HISTORY OF

THEATRICAL FORMS
AND EVOLUTION
QUARTER 4 ARTS 9 LESSON 1
• Identify selected theatrical forms from
the different art periods
• Research on the history of the
theatrical forms and their evolution
HISTORY OF
THEATRICAL FORMS
AND EVOLUTION
QUARTER 4 ARTS 9 LESSON 1
Theater began from myth, ritual, and ceremony.
Early society perceived connections between
actions performed by groups of people or
leaders to a certain society and these actions
moved from habit to tradition, to ritual, and to
ceremony due to human desire and need for
entertainment.
Theater means “place of seeing,” but it is more than the
buildings where performance take place. To produce
theater, a playwright writes the scripts, the director
rehearses the performers, the designer and technical crew
produce props to create the scenes, and the actors and
actresses performs on stage, then it will only be a true
theater act when audience witnesses it.
 • European theater began in Ancient Greece. It began around 700 BC with festivals
honoring their gods. Dionysus (Di-on-i-sus), the god of wine and fertility, has
religious- (a
Tragedy festivals called “The Cult of Dionysus” to honor him. The theater of
ancientof
compound Greece
two consisted of three types of drama:
Greek words tragos or
“goat” and “won”
meaning ode or song) Satyr – these plays
was the most admired contains comic
Comedy – the plays
type of play. It dealt elements to lighten
were derived from
with tragic events and the overall mood or a
imitation; there were
have an unhappy serious play with a
no traces of their
ending specially one happy ending. This is
origin. Aristophanes
concerning the a short, lighthearted
wrote most of the
downfall of the main tailpiece performed
comedy plays.
character. Thespis after each trilogy of
was the first actor and tragedies.
introduced the use of
masks and was called
the “Father of
Tragedy.”
The theater building were
called Theatron. It is a
large, open-air structures
constructed on the sloped of
hills and consisted of three
main elements: the orchestra,
the skene and the audience.
• The theater of ancient Rome started in
the 3rd century BC. It had varied and
interesting art forms such as festivals
performances of street theater,
acrobatics, the staging of comedies of
Plautus, and the high-verbally
elaborate tragedies of Seneca.
The Triumvir of
Pompey was one
of the first
permanent (non
wooden)
theaters in
Rome, whose
structure was
somewhat
similar to the
To keep the
theater alive,
minstrels,
though
denounced by
the Church,
performed in
• Renaissance theater arts were characterized by a return of Classical Greek Roman arts
and culture. During the Middle Ages, mystery plays formed a part of religious festivals
in England and other parts of Europe during the Renaissance period. Morality plays
and University drama were formed to recreate Athenian tragedy. Public theaters were
developed like Commedia dell’arte (Italian comedy and a humorous theatrical
presentation performed by professional players who traveled in troupes) and
elaborate masques (a dramatic entertainment consisting of pantomime, dancing,
dialogue, song actor
❖ The famous and sometimes players
and poet who who wore
emerged masks)
in this periodthat were usually presented
in court.
was William Shakespeare. He was an English poet,
playwright, and actor and was regarded as the greatest
writer and dramatist in the whole world. Shakespeare
was often called Engaland’s National Poet and the
“Bard of Avon.” His works consist of about 38 plays.
Some of these plays were well-loved: Romeo and Juliet,
Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cleopatra, Julius
Caesar, Much Ado about Nothing.
❖ For the first time, ballet was performed during this
period. Ballet is a formalized form of dance which
originated from Italian Renaissance courts.
Proscenium was developed.
This is the area of a theater
surrounding the stage
opening. Arches frame and
divide the stage from the
audience.

Backdrops for every scenery

were popularized by the art
of painting clothes.

Commedia dell’arte or
“Comedy of the Profession”
was developed. It was quick-
witted performance of the
characters/players.
• The theater of Baroque period is marked by the use technology in current
Broadways or commercial plays. The theater crew uses machine for special
effects and scene changes which may be changed in a matter of seconds
with the use of ropes and pulleys.
❖ The theater was richly
decorated, the
multiplicity of plot
turns and a variety of
situations
characteristic of
Mannerism (a variety of
approaches or
intellectual
sophistication as well
as using artificial
qualities of the play)
• The Neoclassical period was a movement where the styles of Roman and
Greek societies influenced the theater arts. During this period, the theater
was characterized by its grandiosity. Costumes and sceneries were highly
elaborate. The main concepts of the plays were to entertain and to teach
lessons. Stages were restyled with dramatic arches to highlight the scenes.
Multiple entry points on the stage were evident in many plays. Lighting and
sound effects intensified the mood and message of each scene, enhancing
❖ The concept
dramatic of decorum
experience. s. (right and
proper audience behavior) was
applied in this period which means
classical concepts and appropriate
social behavior must be observed.
This period officially established just
two types of plays – tragedy and
comedy. Tragedy portrayed the
complex and fateful lives of the
upper classes and royals, while
comedy tended to focus on the lower
ranks of society.
• During the Romantic period, melodrama and operas became the most
popular theatrical forms. Melodramas originated from the French word
melodrama, which is derived from Greek melos, which means “music” and
French drame, which is derived from the Greek dran to “perform”.

Opera – is an artform in
Melodrama – a dramatic which singers and
work that puts characters musicians perform a
in a lot of danger in order dramatic work combining
to appeal to the emotions text (liberetto) and
and in which orchestral musical score. Acting,
music or song was used scenery, costumes, and
to accompany the action. dance were important
elements of theater.
• Direction: Match column A to the correct answers
in column B.
 COLUMN A COLUMN B
____1. Romantic Period A. Grandiosity, highly
Theater elaborate
____2. Medieval Theater B. Morality plays
____3. Greek Theater C. Puppeteers, jugglers,
____4. Roman theater singers
____5. Renaissance D. Combats and blood
Theater sports
____6. Baroque Theater E. Tragedy, Comedy and
____7. Neoclassical Satyr
Theater F. Melodrama and
 COLUMN A COLUMN B
F 1. Romantic Period A. Grandiosity, highly
Theater elaborate
C 2. Medieval B. Morality plays
Theater C. Puppeteers, jugglers,
E 3. Greek Theater singers
D 4. Roman theater D. Combats and blood
B 5. Renaissance sports
Theater E. Tragedy, Comedy and
G 6. Baroque Theater Satyr
A 7. Neoclassical F. Melodrama and
• Direction: Create a timeline on the history of
theatrical forms and illustrate the evolution of
the stage. Decide on your timeline design.
VALUING!

∙ What do you think is the importance

of theater in education?
• DIRECTION: Chose the letter with
the correct answer.
 A theater marked with the use
of technology.

A. Baroque Theater C. Medieval Theater

B. Greek Theater D. RomanTheater

 During this period, theater
performances were not allowed
as people associated with
theater shows are considered
dangerous
A. Baroque Theater
and pagan.
C. Medieval Theater

B. Greek Theater D. RomanTheater

 The following are the types of
Greek theater, except;

A. Comedy C. Satyr

B. Romance D. Tragedy
 During this period, theater was
characterized by its grandiosity.

A. Neoclassical Theater C. Renaissance Theater

B. Medieval Theater D. Romantic Theater

 Melodrama and operas became
the most popular theatrical
forms during this period.

A. Neoclassical Theater C. Renaissance Theater

B. Medieval Theater D. Romantic Theater