User:Diegetic/Notes from Reed website

Englert, Walter, "Ancient Greek Theater."https://www.reed.edu/humanities/110Tech/Theater.html


 * Ancient Greek poet Arion, based in Corinth, said to have invented the tragic mode, the stationary chorus (also decided what the chorus sang), introduced satyrs speaking verses.
 * In the 6th century BC, Cleisthenes, the tyrant of Scion, transferred "tragic choruses" to Dionysus
 * According to chapter 4 of Aristotle's Poetics, "[Tragedy's] beginnings, certainly, were in improvisation [autoschediastikês], as were also those for comedy, tragedy originating in impromptus by the leaders of dithyrambic choruses, and comedy in those of the leaders of the phallic performances which still remain customary in many cities... It was Aeschylus who first increased the number of the actors from one to two and reduced the role of the chorus, giving first place to the dialogue."
 * Some stories explain that even if tragedy had its origins in Dionysian dithyrambs, tragedies did not all have to include Dionysis. For example, although choruses began with singing Dionysian dithyrambs, poets began to incorporate other characters. Satyr-plays were then added at the beginning of the performances to make sure they were still including Dionysus.


 * Ancient Greek theatres had an orchestra ("dancing space") component. Normally flat. Chorus would dance, sing, interact with actors. Originally just dirt, but in the Classical period, some began to be paved with marble. Sometimes there was a thymele, or altar, in the middle.
 * Basic parts of Greek tragedy:

a. Prologue (spoken by a couple of characters before chorus, provides mythological context)

b. Parados: First song by chorus at entrance

c. First Episode: characters and chorus talk

d. First Stasimon: at end of each episode, the characters leave and chorus performs a stasimon (choral ode) that sums up what has happened and contextualises it.

The rest of the play involves an alternation of episodes and stasima

e. Exodos: Chorus sings a song and exits, usually includes some moral/message.

- Will add to STAGE MANAGEMENT, HISTORY.... there might be conflicting edits which im concerned about... maybe after the quarter i will come back and clean up the page