Performances
A Greek tragedy mask
A Greek chorus performing "Medea"
A diagram of a Greek theater
A primary source of a terra-cotta figure of an actor carrying a goat over his shoulders
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In Ancient Greece, plays were performed in a similar fashion. Most only allowed three actors on stage at the same time. These actors wore masks for a variety of reasons. There was a chorus in every production, which were performed in theaters.
The three actors allowed onstage were professionals, who played more than one role in a single production. Only men were allowed to be actors, so women could only be part of the chorus. The parts of women were played by men, which was possible with the use of masks and the men changed the tone and pitch of their voices. The masks used by actors were to help men play all of the parts of the play. It allowed them to play multiple parts, since each mask represented a different character. The expressions on the mask represented different emotions. This way, the audience in the back could understand what was happening better. There's speculation that the masks could've helped project the actors' voices to help the audience in the back hear. Eventually, the masks came to represent the different types of plays, which are still used today. The smiling mask represents comedy, while the mask with a pained expression shows tragedy. Every production included a chorus. In the fifth century B.C., they were the main feature of a play. Comedies came to have the chorus set at 24 people, while tragedies only had 12 or 15. The chorus was used to recite and sing text in unison, and emphasized special words or lines with gestures and dance. Plays were performed in theaters. Originally, a wooden stage and stands for spectators to sit were set up every year near an agora, but it collapsed in the fifth century B.C. It was decided by officials to build a new, permanent theater on the south slope of the Acropolis, near Dionysus' shrine. The theater had a natural auditorium formed by the curve of the hill, which overlooked the circular base for the orchestra, where the actors and chorus performed. All Greek theaters came to be based off of this plan. In the back of the orchestra, there were skenes, or small huts, for actors to change costumes and masks. They were later used as a background for the plays to make them easier to imagine. There were low platforms added to the back of the orchestra, in front of the skene, for actors to perform on for important parts. The chorus was located in front of the platform. |