Drama and Dramatic Arts

I

Introduction

Drama and Dramatic Arts, Drama is a form of literature—either prose or verse, usually in dialogue form—intended for performance; dramatic arts are the components necessary for writing and producing the drama, such as playwriting, acting, and costume and scenic design. The word drama comes from a Greek word meaning “to do”, and thus drama is usually associated with the idea of action. Most often, drama is thought of as a story about events in the lives of characters. As the adjective dramatic indicates, the ideas of conflict, tension, contrast, and emotion are usually associated with drama.

II

Types and Uses of Theatre

If theatre is viewed simply as a branch of literature or only as a form of narrative, however, then large segments of theatre history are inevitably slighted. Some periods or cultures have emphasized dramatic literature—plays—but others have stressed aspects of theatrical production. Some cultures see the theatre’s value as a means of storytelling; others see it as religion, spectacle, or entertainment.

Theatre has been used as an extension of religious festivals, as a means for spreading political ideas or propaganda to mass audiences, as entertainment, and as a form of art. Through much of history, theatre has existed on three levels simultaneously: as loosely organized popular entertainment, as a mainstream public activity, and as an élitist art form. At the level of popular entertainment, it consists of individuals or small groups, usually working outside established theatrical channels, performing anything from circus skills to farcical plays for a mass audience. This form pre-dates the oldest known plays and is exemplified today by commercial television (see Television Drama). Theatre as a mainstream public activity is most commonly literary drama performed at public theatres; it is usually commercial or else state-supported for the general public. Greek tragedy, medieval morality plays, and contemporary theatre all fall into this category. Theatre as an élitist art form is most simply defined by its intended audience, a limited group with specialized tastes. This form ranges from the court performances of the Renaissance to modern avant-garde theatre.

A performance has only two essential elements: a performer and an audience. The performance may be mimed or may use language. The performer need not even be human—puppet drama has been popular throughout history, and mechanical or machine plays have been presented. A performance may be enhanced by costume, makeup, scenery, props, lighting, music, and special effects. These are used to help create the illusion of a different character, place, and time or to enhance the special quality of the performance and differentiate it from everyday experience.

III

Western Theatre

Although the origins of Western theatre are unknown, most theories point to a ritual origin in ancient and prehistoric rites and religious practices, because virtually all ritual contains theatrical elements. Different schools of thought attribute origins variously to ancient fertility rites, harvest festivals, shamanism, and similar sources.

A

Classical Theatre

The earliest period in Western theatrical history is called Classical, because it encompasses the drama and theatre of the classical civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, and plays were written in Greek or Latin, the classical languages.