The first in a series of articles detailing the history of theater.
Theater has had a long and rich history. While it will be impossible to explain every incarnation of the art, it is interesting to note some of the highlights along this expansive timeline. What began as the most simple form of entertainment has turned into a modern day marvel as there have been incredible advancements in technology that have allowed for some of the most spectacular productions the world has ever seen. If the people of ancient times could see just how far theater has come, they would surely be pleased. But much like everything in this world, it all started with an idea.
The Greeks first came up with the idea of theatrical productions not only as a form of entertainment for royalty, but to use it as a way to express personal, political and cultural ideals to its people. The three main forms of theater to come out of ancient Greece were comedy, tragedy and satire. Tragedy's tended to be very dramatic and dealt with a variety of cultural issues. Usually the plays involved some type of message to the audience and often ended with the death of one or several different characters. Comedy's were much lighter in humor, and featured a wide variety of characters. Much like tragedy plays, these pieces took current events in the cities and presented them in a more light-hearted manner. Out of Comedy, the final and most popular form of theater was created. Satire was most known for its outlandish depictions of society. All three became the foundation of modern day theater and each genre gave birth to subsequent styles of theater that we are all familiar with today.
In a lot of modern day theater still employs a lot of the techniques established by the ancient Greeks. From theater layout to presentation styles. One of the best parts about modern day theater is their continued tribute to those who came before them. You can even see recreations of those ancient plays all over the world. Nowadays you have theatrical hotspots like New York, London and Las Vegas. These places are widely considered to be the best place to see any type of show. Theater, musicals, productions shows, magic; there is a little bit of everything in all of these cities.
Las Vegas in particular is home to some of the best productions in America. It has long been considered the Entertainment Capital of the World for its diverse line-up of shows. Think of almost any style of entertainment and odds are, you will be able to see it in Las Vegas. It is almost like Vegas is the forefront of new and exciting things in the theater world. If the ancient Greeks could see just how far theater has come, especially in what was once empty desert, they would be quite pleased.
Be on the lookout next week for another post in the Evolution of Theater series as we explore more about Shakespearean theater and how it contributed to the rise of Vaudeville.
Be part of the evolution of theater and pick up your tickets for some spectacular Vegas shows today!
