed that ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.This style of theatre grew out of ___________________________ in the late ____________.

Believe it or not, there was a lot of Theatre History that was not included (i.e. Musical Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, Improv Theatre, Children’s Theatre, Cabaret, Vaudeville, Street Theatre, Mime…etc., etc., ETC! Not to mention theatre that was happening in other parts of the world.)

The craft of acting and of theatre is constantly changing in reaction to audiences’ tastes, political and social movements, and advances in technology.