RP160 Greek Theater and Dionysus

RP160 Greek Theater and Dionysus

Hollywood blockbusters, musicals, one-man plays— in fact, the entire tradition of Western theater— can be traced back to one Greek god. Dionysus was the god of wine and fertility. His followers would drink, dance, and become wild, moving and singing as though they had lost control.

Dionysus was supposed to be worshipped by satyrs, mythical creatures that were part goat, part man. During festivals, the human followers of Dionysus would dress up as these satyrs. They would sing and dance as a chorus, telling stories about their god. This ensemble was always performed as a group until one day about 2,500 years ago, when one person stepped forward to speak lines on his own. It may have been a priest called Thespis. Whoever it was, he told a story in words, rather than song. He was the first actor.

Theater became popular after that. It evolved into three types: tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays. Originally, Greek theater had three very distinct parts. It would start with a prologue or speech about the play, then the chorus would enter, and then the scenes of the play would be performed. At first, only a few actors were allowed on stage at one time. The chorus was very important for giving information to the audience.

These new performances needed space. One of the first spaces was the Theater of Dionysus in Athens. It was built into a slope of a hill. The stage was set below the seats on the hillside, where 25,000 people could sit and hear all the action happening!

Theaters and acting evolved from that point, eventually becoming the variety of styles we have today. Next time you watch things blow up at the cinema, remember Dionysus and his wild worshippers, and maybe whisper a quick "thank you."