Presentation Transcript

1. History of Drama Final Exam Review

2. Hebrew/Egyptian Drama • Egyptian drama dates back to 3000 B.C. • Drama means “to do” or “to act” • Egyptian Drama revolved around religion

3. 5 Types of Plays • Medicinal Play-play about healing • The Heb Sedwas a play celebrating the pharaoh's 30th year on the throne • Coronation Festival celebrated the crowning of a pharaoh • Isis, Osiris, and Set were the main characters in the Abydos Passion Play • Pyramid Plays-done to ensure safe passage into afterlife.

4. Hebrew Drama • Job and Song of Songs both have dramatic structure • God and the devil are the first speakers in the book of Job. • No reference to definite theatre in Bible

5. Staging • Blocking—the director’s planned movement for the actors • Stage Directions—usually included in the script, the entrances, exits, and some movements or expressions for the characters

6. Staging: Body Positions

7. Greek Drama • Golden Age of Greek Drama: 500-400 B.C. • Drama was sacred and religious in Greek culture. • Tragedy literally means “goat song” • Hubris is defined as excessive amounts of pride or arrogance • Deus ex machina is a machine used to fly in a god to “save the day” • Winners of the Dionysus festival won an ivy wreath

8. Costuming • Robes • Raised Boots • Wigs • Masks

9. Greek Chorus • Sang in unison • Wore masks • Changed in number depending on the playwright • Were constantly on stage

10. Greek gods • Dionysus-god of wine, drama, and fertility • Zeus-king of the gods

11. Greek Playwrights • Sophocles wrote Oedipus • Aeschylus-the Father of Greek Tragedy • Euripides is known as “The Great Humanizer” • Aristotle-wrote rules of drama called The Three Unities

12. Theatron “Seeing Place” • Audience • Orchestra • Altar • Paraskenion • Skene

13. Roman Drama-Terms • Acted on a raised stage called a pulpitum • Closet dramas were too graphic to be shown on stage. • A claque was a person paid to influence the audience • Romans focused on comedy in their plays.

14. Roman Playwrights • Terence-first black playwright • Seneca-only major tragedian • Plautus-used Greek plays

15. Roman Theatre’s Decline • Spectacles in the Coliseum and the fall of Rome in 476 A.D. lead to the fall of Roman Drama. • Theatres were banned

16. Hindu Drama • Golden Age 500-300 B.C. • Plays written in Sanskrit • First culture to promote women actors • Always ended happily

17. Chinese Drama • Themes of ancestor worship, military glory, faithfulness to husband • Women were forbidden to act until the 18th century • Costume colors signified a meaning

18. Propaganda Period • Propaganda period began after WWII • Plays were used to promote government policy and Communism

19. Japanese Drama: Noh • Formal • Characterized by sedate postures expressing an attitude • Polished floor with jars underneath for a unique sound

20. Japanese Drama:Kubuki • Common man’s drama • Began in 1600 A.D. • Every movement has a meaning

21. Kabuki Theatre • Trap Door • Revolving Stage • Extravagant Scenery • A “flowerway” for actors to enter

22. Kabuki Costumes • Silk Costumes • Thick Makeup • Heavy Wigs

23. Medieval Drama • Also called Dark Ages because of the lack of culture and growth after the fall of Rome

24. Medieval Terms • Trope-short dramas turned into masses by the church • Hell’s Mouth was a stage device—a dragon jaw that would open with smoke and flames • Passion Play—Started in Oberammergau—depicted the life of Christ • Commedia dell’ Arte-professional improv

25. Pageant Wagon • Plays performed in “cycles” • Double-Decker • Bottom used for costume changes • Similar to parade floats • Action on upper stage and on the street

26. The M’s • Mummings • Mystery • Morality (Everyman) • Miracle • Manners

27. Elizabethan Theatres • Famous Theatres: Globe, The Rose, The Swan—nicknamed “Wooden O’s”

28. Elizabethan Staging • Balcony (for love scenes) • Tiring House (for exits) • Discovery Space (Small interior settings) • Platform surrounded by audience on three-sides • Open air for light—no artificial lighting used

29. Groundlings • “Cheap Seats” • People stood in the space right in front of the stage • For everyday citizens (all were welcome to the theatre)

30. Famous Playwrights • Christopher Marlowe—killed in a bar brawl at 29 • Ben Johnson—gifted in Satire • William Shakespeare—coined thousands of words and phrases; born in Stratford-on-Avon; had a wife and three kids; loved by Queen Elizabeth; 38 plays attributed to him