Ancient Greece is considered the birthplace of many types of arts, including theatrical, which arose at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries BC. The very word "theater" is of Greek origin and is literally translated as a "sight". The time of the origin of theatrical art is usually called the classical era, perceived as a kind of standard and model. The ancient Greek theater itself did not arise from scratch. For many hundreds of years, one of the most important events in the cultural life of the country was a celebration in honor of the god Dionysus. It was based on cult rites and symbolic games associated with the revival of nature after a long winter. In the capital of Greece from the end of the 4th century BC every year, on a certain day of the beginning of spring, comedies, tragedies and dramas dedicated to this event were staged. Such theatrical performances over time began to be held not only in Athens, but also in other parts of the country, a little later they were recognized as an obligatory part of any public holiday. The city authorities were involved in the selection of the performances, and judges who evaluated the work of the "actors" were appointed by them. Winners received incentive prizes. So, the theater has become an integral part of any celebration.
The first ancient Greek theater bore the name of Dionysus and was located in the open air on one of the slopes of the Acropolis. This building was erected only at the time of staging the performances and accommodated a large number of spectators. All the optical boxes, as well as his scene, were made of wooden boards. Being in such a structure was very unsafe. So, to our days, information has come down that during the seventieth Olympiad (499 BC), the wooden seats of the audience almost completely fell down. After this tragedy, it was decided to begin the construction of a solid stone theater.
In the 4th century BC the second ancient Greek theater was erected, its appearance has repeatedly changed over the years of its existence. The stone theater of Dionysus was an excellent example of Greek architectural art and served as a model for all the others that appeared in subsequent theaters. According to some reports, the diameter of his stage (orchestra) was at least 27 meters. At first, all the visual places were located directly around the stage on which the theatrical action took place. However, there were so many people who wanted to attend the performances that some places had to be taken far beyond its walls. As a result, some viewers had to contemplate the performances, sitting at a fairly large distance from the stage itself.
The ancient theater was very different from the modern one not only in its performances, but also in its interior. So, his actors performed on the stage, built at the level of rows of spectators. Only a few centuries later, the scene began to be raised. There was no curtain in the ancient theater either. The first visual ranks were usually assigned to influential people, government officials and their close associates. Ordinary people had to occupy not the best places at a sufficiently large distance from the orchestra.
The theater in ancient Greece was under the full protection of the state. All representations were organized by senior officials - archons. The costs of its maintenance, as well as the training of actors, choristers, etc. fell on the shoulders of wealthy citizens of cities, which they began to call Khoreg. The profession of actor and playwright in ancient Greece was considered very honorable. Many theater actors at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries BC occupied the highest official ranks, engaged in politics.
It should be said that women were not allowed to play in Greek theaters . Their roles have always been performed by men. The actor had to not only read the text well, but also be able to dance and sing. The basis of the appearance of the hero of the ancient Greek play was a mask that was worn on the face of the player playing on the stage, as well as a wig. It was the mask that conveyed all his basic emotions and experiences, allowed the viewer to distinguish the positive from the negative, etc.
The ancient Greek theater laid the foundation for the development of European theater art in general. Even in a modern theater, its basic principles are still respected, both in architecture and in the play of actors. He gave the world a dramatic dialogue, the participation of a living actor, without which the existence of theatrical art itself is impossible.