Theatre History

1
Theatre History
Im Melpomene and my lifes grimmy
Hi. Im Thalia and my life is poppin!

• Whos excited?!

Ok, well just pretend you are. Itll be more fun
that way
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Theatres Beginning
Greek Drama 550-220 BCE Starring Thespis,
Aeschylus, Sophocles and Eurpides
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Masks by Thespis

• Can you hear me in this?

• Cant you see Im upset?

• What! Why do I always have to play the girl?

4
Tragedy
A free goat! Doesnt seem so tragic, does it?

• FAILURE

• DEATH

• SICKNESS

• OR GOATS???

• A goat was given as an award for drama
  competitions.
• Tragedy comes from the word Tragos
• Tragos Goat in Greek
• Originally every play, dramatic or comedic was
  considered a tragedy

5
Rome
The Fall of
Rome
In 476 CE the decline of the Roman Empire started
a new age
THE DARK AGES
600-1000 CE
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Church The Only Form of Government
To save Rome, I hereby declare acting illegal!
During the 600s, the Bishop made it quite easy
for Romans to figure out how to be good in the
eyes of God.
Now Im unemployed and a heathen?
Performers HEATHENS
Acting A SIN
7
Theatres Super Hero
Hell save us!
Have no fear! Pope John XI is here!
And with that our superhero made theatre legal
again
Well, thats not exactly how it happened
Unable to keep the population in the church
growing, John XI realized he needed a spectacle
to draw in the crowdsLiturgical Dramas.
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I said its legal, but Im still in chargeso HA!
Morality Plays The struggle of the common person
to earn a place in Heaven
Mystery Plays Straight from the Bible
Miracle Plays History plays about the lives of
Saints
And you thought theatre was boring now a days
But one dayall that changed and theatre started
rollin in the dough!
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The Elizabethan Era1558-1603
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Want to Get Something Done Right? Leave it to
the GirlsQueen Elizabeth

• Shakespeare came about

• First theatre was built

• Animal blood and organs were used during death
  scenes

• Throwing rotting vegetables at bad performers
  stemmed from this era