Western Classical Plays

and Opera
It is an integral part of a
play. We use music and
sound to establish a
mood, provide
background noise, fill
that dead air during
those scene changes and
many other things.
Gesture is defined as a
sign that
communicates a
character’s action,
state of mind and
relationship with
other characters to an
audience.
 Costumes and make-
up were first used in
theatrical
performances. On
stage, the audience
sees actors from top of
their head to the
bottom of their feet.
 What is theatre?
▪ Theater is a form of art that is presented through a collaborative
effort.
▪ It is usually performed in a particular place such as a stage.
▪ It uses live performers or actors to tell a story, real, or imagined, in
front of a live audience.
▪ Performers use combinations of gestures, speech, sound, music,
and dance to communicate the story.
▪ Visual elements such as stage backdrops, costumes, props, and
lighting are utilized to enhance the experience.
Greek Theater
 Greek Theater
▪The origin of Greek theater were also a connection with
honoring the gods specifically the god of fertility and wine,
Dionysus.
▪The festival was celebrated as a competition among the
playwrights.
▪Their works were staged, and the winner would have his tripod (
a three-legged bronze cauldron that serves as a trophy in the
modern times) displayed on monuments that surround the
theater.
Tripod
 Greek Theater
▪There are three types of Greek play: the tragedy , the comedy
and the satyr play.
▪The tragedy is a play in which the main character goes through
a series of events that lead to his / her own downfall or demise.
▪The comedy is a type of play which life is represented in light
and sometimes ironic episodes.
▪Satyr play contains comic elements to lighten the overall mood
or a serious play with a happy ending.
Satyr
 Greek Theater
▪This play was a short, carefree tailpiece performed. It is an
ancient Greek form of tragic comedy. This featured half-man/
half-goat characters known as Satyrs.
▪They were horrible, strange, and usually drunk. The Satyr
characters desired after everyone on stage, and they delivered
the most humorous lines, often at the expense of others.
▪Ancient Greek took Classical theater very seriously and used
drama as a way of investigating the world they lived in, and
what it meant to be human.
 Greek Theater
▪The ancient Greeks staged their plays in open-air theaters
called amphitheaters; surviving examples of which are the
Theater of Dionysus and the Theater of Epidaurus.
 Greek Theater
▪These open theaters can seat thousands of spectators.
▪They consist of a semicircular plan with elevated bleachers
surrounding the stage.
▪The stage where the actors and the chorus perform is called the
orchestra.
▪Later on, the skene was added to be used as a backdrop and
where the actors can hide and change their costumes.
▪The Greek theaters were so well-design in terms of acoustics
that even the softest whisper can be heard from the last row.
 Greek Theater
▪The Greek also pioneered different stage elements.
▪They used trapdoors to help actors enter and exit the stage.
▪The skene had the pinakes, or painted panels that serve as
scenic elements and were placed in front of openings.
▪They used a called mechane that was used to make an
actor appear as if he/she is flying.
▪A platform was used to wheel in a dead character for the
audience to see which was called the ekkyklema.
 Greek Theater Music
▪ The Greeks were also one of the first to incorporate music in their
plays.
▪ Music was often used to represent a mythical scene or to suggest
that a character is in deep thought.
▪ They also provide accompaniment to the chorus which is a group of
players who would give background information or comments
regarding the events that are unfolding in the scene.
▪ The chorus was composed of twelve to fifteen members that sing,
dance, or recite their lines.
 Greek Theater Actors, Costumes, and Props
▪ Greek plays utilized costumes and various simple props.
▪ Thick boots and enlarged gloves helped make the actor look taller and
bigger.
▪ This made their movements easier for the audience to see.
▪ Actors had to exaggerate their movements and say their lines loudly in
order for the audience to see and hear them from afar.
▪ They also used masks called prosopon that had exaggerated facial
expressions.
▪ These masks were different for each character and helped people
distinguish one from the another from far away.
 Greek Theater Actors, Costumes, and Props
▪The masks helped actors switch from one character
to another.
▪In a traditional Greek play, only three actors
performed all the speaking roles.
▪All the other performers were assigned to the chorus.
▪The members of the chorus have identical masks
since they were considered as one character.
Notable Greek Playwrights
 Aristophanes
▪Aristophanes was the foremost writer
of Old Comedy, a genre known for its
satirical and comedic elements.
▪His plays often targeted contemporary
political figures, social issues, and
intellectual trends. Aristophanes'
works include "The Clouds,"
"Lysistrata," and "The Frogs."
 Aeschylus
▪ Aeschylus is often called the "Father of
Tragedy" for his pioneering contributions to the
genre.
▪ He introduced significant innovations, such as
the addition of a second actor, which allowed
for more complex plots and interactions.
▪ His works explore themes of fate, justice, and
the nature of the divine. Some of his most
famous plays include "The Oresteia" trilogy,
"Prometheus Bound," and "The Persians."
 Sophocles
▪Sophocles is one of the most celebrated
playwrights of ancient Greece.
▪He wrote over 120 plays, of which only seven
tragedies have survived.
▪His works are characterized by their focus on
individual characters and their
psychological complexities.
▪Sophocles is best known for his tragedies
"Oedipus Rex," "Antigone," and "Electra."
 Euripides
▪ Euripides is known for his innovative approach
to tragedy, often challenging traditional norms
and conventions.
▪ His plays are noted for their exploration of
human psychology, skepticism towards the
gods, and sympathy for marginalized
characters.
▪ Some of his most famous works include
"Medea," "The Bacchae," and "The Trojan
Women."
Roman Theater
 Roman Theater
▪The Roman theater, just like in arts, adapted the Greek
theater.
▪Unlike the Greek theater where the subjects were more
intellectual, the Romans wanted their plays to be more
exciting and eventful.
▪Popular types of Roman theater were the pantomimus
where an actor assisted by the chorus acted out the story
without any dialogue or facial expression.
 Roman Theater
▪The actor wore different masks per character and used
gestures and body movement to convey the story.
▪The Romans also love slapstick comedy that resulted in a
type of theater called farce. Farce is loud and full of jokes.
▪People ran around the stage, bump into each other, and
fall.
▪The taste of the Roman audience turned to ruder antics
and jokes.
 Roman Theater
▪The people were not interested in drama and wanted to
get shocked and entertained.
▪However, the Roman audience soon lost interest in
theater and found entertainment in chariot races and
gladiator contests.
▪There are three major influences in Roman theater. These
were the Greek dramas, the European theater as seen in
their circus-like elements and the Atellan Farce.
 Roman Theater
▪The Atellan Farce or sometimes known as Oscan Games,
were a series of rude and offensive farces that were filled
with low comedy and vulgar jokes.
▪Some notable Roman playwrights were Livius Andronicus,
who was Rome’s first known playwright; Terence, Plautus,
and Seneca who were comedic playwrights; Pacuvius and
Lucius Accius, who specialized in tragedies; Gaius
Maecenas Melissus, who was a first-century playwright of
“comedy of manners”.
Roman Theater Masks
 Roman Theater Masks
▪Roman Masks played an important part in Ancient
Roman Plays and the Roman Theatre.
▪An actor’s entire head was covered by his mask,
which included his hair, so the Roman mask was
quite large.
▪The design of the mask was quite simple and they
were made from cheap materials such as linen or
cork.
 Roman Theater Costume
▪Roman actors typically wore tunics or robes as the
basic garment for their costumes. These garments
were often made from lightweight fabrics such as
linen or wool and were loose-fitting to allow for
freedom of movement. Tunics were commonly worn
by male characters, while robes with draped folds
were favored for portraying characters of higher
status or authority.
 Roman Theater Costume
▪Costumes were often brightly colored and adorned with
decorative elements such as embroidery, appliqués, or
trimmings.
▪The use of colors and patterns helped to differentiate characters
and convey their social status, personality traits, or affiliations.
▪Characters of high status or nobility would typically wear
garments in rich, vibrant colors such as purple, red, or deep blue.
These colors were expensive to produce and were associated
with wealth and luxury.
Roman Theater
Greek Theater vs Roman Theater
Notable Roman Playwrights
Publius Terentius Afer
▪ He is better known in English as Terence, was
a Roman African playwright during the
Roman Republic.
▪ A prominent Roman playwright of comedies.
▪ He was heavily influenced by the Greek New
Comedy style and focused on character-
driven plots and social satire.
▪ His notable works include "The Girl from
Andros," "The Self-Tormentor," and
"Phormio."
Titus Maccius Plautus
▪He is commonly known as Plautus, was
a Roman playwright known for his
comedies.
▪His works often featured slapstick
humor, mistaken identities, and witty
wordplay.
▪Some of his famous plays include "The
Brothers Menaechmus," "Amphitryon,"
and "The Pot of Gold."
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
▪Commonly referred to as Seneca the
Younger, was a Roman philosopher,
statesman, and playwright.
▪He wrote a series of tragic plays that
were influenced by Greek tragedies but
often featured elements of stoicism
and moral philosophy. His most famous
works include "Phaedra," "Thyestes,"
and "Medea."
THANK YOU