Greek Chorus

The History of the Ancient Greek Chorus:

• Choral Speaking: The recitation of a text by a group in unison, such as a section of a play, a poem or quotation.
• Synchronized Movement: Synchronized movement is when a group of performers move in unison. The audience is unable to tell who is leading the movements.
• Each Ancient Greek play began and ended with the entrance and exit of the chorus. The chorus was made up of volunteers who practiced for months beforehand. Between dramatic scenes, the chorus would sing and dance in odes. (An ode is a poem written in a heightened style that expresses deep feeling and was originally intended to be sung.) There was a chorus leader who spoke for the group to the actors. As theatre evolved, the chorus began to take a role specific to the play (i.e. citizens of Thebes in Oedipus Rex, slave women in The Libation Bearers, etc). The chorus also represented the common man (i.e. the voice of the audience). They would watch and reflect on the action. In a tragedy, they would react to the flaws in the main character. They provided emotional context and background information.

Ancient Greek Chorus ASSIGNMENT:

• In your group of 4 - 6 cast members, you are going to replicate the beginning of theatre through chorus by performing a memorized scene of a poem.

1. Poem: Perform a poem in choral ode.

• Choral Ode Example:

Poseidon, king of the sea You control the ocean’s waves

Your mighty brother Zeus watches from Olympus

We ask for your protection as we travel to our homes

Please keep us safe as we cross your ocean. Son of Cronus, we thank you.

• Voice:
• Unison: everyone repeats the passage together.
• Group Speakers: Divide the cast into groups of two or three and each section says two lines.
• Individual Speakers: Play with dividing up the lines among individual speakers - give each line to a student.
• Divide the ode at every comma with a new speaker.
• Start the piece quietly and grow in volume, then decrease the volume at the end of the line or poem.
• Start the piece slowly and grow in pace, then slow the pace down at the end of the line or poem.
• Where can you all pause together?
• Movement:
  • Come up with movement that reflects the choral ode.
  1. Stage directions and blocking
  2. Gesture for each line
  • How will the group stand as they speak to the audience? (Think of an appropriate stage picture / tableau.)
  • Focus on using your full body (facial expressions, gestures, and physical action) and filling the full space with your synchronized or individual movement.