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Crash Course
Roman Theater with Plautus, Terence, and Seneca: Crash Course Theater #6
In which Mike delves into the theater of ancient Rome. It wasn't all gladiators and Christian-killing, you know. There was theater, too. Roman drama drew heavily on Greek drama. So heavily, in fact, that many of the stories and...
Crash Course
Nostrils, Harmony with the Universe, and Ancient Sanskrit Theater: Crash Course Theater #7
Ancient Sanskrit theater is one of the oldest theater traditions, and thanks to Bharata Muni and his treatise on theater, the Natyashastra, we can tell you quite a bit about it, all the way down to eyebrow and nostril poses. This week...
Crash Course
Thespis, Athens, and The Origins of Greek Drama: Crash Course Theater #2
This week on Crash Course Theater, Mike is acting like theater started in Greece. Well, for the western theater, this is true. The earliest recorded drama in the west arose in Athen, and these early plays grew out or religious ritual....
Crash Course
What Is Theater? Crash Course Theater #1
Welcome to Crash Course Theater with Mike Rugnetta! In this, our inaugural week, we're going to ask the two classic questions about theater. 1.What is theater? And 2. Is it spelled -re or -er? Well, there's a clue to question two in the...
Curated Video
Greek Theatres
The ancient Greek drama was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and military power during this period, was its center, where it was...
Curated Video
Greek Theatre, Delos Island
The ancient Greek drama was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and military power during this period, was its center, where it was...
Curated Video
Greece, Epidauros Greek Theatre
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is a theatre in the Greek city of Epidaurus, located on the southeast end of the sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain,...
Curated Video
Greece, Delphi Greek Theatre
The ancient theatre at Delphi was built further up the hill from the Temple of Apollo giving spectators a view of the entire sanctuary and the valley below. It was originally built in the 4th century BC but was remodeled on several...
Curated Video
Greece, Athens - Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus
The Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus is a major theatre in Athens, built at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis. Dedicated to Dionysus, the god of plays and wine (among other things), the theatre could seat as many as 17,000 people with...
Curated Video
Turkey, Assos Theatre
The theatre of Assos in Asia Minor in Turkey, It was discovered that the theatre which had been set up on the south slope of the ancient city across Lesbos was destroyed during an earthquake. The theatre with 2500 people capacity had...
TED-Ed
The Battle of the Greek Tragedies
Introduce the origins of theater and dramatic roles with this highly entertaining, animated video. It illustrates the evolution of the stage from the shrinking of the chorus in dramas during the fifth century BCE in Ancient Greece,...
Crash Course
Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty: Crash Course Theater #43
Despite spending many years in a sanatorium, Antonin Artaud became a well-known playwright. Video 43 from the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist describes the life work of the French playwright with a focus on the theater of...
Crash Course
The Birth of Off Broadway: Crash Course Theater #47
Many Broadway shows, including Hamilton, got their start off the infamous street. Video 47 from the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist focuses on the creation of Off-Broadway theater. Discussion centers around specific theaters and...
Crash Course
Thespis, Athens, and The Origins of Greek Drama: Crash Course Theater #2
Unless you're singing about a lonely goatherd in the Sound of Music, goats have little to do with theater, and yet the word tragedy comes from the Greek words for goat and song. A video about Greek drama, the second video in the Crash...
Crash Course
What is Theater? Crash Course Theater #1
For thousands of years, the dramatic arts played an important role in civilization. The first episode of Crash Course Theater, a high-quality video series, defines and gives a brief overview of the topic. From explaining the difference...
Crash Course
Greek Comedy, Satyrs, and Aristophanes: Crash Course Theater #4
What better way to tell a story than with actors dressed like horses? Information about satyr plays and other aspects of Greek comedy makes up the fourth video in the Crash Course Theater series. The discussion includes references to...
Crash Course
Tragedy Lessons from Aristotle: Crash Course Theater #3
Guts! Gore! Murder! Human flaws! Aristotle considered all elements of a tragedy. Crash Course Theater's third video covers the Greek philosopher's views on the art form and also explains alternating perspectives on the topic. Engaging...
Crash Course
Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theatre: Crash Course Theater #44
A video, number 44 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist, covers the work of Bertolt Brecht, who believed theater should be more than an escape from reality. Content covers a range of Brecht's styles and includes a summary of...
Crash Course
Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd: Crash Course Theater #45
Life doesn't make sense, so theater shouldn't make sense either. A video about the theater of the absurd, the 45th installment of the Crash Course Drama and Theater series, discusses the unique movement in theater history. An overview of...
Crash Course
Where Did Theater Go? Crash Course Theater #18
Oh, the drama! According to Plato, poetry is a false representation of reality and, to him, poetry included drama. The Puritans also despised theater, a topic the informational video explores. The narrator describes the controversial...
Crash Course
Get Outside and Have a (Mystery) Play: Crash Course Theater #10
In the Middle Ages, theater left the church of moved outside to a secular stage. An interesting video describes the transition from pulpit to public venue, discussing common plot lines and other aspects of medieval drama. Animated...
Crash Course
Federal Theatre and Group Theatre: Crash Course Theater #42
Method acting got its start in the 1930s. A video, the 42nd video in the Crash Course Theater and Drama playlist, describes the theater scene during the 1930s, including the introduction of method acting. Information on Waiting for...
Crash Course
Poor Unfortunate Theater: Crash Course Theater #48
Sometimes it's impossible to keep up with the Joneses. Scholars watch video 48 in the Crash Course Theater and Drama series that describes poor theater, which takes out the typical lights, costume, and sets that rich theater includes....
Crash Course
Pee Jokes, the Italian Renaissance, Commedia Dell'Arte: Crash Course Theater #12
Welcome to the Renaissance, known as one of the most vibrant periods in the world of theater. An informational video provides a thorough overview of the period, noting key changes that took place on the stage. After a lengthy discussion...