THAR 281 1st Edition Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture: Intro into TheatreI. What is Theatre?II. The PerformerIII. The AudienceIV. The Performance SpaceV. Visual ElementsOutline of Current Lecture: Intro into Theatre HistoryI. DithyrambII. Greek, Medieval, and Religious DramaIII. Comedia Dell’ ArteIV. Italian Renaissance (1400-1650) V. Neoclassical Ideals VI. Innovations in Theatrical ArchitectureVII. English Renaissance TheatreCurrent LectureIntro into Theatre History- Dithyramb:o Unison Hymno The hymn was sung around the alter of Dionysus by 50 men.o This song of worship progressed into Greek theatre.- Greek Drama:o Chorus: interacted with the central speaker, consisted of 50 people at first, but over time the size decreased. They were the narrator of the play, knowledgeable of everything going on, directly addressed the audience, spoke in unison, provided the backstory for every scene.o Maskso No women – everyone wore masks, so women roles were played by men.o Comedy- performers wore ugly masks, ratty costumes. o Tragedy- performers wore bold, bright ornate costumes. Comedy and tragedy never mixed. The play was either tragic or funny not both.o Satyr- mythical half goat/ half man, very rude and offensive.- Medieval Drama-These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.o Theatre from religiono Liturgical Drama: Liturgy, drama based on bible stories and saints. Performed in church.o Pageant Wagon: expanded performances, out of the church. Became a commercial industry. Wagons moved around and traveled to different crowds performing mainly bible stories.o Mystery Plays: series of plays about the life of Christ.o Morality Plays: Not specifically religious based but about having good morals.o Long stage: a stage built in a line with houses.- Religious Drama:o Sacra rappresentazioni: Bible stories Lives of saintso 1548 religious plays banned in Paris.o 1588 Reformation ended religious plays in England.- Comedia dell’ arte“play of professional artists”o Traveling troupeso 10 performers (usually seven men and three women)o Staged comedies (highly physical- used stereotypes, improve)o Thrived from 1550-1750o Improvisation: scenarios (short scripts without formal written dialogue)o Played stock characters (stereotypes)o Stock costumes and masks: everyone wore except the main charactero Slapstick comedy: comes from Harlequin and his slapstick Capitano: soldier, always brags but is to scared to do anything. Harlequin: Servant, clown character, known for slapstick comedy.o Zanni: term for servant characterso Innamorato: male lovero Innamorata: female lovero Lazzi: repeated bits of physical comic business, often bawdy and crude.o Slapstick: wooden sword used for comedic fights.- Italian Renaissance: (1400-1650)o Italians are moving forward imitating Greeks, criticized drama, moving away from medieval times.- Neo Classical Ideals: Important***o Decorum:  Appropriate social behavior:- Age, profession, sex, and social status.o Verisimilitude: Drama must be “true to life”! (not realistic) they got this idea from studying Greeks.- Time:o Action of play can’t exceed a 24 hour time period, (some neoclassicists argued no more than 12 hours)o The most extreme said that the time in the play should match the time of the presentation.o “Truthful”- Place:o The play should take place only in one locale (argued meaning of exact meaning of “one locale”)- Action:o One central storyo Featured a small group of charactersGenre:Tragedy:-royalty-affairs of state-elevated language-resolution, destructive, disastrous , or fatal-didactic: teaches a lessonComedy:-common people-didactic-less elevated language-happily ever after-common life situationsNeoclassical… Rules: - No violence- No chorus- No deus ex machine- No soliloquyInnovations in Theatrical Architecture:- Teatro Olimpico: o Oldest surviving theatre from Italian Renaissanceo Three entrances, similar to Greek theatreo Stadium seatingo- Teatro Farnese:o First built with a permanent proscenium archo Could be flooded for effecto- Lighting:o Candleso Ground row: row of candles on bottom of stage in front of actors.o Chandeliers- English Renaissance Theatreo Theatre Troupes: Up to 25 member No women Sharing plan Performed in warmer months 5-6 performances a week 30-40 new plays per year 3 week rehearsal periodo Members in acting companies: had to know 16 plays a season, many people double casted, and had to know multiple roles at the same time.o Two Types: Public:- Outside theatre, example: global theatre.- Groundlings- commoners who stood at the play. Private:- Indoor theatre- More expensive- More seatingo Acting Styles: Believed acting was stylized - example: (over the top) Elizabethan acting styles. Double/triple cast roles No women Typecasting Performances schedules- Improvisation- Lack of realism- The End of Elizabethan Theatre:o 1642o Puritans shut down- led by Oliver Cromwell (outlawed theatre)o Theatre deemed