Ryan Hewitt
Theater 350
12/6/2011
 Greek Tragedy
Greek tragedy was introduced in 534BC to the City Dionysia. The three major
playwrights of Greek tragedy where Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. The
chorus played a major part in tragedy. The chorus provided exposition.
Commentary, they interacted with other charecters, described offstage action, and
they also represented the common people. A common format of Greek tragedy was
to have a hero or heroine, for there to be a discovery made, and that they would see
their downfall through a connection. In most tragedies there was only one plot and
no subplots. There is little known about the acting style what is known is that it was
nonrealistic and there was dance like movement and chanting. The sets usually
consisted of periaktoies, which are three sided rotating set pieces to show the
difference in location, also they used a skene, which served as a backdrop and was
made to look like a palace. Mask work was used often in this style of theater.
Costuming for tragedies was conventional, and organic tunics.

Old Comedy
One of the styles of comedy the Greeks used was old comedy. In 487BC Old comedy
was admitted to the City Dionysa. This style made points out of society, polotics,
littereture, war, and had happy themes. The comedies grew out of phallic songs of
the time. This style did not put in emphasis on plot our character. Aritophanies was
the only writer of old comedy to survive his works such as lysistrate is still
performed today. In interesting part of old comedy was the structure, it started out
with a prologue that established mood and a happy idea, next the chorus would
enter and have in agon (a debate), after that would follow the Parabis which is a
choral ode, following that would be the second half which showed the results of
adopting the happy idea that was brought out in the prologue, the play would end
with the Kmoas where everyone leaves to have a good time. Masks were often worn
and costuming was everyday clothing. The set elements consisted of periaktoies,
which are three sided rotating set pieces to show the difference in location, also they
used a skene, which served as a backdrop and was made to look like a palace. The
Old comedy began to decline in 404BC, which was, then of the Golden Age.

New comedy
The other style of Greek comedy was new comedy, which began in 336 BC. This style
went away from fantasy, political satire, and topical observation, and moved into
comedy of manners, intrigue, focused on family situation, and was more subtle. New
comedy was more realistic and down to earth. These plays had typical romantic
plots and recognizable stock type characters such as domenering parents, romantic
lovers, and comic servants. New comedies are usually written in five acts. The
chorus is used to sing, and dance and serve as in interlude between acts. Menander
is the only playwright of this time whose work still exists today but only in parts, his
only complete work is Dyskolos (The Grouch). Mask was often worn and costuming
was everyday clothing. The set elements consisted of periaktoies, which are three
sided rotating set pieces to show the difference in location, also they used a skene,
which served as a backdrop and was made to look like a palace.
 Morality Play
Morality plays are attempts to teach a moral lesson by using allegorical
characters. These characters usually are going on a journey usually about a
battle of good vs. evil. Morality plays use the same staging as most cycle plays.
 Shakespearean
Shakespeare wrote comedy, tragedy, history and problem plays. His plays where
written in episodic form and he perfected iambic which was shown in his plays.
Shakespearean theater had on stage violence, subplots, and revenge as a motif.
Shakespearean plays where produced on raised platforms on thrust stages with
a center tap door. The type of scenery used was spoken scenery because location
changed quickly there was also very minor props used. Costumes where not
usually historically accurate and where mostly contemporary Elizabethan style.
The acting style for these shows was not realism men also played women and
actors where typically double or even triple cast. The actors would improve
parts and barely ever-new there lines because there was such a small rehearsal
period.
 Noh
The style of Noh was brought out in the 14C and featured roving troupes. The
writing of this style was not normal storytelling they where musical dance
dramas that embodied emotions. The actors in these productions where trained
from childhood. The characters types in these productions where a chorus of ten,
Kamimono which praised the gods, Shuramono which where warriors, Kazuramono
which where women, Kuruimono which where Mad persons and spirits, and
Kirinomono which where Demons, devils, and supernatural beings. The stage had no
scenery but would have žHashigakari, which is a Bridge that is 20’ish long. Also the stage
would have a Butai, which is the main space, and it is in 18-foot square, which is covered
with four columns. The supporting actors would use the Hurry door’s to enter and exit.
The back of the theater had a ceremonial pine tree painted on it. Costumes for this style
where very elaborate and also featured mask. Noh acting style used dance and
pantomime each movement and vocal tone followed very set rules, which is why
performers had to start training so early.
 Bunraku
Bunraku was brought about during the Tokugawa period at a time when the
wealthy supported Noh. The merchants wanted something different for
entertainment so Bunraku was started primarily in Osaka. This style used
puppets which where two-thirds of a life size person and needed three operators
to work one controlled the legs, one the left arm, and one the right arm and head.
The person who controlled the right arm and head was dressed elaborately. On
the stage the puppeteers sit and stand behind railings. The stage was three levels
and used elevators and traps to lower and raise scenery as the script called for.

Kabuki
In 1603 Okuni of Izumo a female dancer created the style of Kabuki. In 1616
there where seven theaters in Kyoto. Early Kabuki Theater was based around
dance and was very romantic and erotic. To start with it was mainly women but
in 1629 women kabuki was banned because it was too sexual the same thing
happened in 1652 with boys’ kabuki. Kabuki had many influences from Bunraku
instead of using puppets the actors mimicked the puppets movement and the
plays where adapted from puppet shows. Actors where trained in vocal
dexterity, dancing, acting, and physical versatility. Male actors also had to learn
Onnagata, which is how to imitate women. In kabuki the actors do not sing the
narrarator is the one who sings. The actors combined speaking and dance and
begin training at 6, they begin with dance then diction, intonation, and finish off
with wearing the costumes. These costumes weighed up to fifty pounds and
they had to have stagehands help them walk in them. Costumers did not worry
about historical context but each role had a specific traditional costume. Scenery
for kabuki featured a decorated stage. Every place the actors visited was shown
on stage. The back of the stage had flats to show distance. The stage featured a
wide and low proscenium, the musicians where located on or off stage, the stage
had elevator traps on it and usually revolved. An interesting thing in Kabuki
Theater is the Hanamichi which where used for entrances and exits.