The History of Theatre
Alanna Leon
Effective Essay Writing/COM/150
May 27, 2012
Michael Macbride

The History of Theatre
Theatre is a fantastic, entertaining, and very old art form. An evolution of storytelling, theatre is an expression of life. The history of theatre can be traced all the way back to the time of Ancient Greece. The art of theatre has survived many years and has evolved greatly during those years. A performance you would have seen in Ancient Greece is not at all what you would see in a performance today. Many things in theatre have changed, from the dialogue and costumes, to the sets, themes, and the playwrights themselves. Just as the human race has had to adapt to changes in order to survive over the years, theatre has done the same. There is one thing that has not changed all that much and that is that people still use theatre as an escape. While theatre was originally used as a form of worship to the Greek god Dionysus, the art of theatre has greatly evolved over the years and is now mainly used as a source of entertainment.
There is not much history pertaining to the origin of theatre. Most research comes from wall paintings and hieroglyphics. One of the first dramas was performed in Egypt and is said to be the beginning of theatre. This drama was the Abydos passion play, involving the story of Osiris (Robinson, 2002). Most of the first recorded examples of theatre come to us from Ancient Greece. Ancient Grecians had four festivals honoring gods, which were scheduled around the seasons. City Dionysia, a festival honoring the god, Dionysus, was the only festival to have performances. These performances were part of a contest, with the best playwrights/plays winning a prize. The most well-known playwrights of this time are Thespis, Sophocles, Euripedes, Aeschylus, and Aristophanes (Robinson, 2002). Thespis is credited with creating the first play, performed in Athens around 534 B.C., due to his introduction of the first actor, or protagonist, the main character of a play and the first time an actor interacted with the chorus with spoken word. Thespis forever changed the art of theatre. Before Thespis’ introduction of the protagonist, performances included only the chorus, a group of males chanting with gestures and music, in honor of the god, Dionysus. The word thespian, interchangeable with actor, comes from the name of this famous and influential playwright (The Ancient Greek Theatre Page, 2004).
Along with Ancient Greek theatre, the Elizabethan era was also an important time for theatre, introducing one of the most well-known playwrights of all time: William Shakespeare. A few of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays include Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Christopher Marlowe, John Lyly, and Richard Greene were also popular playwrights during this era (Robinson, 2002). Shakespeare was part of a group called Lord Chamberlain’s Men, which included the best theatrical talent in London and was the performing group for the famous Globe Theatre. Many people came to see the plays performed at the Globe, including children, nobleman, and kings and queens. Audience members who could not afford the price of a seat were permitted to stand in an area in front of the stage (William Shakespeare, 2012). Although theatre was extremely popular in every social class during this era, the Bubonic Plague (Black Death) had a large effect on the ability to continue performances. The plague was spreading so quickly that many thought it dangerous for people to come together in an enclosed area. The theatres were first banned to areas outside of London’s city limits and then closed down altogether. There were several outbreaks of the plague causing theatre closures in 1593 A.D., 1603 A.D., and 1608 A.D. (Alchin, 2008).
Theatre did, however, survive the Bubonic Plague and is an art that many people still enjoy today. Modern Broadway theatre has a wide range of genres, from serious dramas to comedic musicals and everything in between. New York City has been the home for these productions from as early as 1750 A.D. The first known musical production in New York City was The Beggar’s Opera, written by John Gay, in December of 1750 A.D. (Kenrick, 2009). A few of the most influential American playwrights of the 20th century are Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neil, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, and David Mamet.
Theatre goers these days look for an entertainment experience in which they can escape the mundane of everyday life and immerse themselves into a fantasy world where they are able to uncover the life and story of the playwright’s characters. Special effects also play an important role in some of the most modern productions on Broadway today. For example, The Phantom of the Opera, musical version written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Show, 2009), has a huge chandelier that swings over the audience, and Spiderman Turn off the Dark, co-written by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Guirre-Sacasa (Creative Team & Cast, 2011), utilizes a sophisticated harness system to “fly” the protagonist high above the stage and house, where the audience members sit (Areas and structures of a theatre or cinema, 2009). Broadway is a very popular destination for some, but it is not nearly as accessible as the performances during the Elizabethan era. With the prices of tickets, New York City restaurants, and other Manhattan hot spots being so high, local community theatres can offer an enjoyable and more cost friendly alternative to the bright lights of Broadway.
Early theatre started out as a way for Ancient Grecians to honor their gods, but quickly transformed into a form of entertainment for the masses. Theatre has certainly come a long way since the early performances in Greece, but even modern theatre draws from the same basic principles. Even on shows on Broadway this very minute, producers and directors utilize a chorus to help tell the story of the production. Playwrights have moved on from including just one actor to adding many characters to tell a well-rounded story, but there is still the protagonist, and most often an antagonist and many supporting characters. Most large productions today also make use of scenery and props, both were ideas that were introduced by Aeschylus in Greece circa 784 B.C. (The Ancient Greek Theatre Page, 2004). Of course, there are many differences between modern theatre and Ancient Grecian theatre.
Everything evolves and changes with the times and theatre is a key example of this. Technology is ever evolving and has brought some great things to the world of theatre. Special effects is one of the main reasons why theatre is still so popular today. As a culture we are exposed to so much on a daily basis, that it becomes hard to “wow” us. Special effects such as swinging chandeliers and flying heroes are a couple of ways to keep such a highly exposed audience entertained. Theatre goers have also come to expect big things out of sets and scenery. So much so, that when a director chooses to use a minimal set or minimal props to accentuate the writing of a play, some audience members do not fully understand the meaning behind it and can leave the theatre feeling underwhelmed and disappointed.
It is amazing to think that because theatre is such an important part of human life, this art form has grown and evolved into what it is today. Theatre may have started off as an expression of worship to the ancient Greek god Dionysus, but it has become so much more than that. It has become an expression of life. As the great Oscar Wilde said, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” (Theatre Quotes, 2001). Theatre is such an important part of modern life because these productions tell the stories of life. They tell the stories of our history, our future, our lives the way they are, our lives the way we wish they were, hardships, heartbreak, and love, and everything in between. Theatre is the very essence of who we are as the human race.
References

Alchin, L. K. (2008, March 20). Elizabethan Theatre. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from Elizabethan Theatre: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-theatre.htm
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Creative Team & Cast. (2011, January 27). Retrieved May 6, 2012, from Spiderman Turn off the Dark: http://spidermanonbroadway.marvel.com/team
Drama, Western. (2011, 11 1). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition.
Kenrick, J. (2009). History of the Musical Stage. Retrieved May 6, 2012, from Musicals101.com: http://www.musicals101.com/1700bway.htm
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The Show. (2009, September). Retrieved May 6, 2012, from The Phantom of the Opera: http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/the-show/facts-figures
Theatre Quotes. (2001). Retrieved May 10, 2012, from Brainy Quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/theatre.html
William Shakespeare. (2012). Retrieved May 5, 2012, from English Online: http://www.english-online.at/literature/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-plays-in-the-elizabethan-era.htm