Setting the stage

Most plays of the time occurred in front of a temple or palace, or in a generic location out of doors (in front of a cave or in a wooded landscape), therefore, the “theatres” were simple in design and look much the same then as they do today.  The ruins of one of the most famous theatres, the Theatre of Dionysus, is located in Athens. The Theatre of Dionysus was semicircular with a diameter of 65 feet, and  consisted of a stage house (skena), and an altar on a stage.

The Greek stage consisted of three major elements:

·         a stage house

·         a stage (playing space)

·         an altar

The stage house, called the skene (ski-nay) was a building where actors could change costumes and such, and was used as the backdrop for the stage.  The skene ran along the diameter of the semi-circle. As the theatre evolved, it is believed that the skene had additions on either side that jutted out into the orchestra.  The additions were called paraskenia.

The actual playing stage, called the orchestra, was located in front of the skena, and often slightly elevated.

At the centre of the orchestra, along the diameter, was the altar, which was called the thymele (thim-alay).

​The skena was generally decorated to represent the general location of the play rather than present a real place.  However, there is some evidence that scenery may have been attached to the skene for some plays.  Stage directions were simple.  Actors entered from the various doors which were called parodoi (pair-a-doy) in the skene and the Chorus entered the floor level through the paraskenia.  The Greeks used several effects in the production of their plays.  For example, a crane (machina) was used to “fly” gods above the orchestra. 

In front of the stage area, the audience sat in semicircular terraced seating.  The theatron (translation: seeing place) of the Theatre Of Dionysus seated about 14,000 people.

​Crane and chorus

The crane was located above the thymele.  Also, since much of the action in Greek plays occurred off stage, a large central door opened to revel a wheeled platform on which extra elements to the pay could be revealed.  Throughout the years, as the stage needs evolved, many alterations to the theatres were made.

The Chorus usually made its entrance after the opening scene of the play and remained until the end.  The chorus served many purposes.  It was an actor in the play, expressing opinions and giving advice.