Greek Theatre Vs American Theatre

For thousands of years, humans have put on a slew of theatrical performances. From the tragedies and festivals of ancient Greece to the neoclassical dramas of France, there is a multitude of productions and genres available from cultures across the world. Plays and musicals are still popular to this day, and the Richard Rodgers Theatre and the Globe Theatre in England being very popular with locals and tourists alike. There are even thousands of programs in schools across the country dedicated to theatre. Theatre is live entertainment performed in front of an audience by actors, musicians, magicians, or other entertainers.
The content of theatrical performances tend to be written by playwrights and/or composers. In theatre, there is a connection …show more content…
The audience can find relatable characters going through similar things as them and feel comforted that you are not the only one who feels or has experienced something. Theatre is a form of art that unites all cultures on Earth, as each has their own variant of theatre. For example, Japan has Kabuki theatre, with elaborate, over-the-top performances by the actors. Additionally, Italy created commedia dell’Arte during the Renaissance, with improvised scene and stock characters. Therefore, theatre is a great vehicle for cultures to be able to relate to one another and find common ground. Often, there are detailed, stunning stage designs and set pieces designed by architects in theatrical productions. For instance, during the Italian Renaissance, the architect Vitruvius helped to make sets and scenery that were changeable through a transitionable flat wing system where if you shift the wing to a different angle, the scenery will vary and …show more content…
Additionally, since the plays and other works of ancient playwrights like Terence and Homer influenced later playwrights like William Shakespeare and Moliere, we can see how those plays influenced such well-known works popular in our culture even to this day. Also, learning about Theatre History gives you the context for the scenes and history behind plays throughout history. Knowing the context and history behind plays makes reading or watching the plays a more enjoyable experience, as you have a greater understanding of the content in the scenes. Theatre was important in leading to popular entertainment we have today, such as the large amounts of movies and television shows produced every year. Actors and writers can have a greater understanding of their art form if they study Theatre History as they will know what inspired aspects of theatre and other forms of entertainment today. As an example, commedia dell’Arte was an early predecessor of both the improv and sitcoms we have today. Commedia dell’Arte and improv comedy both involve performers improvising their lines. Also, both commedia dell’Arte and improv comedy tend to involve improvising based on scenarios written in advance. Actors in commedia dell’Arte were given scenarios as a guideline for their improvised lines and improv comedy shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway also involve