Sept. 8 : Actor’s Day & Thespis

On Actor’s Day we remember Thespis, the first actor (often called the father of drama). Theater in ancient Greece was a form of art that was celebrated and enjoyed by the Greeks. It was a way to express their culture, religion, and politics, and it was closely linked to the worship of Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy. Theater was a way of celebrating the power of Dionysus and exploring the themes of human nature, society, and the divine. The birth of theater in ancient Greece can be traced back to the 6th century BC, when a priest of Dionysus named Thespis introduced a new element which can validly be seen as the birth of theater. He engaged in a dialogue with the chorus and became the first actor. And it is in his honor that actors still today are referred to as Thespians.

Thespis: Father of Drama

Thespis was often called the father of drama, and his name was recorded as the first to stage a show at the Great (or City) Dionysia in 534 BC. Scholars differ on the scanty evidence about Thespis and his role in the development of Greek drama. According to the Greek rhetorician Themistius, Aristotle said that tragedy was entirely choral until Thespis introduced the prologue and the internal speeches. If so, Thespis was the first to interweave choral song with an actor’s speeches, and tragic dialogue began when the actor (Thespis) exchanged words with the leader of the chorus (choragus).

The Dithyramb

The earliest form of theater in ancient Greece was the dithyramb, a choral song performed by a group of men or boys dressed as satyrs, the half-human, half-animal companions of Dionysus. The dithyramb was sung and danced in honor of the god at his festivals, especially the Rural Dionysia and the City Dionysia. The dithyramb was a narrative, ballad-like genre that told stories of the god’s adventures, sufferings, and triumphs.

By Thespis’ time, the dithyramb had evolved far away from its cult roots. Under the influence of heroic epic, Doric choral lyric, and the innovations of the poet Arion, it had become a more sophisticated and diverse genre. Thespis took advantage of this and introduced the prologue and the internal speeches, which allowed him to create dialogue between himself and the leader of the chorus. He also added masks and costumes to differentiate the characters he played.

The City Dionysia

Thespis was the first to stage a tragedy at the Great (or City) Dionysia, the most prestigious festival of Dionysus in Athens. He was the exarchon, or leader, of the dithyrambs performed in and around Attica. Thespis competed against other poets and won the first theatrical contest held in Athens. He is said to have written several plays, but none of them have survived. The titles and fragments attributed to him are probably not authentic.

Thespis’ contribution to drama is disputed by some scholars, who argue that he was not the first to use masks, costumes, or dialogue, and that his role in the development of theater was exaggerated by later sources. However, his name has been immortalized as the founder of a new art form that would flourish in ancient Greece and beyond. He inspired many successors, such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, who refined and expanded the genre of tragedy, as well as Aristophanes, who created the genre of comedy. Thespis was a pioneer and a legend, who transformed the dithyramb into a dramatic spectacle that captivated and challenged the audiences of his time.

Theatre in ancient Greece was institutionalized as part of a festival called the Dionysia, which honored the god Dionysus. The festival was held in Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period. The city-state of Athens was the center of ancient Greek theater, where the theater was institutionalized as part of the festival. The festival was held in honor of the god Dionysus, and it was a time of great celebration and revelry.

We have covered the history of theater and its Greek origins in other blog posts, so take a look at our post about Theater for more.