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2000 BCE
First Plays
The first plays ever performed and recorded were in Egypt. They were usually performed in festivals or celebrations. -
800 BCE
Dance
Simple dance moves started to get incorporated within the plays as well as costumes, masks, sounds effects, and more intense scenes. -
600 BCE
Myths and Storytelling
Myths and storytelling were used as a way of education and entertainment. Ex.Iliad and the Odyssey. -
600 BCE
Chorus
During the rituals for Dionysus a group of men would sing and act,these men were the chorus. This is where the greek theater originated from -
534 BCE
Thespis
He was the inventor of tragedy and introduced speeches,masks, makeup, and costumes. He was known for being the first independant actor. -
472 BCE
Aeschylus
He was the founder of greek drama and introduced dialogues into plays. The Persians was one of his earliest greek plays.He was also known for Oresteia which is a trilogy. -
471 BCE
Sophocles
He wrote more than 120 plays like Oedipus and used destiny as plots as well as creating ideal characters.He also introduced 3rd characters as well as morals and religion as themes. He also expanded the chorus and he lived for over 90 years. -
465 BCE
New Things
The first dressing rooms made for performers were made and introduced to the actors -
458 BCE
Stages
The first stage machinery and design were introduced. -
423 BCE
Aristophanes
He was the greatest Greek comedy writer, and he wrote over 40 plays but only 11 of them survived. His plays include Music, dance, dialogue, and choral parts. His plays were considered modern which is why they are still performed and produced till today. -
365 BCE
Roman Performance
The first roman performances were introduced in 365 BC. -
365 BCE
Greek Theatre
Greek Theatres began to spread a lot the Mediterranean area. -
335 BCE
Aristotle
Aristotle set the basics for tragedy. It should start with happiness then misery. The main character should also learn within the story and from their mistakes. The audience should feel petty.Finally the character should have a final phase called Catharsis -
179 BCE
Roman Theatre
The first wooden theatre was built in Rome. -
165 BCE
Terrence
Terrence put his own twist on old Greek plays especially the ones by Meander. He even combined two or more plays into one. He introduced subplots and added really realistic dialogue. -
63 BCE
Pantomime
Pantomimes are expressive dances that are performed with no dialogue or speech. This was originally a Greek idea that was adapted by the Roman Emperor -
55 BCE
Roman Theatre
The first permanent theatre was finally built. -
6 BCE
Jesus Christ
The Birth of Jesus Christ -
5 BCE
Seneca
Seneca was a philosopher and drama writer within the silver age of Rome. -
80
The Colosseum
The Colosseum was built by emperor Vespasian and his son. It held about 50,000 audience member and was 617 by 512 ft. There was no fees for the ticket but where you sat was based on you gender and social class. After all these years the Colosseum is still standing till this day. -
80
Actors
Most actors were slaves and were from a low level of society. -
197
The Church
The church isolates and banishes all actors while forbidding the citizens from attending any shows. -
Period: 250 to 410
The Fall of the Roman Empire
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300
First religious plays recorded and performed.
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500
Medieval Period
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568
Roman Performances
Roman Performances are stopped -
Apr 20, 600
Troupes
Troupes went around Europe and performed plays as a source of entertainment for people -
Apr 20, 692
The Church Forbids Theatre
The Church officially forbids theatre. This is recorded as the end of classical theatre -
Apr 20, 800
Circuses
Circuses started to travel around the continent and entertaining people. -
Apr 20, 925
Medieval Theatre
There were 3 main types of plays miracle,mystery,and mortality plays. -
Apr 20, 1204
Plays At Church
Plays were performed at the church on a mansion at the beginning but as they gained popularity they were moved to the center of the city. -
Apr 20, 1250
German Drama
German Drama started to gain popularity -
Apr 20, 1325
Performers
Ordinary citizens started to perform in plays. -
Apr 20, 1335
Italian Renaissance
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Period: Apr 20, 1337 to Apr 21, 1453
100 Year War
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Apr 20, 1375
First English Plays
These plays started to gain popularity and performances started happening -
Apr 20, 1425
The Castle of Perseverance
The first English play, and it was a mortality play, with the first out door setting -
Apr 20, 1430
Professional Actors start to reappear once again
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Apr 20, 1453
End of the Middle Ages
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Apr 20, 1490
Spanish Drama started to progress
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Apr 20, 1500
Comedia Dell'arte
The first signs of comedy plays based on improve performances and stock characters. -
Period: Apr 20, 1500 to
Renaissance
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Apr 20, 1520
Ludovico Ariosto
One of the best poet till this day, he wrote 5 comedy plays and set the basics for comedy plays. -
Apr 20, 1537
Set Design
New set designs came when the renaissance period entered Europe -
Apr 20, 1548
Religious plays were prohibited in Paris
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Period: Apr 20, 1550 to
Elizabethan Age
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Apr 20, 1564
Shakespeare
Shakespeare was an actor and a writer that wrote amazing plays and was mostly known as the father of tragedy and the best tragedy writer ever. He has written Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Midsummer Night's Dream as well as many more amazing plays. He also introduced soliloquies and couplets. -
Apr 20, 1576
The first permenent theatre in London England
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Apr 20, 1580
Spanish's Golden Age
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Christopher Marlowe
He was known for his language and different exciting plots. -
Ben Johnson
He was the first master of English comedy. Used people's weaknesses as material for jokes and comedy. -
The Globe was built
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Theatres were closed down in England
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Period: to
The Reformation
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Women started to perform in plays
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Theaters in England have reported again
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The middle class started to dominate the theatre
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The first theatre was built in Virginia, USA
