Western Scenic Theatre Practices PDF

A Brief History of Western Scenic Theatre Practices Inst. Joseph Victor D. Deseo Faculty Member, Department of Performing Arts Polytechnic University of the Philippines  THEATRON...

A Brief History of Western Scenic Theatre Practices Inst. Joseph Victor D. Deseo Faculty Member, Department of Performing Arts Polytechnic University of the Philippines  THEATRON This term means “place for seeing”. A theatron is a steeply raked seating for the Greek Scenic audience surrounded by three areas of the circular playing area. Practices and PARODOS A parodos, in the theater of ancient Greece, Traditions is a side entrance to the stage, or the first song that is sung by the chorus at the beginning of a Greek tragedy. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Layout of a Greek Theater Reference: Eastern Illinois University (https://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cjdudley/Gr eek%20Drama.htm) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com) Reference: Spencer McDaniel (https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2 019/04/06/misconceptions-about- ancient-greek-drama/)  SKENE Most theatrical presentations were performed in front of a skene, or scene building. The actors performed in front of the skene, which served as a generic scenic background for all plays. Greek Scenic The Greek word skene means “hut” or “tent,” Practices and which may give you some clues to the origins of this structure and what was going Traditions on in the theater before this time. Generally, they are considered to have been roofed structures with one or more doors or entryways set into a wall or colonnade. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com)  ORCHESTRA It is a level space where the chorus would Greek Scenic dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene. Practices and Today, the term orchestra, as it relates to Traditions theater architecture, refers to the principal seating area on the main floor of the theater. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  PARASKENIA These were long, high walls that extended Greek Scenic on either side of and parallel with skene. It is believed that a low platform, about a foot Practices and high, extended across the paraskenia. Traditions PROSKENION It is a columned arch located in the rear of the stage and in front of the skene. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  PINAKUS/PINAKES (also known as flats) Some research indicates the use of painted panels attached to the skene that were exchanged for other panels as required by changes in the scene during the play. This was hung in the skene but not known if it changes all the time or if there are Greek Scenic decorative nature. Practices and A flat is ordinarily a wooden frame covered with fabric that is painted to represent a Traditions scene or portion of a scenic locale. PERIAKTOI, a type of flat This is constructed of three painted panels which formed a triangle in plan view, revolved to reveal a new side whenever the scene changed. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com)  EKKYKLEMA Some theatrical machinery was in use at this time for the staging of special effects. Greek Scenic An ekkyklema was a mechanism used for revealing a tableau. Practices and The exact form of the ekkyklema is not Traditions known with any certitude, but it may have been a platform, or wagon, which was rolled through one of the doors (or a revolve of some type) in the skene. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  In Hellenestic Theater, beginning with the reign of Alexander the Great in 336 B.C., a number of important changes took place. The front edge of this stage was supported by a facade known as the proskenion. The presence of episkenion, a true Greek Scenic second floor of a skene which was recessed from the roof of the Practices and proskenion. The facade of episkenion was fierced Traditions with one to two openings called thyromata that could be fitted with painted panels or doors. The proskenion roof or logeion was used as a stage in Hellenistic Theater. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com)  SCAENA This is a stage house for the Romans. The facade of the stage house is called scaenae frons. CAVEA The auditorium, or the seating sections of the Roman theaters. This is traditionally Roman Scenic organized in three horizontal sections, corresponding to the social class of the Practices and spectators. ima cavea (upper class) Traditions media cavea (general public) summa cavea (women and children) The periaktoi was still present but it was now painted thematically rather than a representation of scenes. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com)  Curtains were introduced in the Roman Theaters. Roman Scenic AULEUM, the front curtain in the Roman Theaters Practices and SIPARIUM, the back curtain that is used Traditions for the background of the play and to conceal the backtage. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Reference: Ancient Theatre Archive (ancienttheatrearchive.com)  MANSIONS The setting often consisted of a series of mansions arranged along the stage, around the performance space or, in some countries, incorporated into pageant wagons. Medieval Scenic Each mansion defined a specific location; as Practices and the actors moved from one mansion to the next, the scene changed. Traditions Pageant Wagons are pulled from town to town to perform plays. Platea were common playing areas in front of mansions. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) Pageant Wagons Reference: A Matter fo Style (https://theatrestyles.blogspot.com/2014/04/m edieval-theatre-liturgical-mystery.html)  There are significant changes in the Italian Renaissance period: Italian The cavea are now turned or shaped into an indoor setting. The scaenae frons were no longer a Renaissance single decorated wall but were broken into arches. Scenic Practices A more elaborate permanent set of street scenes was built. and Traditions The stage floors were raked to improve visual effects of the scenery. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  WING-AND-DROP SYSTEM It refers to a stage setting that employs a number of painted panels or flats that retreat from the front of the stage toward the rear along the sides of the performance space. Italian This was used for a purpose such as Renaissance elaborate sceneries and forced perspectives. Scenic Practices The drop is an unframed piece of fabric that is suspended from the stage rigging of the and Traditions theater. The wings and drop were usually painted as one continuous scene with the perspective's vanishing point up-stage center. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  CHARIOT AND POLE SYSTEM The scenic structure was the same painted Italian panel used in the wing-and-drop system, but the method for changing the wings utilized a cart or wagon, the chariot, located Renaissance under the stage. Scenic Practices Attached to the chariot was a pole, or more accurately a wooden frame, which projected and Traditions through a slot in the stage floor. The scenic panel was attached to this pole. (Sample through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Q20zsC7Zwmk) Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996)  BOX SETS A box set consisted of three walls and a ceiling. The open (fourth) wall was the side through which the audience viewed the play. The side walls would often have openings or gaps between them, which allowed for entrances and exits from the stage. Italian The apron is an extended stage floor. The borders are short drapes hung Renaissance above the stage to avoid seeing the sceneries above. Scenic Practices The elevator trap (disappearing trap that is usually to shift small pieces or and Traditions actors. The elevator stage is used to shift large scenic elements. The revolving stage pivots to the central axis. The concentric revolving stage has two sections rotating on opposite sides. Reference: Daniel Ionazzi’s The Stagecraft Handbook (1996) End of Lecture