Theatre History Project
Project Goals
Educate the class on your time period of theatre
history and transport us to that period by:
 Building a Model / Collage of what a theatre
looked like for your time period.
 Performing a Piece of a play from your time
period (3 minutes).
 Having an element of period costuming. This
can be large pictures.
 Playwrights and Plays popular during the time
 Prepare a quiz for the class on the info you give
in the presentation .
5 Periods of Theatre History
 Ancient
Greek Theatre
 Medieval
Theatre
 Italian Renaissance Theatre
 Elizabethan Theatre
 Kabuki
Theatre
 PreSeNT DAY – 2000 - NOW
Ancient Greece
Life in Greece
 Stone or clay houses
 Food: Bread, beans, fresh fruit, vegetables,
fish.
 Clothing: Light loose garments, tunics,
loincloth, barefoot/sandals, jewelry.
 Activities: Festivals - races, wrestling,
boxing, javelin, etc. Olympic Games!
Ancient Greece
Theatre in Greece
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Theatre ORIGINATED in ancient Greece.
 Religious ceremonies to the god Dionysus
eventually were written down and became plays.
 Plays had loud music, bright colors, extensive
dancing.
Ancient Greece
Theatre in Greece (cont.)
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A chorus narrated the play.
Only males could be actors!
Wore masks & costumes.
The structure was an outdoor theatre.
Famous Greek playwrights include Sophocles.
Medieval Theatre
Life in the Middle Ages
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Houses: Timber frame with woven twigs, clay and straw.
Food: Geese, chicken, beef, lamb, etc. available to the
rich. The poor were reliant on bread, peas and beans.
Clothing: Barbarians wore fur, wool, leather. Knights
wore coat of arms. Tunics, cloaks.
Activities: Fairs, knight tournaments like jousts,
acrobatics, chess, checkers, taverns.
Medieval Theatre
Medieval Drama
Largely tied into the Catholic church. A lot of plays
based on Biblical history and legends of the saints.
 Plays commonly staged in pageant wagons – stages on
wheels.
 Most famous play from Medieval times is “Everyman”.
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Italian Renaissance
Life in the Italian Renaissance
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Houses: Architecture gained importance. Columns,
arches and domes were frequently used.
Food: Bread, hard biscuits, wine, rice, pasta, lasagna,
ravioli, pizza.
Clothing: Women – underdress, tight bodice, high waisted
skirts. Veils, ribbons, floral garlands. Men – shirts with
flowing sleeves, doublets.
Activities: arts, literature, politics, philosophy
emphasized.
Italian Renaissance
Commedia dell’arte
Comic improv performed by professional
troupes.
 Created plot outlines, not scripts.
 Specific character types that were identified by
their costumes and masks.
 Example: Pantalone was a middle-aged or
elderly man – the father or husband.
Arlecchino was the schemer or prankster.
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Elizabethan Theatre
Life in the Elizabethan Renaissance
Houses: mix of royal estates, great homes, country
homes and farmhouses, depending on social class.
 Food: Bread, cider, wine, pretzels, cheesecakes,
puddings
 Clothing: Women – ruffled dresses with tight
bodices, pendants. Men – jerkins (vests), loose fit
knickers, silk stockings, hats.
 Activities: instrumental music, dancing, plays,
dice, cards, golf, horse racing, tennis, archery …
and yes – public hangings!
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Elizabethan Theatre
Elizabethan Drama
William Shakespeare! Known as the best
dramatist of all time.
 Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson were also
popular playwrights.
 Plays were intended to be seen, not read. An
emotional experience designed to get a reaction
from the audience.
 Theatres: three stories for audience seating, acting
area was a platform, open area in the middle,
groundlings sat in the pit.
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Kabuki Theatre
Life in Japan
Houses: Pit-dwelling house (columns in
the ground surrounded by grass),
elevated house, shiden-zuriki (garden
home), shoin-zuriki (samurai home)
 Food: rice, noodles, fish, vegetables,
fruits
 Clothing: kimono
 Activities: tea ceremonies, floral
artwork, theatre, anime, classical music
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Kabuki Theatre
Kabuki Drama
Started in the 1500’s, still around today.
 250 year ban on actresses.
 Historical dramas (warrior stories) and
domestic dramas (life of the commoner)
 Stylized, beauty emphasized, lines have a
sing-song quality, colorful, music
incorporated.
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Kabuki Theatre
Kabuki Drama (cont.)
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Theatre: Revolving stage for quick scene
changes, flower path raised passageway,
proscenium, curtains.
White makeup, often with red or blue bold lines.
Project Grading
This project is divided into 5 major components:
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Time Period Presentation
Theatre Model
Play Performance
Quiz
Peer Evaluation
Getting Started – Day One Goals
Choose and break into groups of 4
 Discuss which time period interests
your group.
 Turn in your top 2 choices to Mr.
Balaz
 Presentations will be Friday, October
23.
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!