greek theatre
There have been many artistic achievements that have had a substantial role in shaping outlooks and tastes for cultures and generations for 1000's of years. Of all the different kinds of productions the Greeks have established, the tragedy is the most extraordinary of their spiritual contributions. Everything from style, intellect, appearance of stage, costume, and people have all been the main influences of drama and theatre over the past twenty-five hundred years. The earliest of Greek theatre's dates back to not long before 300 B.C.. The theatre itself was a large open-air structure consisting of three parts. Its original and central element was a level circle; some ninety feet in diameter called the orchestra (which means "dancing place") where the chorus performed. Outside one arc of the circle was a low rectangular building called skene or tent, the actors usually made there entrances and exits through and in it they changed their costumes and masks; eventually its front was decorated with simple paintings- whence the word "scenery". Rising from the circle of the orchestra was an auditorium of many tiers of stone seats, in sections divided by transverse passages. (Greek Drama, 11).
In Greek theatre it was well known for their style in costuming. There costumes were splendid, they would wear role-markers, such as sceptres, garlands, oriental trousers, or mourning black, the standard outfit for there the main characters was elaborately ornamented. During the performances actors would wear masks to portray different characters or enabled him to become a different person, even a god. Whether these masks were derived from primeval cults of Dionysus, or were invented for the theatre, the players, actors and chorus alike, in tragedy and satyr play and comedy, all wore whole-headed masks, probably made with stiffened linen. Each role had a different mask, but not necessarily a different actor. At first there was allegedly only one actor, but by the time of the earliest surviving tragedy there are two, and before the death of Aeschylus, three. The number stuck at three (for comedy also), sharing all the parts between them (Taplin, 17). The musicians and the chorus were also finely dressed.
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Approximate Word count = 883
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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