-
600 BCE
Gas Lighting
*1792 gas lighting was much brighter/cleaner
*Gas panel, system of valves, controlled many onstage gas lamps -
500 BCE
Secrets
Trapdoors, hidden objects, rigging -
500 BCE
Pageant Wagon
*Sometimes platforms were mounted to pageant wagons pulled from towns -
Period: 500 BCE to 899 BCE
Medieval Theatre
*Churches suppressed theatrical activity, due to secular drama
*A church that denied sacraments to actors also revived theatre.
*Plays done in small churches which caused problems
*Platform stages were usually constructed adjacent to the church, the audience sat in town square
*Similar set for church productions
*Sets made of small buildings, mansions, or stations
*Play's action took place platea
*Secrets: trapdoors, rigging -
400 BCE
The Periaktoi
*The Periaktoi which was from the forth century, three sided forms that rotated on a central pivot, used for scene changes -
400 BCE
Skene
*Skene turned into an elaborately decorated single facade, the scaenae frons, matched height of cavea -
Period: 400 BCE to 499 BCE
Greek Theatre
*Steeply Raked seating areas called the auditorium, or atron.
*Surrounded on three sides of a circular playing area(the Orchestra)
*The front wall of the Skene, had multiple doors/arches
*The Paraskenia, long/steep walls, extended parallel with the skene
*The Eccyclema a wheeled platform, used in many different ways
*Pinakes, painted panels hung from the skene, decorative -
240 BCE
Moving Scenery
*Moving scenery, trees, rocks
*Introduced in Roman Theatre -
Period: 240 BCE to 476 BCE
Roman Theatre
*Updated Greek Theater designs
*Pulled Orchestra, Auditorium, skene into one structure
*The auditorium, or Cavea, separated from orchestra by short wall
*Orchestra was a semicircle, extending out from stage, framed by proscenium
*Roof extended from scaenae frons to proscenium edge
*Spiarium hung back stage, provided background and hid backstage -
1500
Revival of Theater
*Renaissance re:awoke theater
*More than a thousand years to be permitted, sprang over Europe -
Period: 1500 to
1500-1650, Renaissance
*Theaters finally indoor, Cavea became an ellipse, helped sight lines
*Scaenae Frons now several arches, street sets built in forced perspective on raked stage, helped improve visual effects of scenery
*Painted drops of "comic scene", the "tragic scene", the "satyric scene"
*Drops helped with depth, hung upstage
*Candles, lanterns, torches first stage lighting
*Pit for lower class to stand -
First Lighting
*Candles, lanterns, torches first stage lighting -
Period: to
1650-1900
*Theatres usually rectangular
*Apron held majority of action in plays
*Moveable drop, wings, and borders were used
*Plays took place, drawing room, courtyard, palace, garden
*Elevator Traps/Stages, and Revolving Stages used to shit scenery
*New stages were mostly flat
*Same way of lighting for many years
*First electric used was carbon arc, followed by footlights, borderlights, winglights -
Period: to
Twentieth Century Theatre
*Theatre became more realistic/naturalistic on stage
*Arena stages popped up everywhere to fit more people
*Shape of theatres supported new forms, plays required environments instead of backgrounds
*Side seats were eliminated, remaining seats faced stage
*Theatre spaces were found in barns, churches, feed stores, grocery stores, libraries, old movie houses
*Hard to adjust anything in the theatres due to the designs already established
*First electronic dimmer, thyratron tube, controlled remote
