BELL WORKDirections: Take the NOTES from the back of the class and answer the following questions on the NOTES. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

1) What festival did the Greeks perform plays?

2) What are the three types of Greek theatre?

3) Who were the four most famous Greek playwrights?

4) What did you find the most interesting from the video?

Objectives• I will identify and describe aspects Ancient Greek Theatre

• I will identify and describe playwrights and the structure of Ancient Greek satyr, comedy, and tragedy

Greek Theatre

•Take notes on the video!

Greek Theatre: The Stage

• Amphitheater • Took advantage of mountain/hill structure • Located near Sanctuaries and Temples (Honoring

Gods and Mythology through theatre)• Orchestra = “dancing place” for chorus and chief

performers• Theatron = “seeing place” or audience seating,

great acoustics• Skene = “tent” – storage for actors and props• Preferential seating for priests, Boule members, and

other magistrates

Theater of Dionysus

Greek Theatre: Chorus

• Greek Chorus• Performed in the orchestra• Sang, danced, acted, and narrated• Gave important background information and

commented as the ‘audience’ or ‘society’• Provided insight to the audience (breaking the 4th wall)• Numbering from 12 to 50 men• Modern Day Example

• Take notes on HOW this is like a Greek Chorus

Greek Theatre: Costumes• Masks

• Part of religious ritual• Change character quickly (usually only 3 men

performed all of the roles)• Identify sex, social class, or change in character• Helmet like, made of leather, linen, wood, or cork with

human or animal hair

Types of Plays: Satyr

• Authors: Pratinas, Aeshylus, Euripides, Sophocles

• Earliest form of comedic play • Satyr = half man, half beast• Used to “lighten up” the mood after tragedies• Rowdy, raunchy, low-brow humor• Scenario

• Satyr(s) intrudes on a myth• Stirs up comic havoc and steers myth off course• Myth, however, comes to its traditional end

Types of Plays: Comedy• Authors: Aristophanes, Aeschylus • Loose plot, more important to be funny• Lampoon• Reducto as absurdum • Mock ideas, magistrates, and gods

• Scenario- Take a myth, policy, or ‘politician’ that

is ‘dumb’- Create a ridiculous scenario revolving around myth, policy, or

‘politician’- Hilarity ensues

Types of Plays: Tragedies • Authors: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides• Serious • Trilogy (3 plays)• Deal with big themes: Love, Lose, Pride,

Abuse of Power, Gods• Audience is affected through pity or fear• Scenario

• Hero has a downfall through a tragic flaw (hubris, fate, or will of gods)

• Hero undergoes a change of fate• Hero has some revelation

Homework• Create your own Greek Play!

• Choose the type of play (satyr, tragedy, comedy)

• Follow the structure (can be an outline)• Create what the first chorus would say (society introducing topic)

• Draw a mask of one of the characters (a sketch is fine!)