Complete illustrated History of theater

  • 1000 BCE

    Ancient Greece (1000 BCE – 323 BCE)

    theater is born
  • 534 BCE

    First documented writer

    Thespis The ancient Greek poet who is credited with introducing the first individual actor in Greek theater, taking the place of the chorus to speak lines and interact with the chorus.
  • 300 BCE

    construction of Theater of Epidaurus

    Theater of Epidaurus is prime example of ancient acoustic engineering, the Theater of Epidaurus dates to around 300 BC and could seat approximately 14,000 spectators.
  • 4 BCE

    Death of Marcus Tullius Tiro

    Marcus Tullius Trio was Roman scribe who developed a shorthand system and is recognized as history's first official notary. He was a servant who worked for the orator Cicero and created a system of abbreviations called notae to take down speeches, a role that evolved into the modern concept of a notary public.
  • 3 BCE

    Theatre of Mérida

    The Roman Theatre of Mérida was built around 15 BC and is well-preserved. The Great Theatre of Ephesus was built in the 3rd century BC and may have seated around 25,000 people.
  • 80

    Colosseo of Italy

    Construction began under the Emperor Vespasian 69–79 AD in 72 and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and son, Titus.
  • 400

    Hight of Roman Theatre

    Shift in focus of art While classical tragedy and comedy existed, popular taste favored mime, pantomime, and grand spectacles.
  • 533

    End of an Era

    The last recorded performance in Rome was around 533 AD, after which organized theatre ceased in Western Europe for several centuries.
  • 825

    Liturgical Drama

    Theatre was reborn within monasteries and churches. Simple dramatized parts of the liturgy, like the Quem Quaeritis trope, were used to teach Christian doctrine to a largely illiterate population.
  • 1300

    Vernacular Plays

    By the 13th century, plays moved out of the churches and into town squares, performed in local languages rather than Latin. They were organized into cycles by trade guilds.
  • 1564

    birth of William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564. he's widely regarded as one of the best writers of all time.
  • 1564

    Renaissance Theatre (c. 1500 AD - 1564 AD)

    The Renaissance brought a revival of interest in classical learning and art, which heavily influenced theatre.
  • The Baroque era

    Focus on grandeur, elaborate spectacle, and multi-sensory experiences, using advanced stage machinery for dramatic effects like flying actors or quick scene changes. Birth of proscenium stage
  • The classical Era

    Primarily rooted in ancient Greece and Rome, centers on formal structures and purpose. This era is defined by its religious origins, the development of tragedy and comedy, and a focus on exploring universal human themes and civic issues
  • The Romantic Era

    During the romantic period there was a lot of social and poltical changes the French revolution paired with religious difference made for a very hostile time frame that heavily influenced writer from this period
  • Birth of Broadway

    The first Broadway musical is considered to be The Black Crook, which premiered in 1866 and focused on a combination of dramatic thriller and ballet. The Black crook was combination of two plays that were canceled because of a great city wide fire that destroyed St. Patricks old cathedral and the crystal palace.
  • 20th century Modern

    a period of drastic change in theater that spurred from realism, naturalism, symbolism, expressionism and theater of the absurd.
  • Postmodern Contemporary Era

    Postmodern contemporary Era is categorized by t linear forms, emphasizing fragmentation, deconstruction of "grand narratives. the era is categorized by a liner for of art blaring the line between reality and art.