BLOG QUESTION ADV: THE ORIGINS OF ACTING P. 1

How did Greek and Roman theatre create the art form of acting? What was commedia del' arte's influence on the development of acting?

Greek mythology was told through word of mouth. This process of telling stories became "theater", and as the stories were passed down, different interpretations would be made to reflect the times they were being told in. In the 6th Century B.C., theater became more formalized, and "Plays" would be written down. Commedia dell' Arte was a professional form of theatre that came about during the Italian Renaissance. This was a populist form of theater, meaning it represented all people (aristocracies to common peasants). The first theater trope came out of it, I Gelosi, and they would tour all over Europe. Known for their improvisation and actors taking on authorship roles, they were also the first group to allow women to share the stage.