Characteristics of Greek Theatre

1. Identify two things that greeks gave to theater
Festivals and playing on the stage

2. Who was Dionysus?
Greek God of wine

3. Identify and explain the parts of the Greek theater
-Theatre
-Skene: A large rectangular building situated behind the orchestra, used as a backstage. Actors could change their costumes and masks. Earlier the skene was a tent or hut, later it became a permanent stone structure. These structures were sometimes painted to serve as backdrops.
Rising from the circle of the orchestra was the audience. The theatres were originally built on a very large scale to accommodate the large number of people on stage, as well as the large number of people in the audience, up to fourteen thousand.
-Orchestra: A large circular or rectangular area at the center part of the theatre, where the play, dance, religious rites, acting used to take place.

4.What is the function of the chorus?
They comment on the action and fill the audience in on what is not seen.

5. What was the function of a mask in Greek theater?
It was used instead of makeup

6. Describe the scenery used in Greek theatre.
There were no scenery changes; instead, these changes were accomplished through a messenger.

7. How is Greek theater different from the modern theater? 
In Greek plays, the audience members had to use their minds and think about what they saw; they had to use their imaginations to create the setting and events talked about, but not seen. In modern theater, generally, the viewer doesn’t have to use imagination to supply the setting and other aspects of the play because elements of production—lights, scenery, costumes, etc.—tend to be employed.

8. Why do you think so many people attended the theatre on festival days?
It was their only form of entertainment