Ancient Greek and Roman Theatre

Ancient Greece (6th - 4th century BCE)

• Birthplace of Western theatre
• Theatre originated from religious festivals honoring Dionysus
• Playwrights:
  • Aeschylus (father of tragedy)
  • Sophocles
  • Euripides
• Notable plays:
  • "The Persians" by Aeschylus (first surviving Greek tragedy)
  • "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles
• Theatre architecture:
  • Outdoor amphitheatres with stone seats
  • Orchestra (performance area) and skene (backstage)

Roman Theatre (1st century BCE - 5th century CE)

• Influenced by Greek theatre
• Popular entertainment for the masses
• Theatre architecture:
  • Large, ornate buildings with elaborate decorations
  • Permanent stages and scenery
• Playwrights:
  • Plautus (comedy)
  • Terence (comedy)

Medieval Theatre (5th - 15th century)

• Christian morality plays and mystery plays
• Performed in churches, courtyards, and town squares
• Playwrights:
  • Hildegard of Bingen (first female playwright)
• Theatre architecture:
  • Portable stages and scenery
  • Use of masks and pageantry

Renaissance Theatre (16th - 17th century)

• Revival of classical Greek and Roman theatre
• Emergence of professional theatre companies
• Playwrights:
  • William Shakespeare (England)
  • Molière (France)
• Theatre architecture:
  • Indoor playhouses with thrust stages
  • Use of scenery and special effects

18th and 19th Centuries

• Neoclassicism and Romanticism
• Rise of melodrama and vaudeville
• Playwrights:
  • Henrik Ibsen (Norway)
  • Oscar Wilde (Ireland)
• Theatre architecture:
  • Proscenium arch and picture frame stage
  • Use of gaslights and later electricity

20th Century

• Experimental and avant-garde movements
• Rise of realism and naturalism
• Playwrights:
  • Bertolt Brecht (Germany)
  • Samuel Beckett (Ireland)
• Theatre architecture:
  • Black box and flexible seating
  • Use of multimedia and technology

Ancient Greece (6th - 4th century BCE)

• Western theatre originated in Ancient Greece as part of religious festivals honoring Dionysus
• Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were prominent playwrights of the time
• Notable plays include "The Persians" by Aeschylus, the first surviving Greek tragedy, and "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles
• Theatre architecture featured outdoor amphitheatres with stone seats, an orchestra (performance area), and a skene (backstage)

Roman Theatre (1st century BCE - 5th century CE)

• Roman theatre was heavily influenced by Greek theatre
• Theatre was a popular form of mass entertainment
• Large, ornate buildings with elaborate decorations and permanent stages and scenery were characteristic of Roman theatre architecture
• Playwrights like Plautus and Terence wrote comedies during this period

Medieval Theatre (5th - 15th century)

• Christian morality plays and mystery plays dominated this period
• Performances took place in churches, courtyards, and town squares
• Hildegard of Bingen was the first female playwright
• Theatre architecture featured portable stages and scenery, with the use of masks and pageantry

Renaissance Theatre (16th - 17th century)

• There was a revival of classical Greek and Roman theatre during the Renaissance
• Professional theatre companies emerged, and playwrights like William Shakespeare and Molière wrote influential works
• Indoor playhouses with thrust stages and the use of scenery and special effects characterized Renaissance theatre architecture

18th and 19th Centuries

• Neoclassicism and Romanticism influenced theatre during this period
• Melodrama and vaudeville became popular forms of entertainment
• Playwrights like Henrik Ibsen and Oscar Wilde made significant contributions
• Theatre architecture featured the proscenium arch and picture frame stage, with the use of gaslights and later electricity

20th Century

• Experimental and avant-garde movements emerged in 20th-century theatre
• Realism and naturalism became popular styles
• Playwrights like Bertolt Brecht and Samuel Beckett wrote influential works
• Theatre architecture featured black box and flexible seating, with the use of multimedia and technology