Greek theatre began in the 6th century BC in Athens, with the first theatrical performance taking place in the city’s main public square. The earliest known theatrical production was written by Thespis, a poet and actor of Athens, who is often credited as the first playwright. His plays featured characters that interacted with each other and with an audience.
Theatre quickly became popular throughout Greece, and soon theatre competitions were being held in various cities. These competitions were held annually at festivals such as the City Dionysia of Athens and the Lenaia of Athens. During these festivals, three tragedians would compete against each other to see who had written the best play.
Theatre was seen as a way to honor their gods and goddesses, so it was heavily intertwined with religious rituals and festivities. Plays were typically centered around mythological stories, although some tragedies focused on other topics such as war or politics.
The Greek theatre also had a significant impact on modern theatre. Aristotle wrote extensively about tragedy, comedy and other theatrical genres in his book “Poetics” which is still used as an important reference today. Many of the conventions of contemporary theatre can be traced back to ancient Greece – for example the use of masks to represent characters or chorus lines for musical numbers.
Greek theatre was also responsible for creating some of literature’s most iconic works such as Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” or Euripides’ “Medea” which are still studied and performed today.
Overall, Greek Theatre began in the 6th century BC and has left its mark on modern theatre through its influence on conventions such as mask-wearing or chorus lines as well as its iconic works like “Oedipus Rex” or “Medea” which have stood the test of time over centuries of time.
Conclusion: Greek Theatre began in the 6th century BC and has been an integral part of Western culture ever since then with its influence being seen even today in modern theatres around the world.