The Theatrical Structure

Question 1

What is the orchestra?

Answer 1

Most important part of the theatre
- the one in the theatre of Dionysus was 20m in diameter
- where the chorus would dance and perform odes and from where the leader would converse with actors on stage

• the altar in the centre of the orchestra was used for sacrifices as part of festivals

Question 2

What is the skene?

Answer 2

Tent/ hut this was a wooden multi purpose building as a backdrop of a palace or temple

Thought to come around 460BC with little evidence surviving from plays for its use before Aesylus Agamemnon

Roof was used for appearances of gods and other appropriate characters

Also a changing room for actors and store the props

Question 3

What is the prodkenion?

Answer 3

Low platform formed the stage

It was kept low allowing actors to interact with the chorus

Question 4

What is the parodos?

Answer 4

Between the side of the stage and seating were passages or parodoi

Each parados was denoted an area where the actor had come from: stage left meant the city or harbour where as stage right indicated from the country

Question 5

What is the seating or Koilon?

Answer 5

Benches lad out on a semi circle riding up a slope

Between the tiers of seats were passage ways know as diazoma which separated the various range of seats

Each seating wedge was know as a keekis separated by stairs called klimakes

Seating ranged from 20-100m from the actors themselves