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500 BCE
The Classical Era (Ancient Greece)
The Classical Era saw the development of tragedies and Comedies. It also gave us iconic playwrights like Sophecles, Euripides, and Aristophanes -
472 BCE
The Persians
The Persians is the oldest known/surviving play -
406 BCE
Pentheus
Pentheus is the first known tragedy play and led to the creation of other trageties and the entire genre of a tragedy in theater -
391 BCE
Improvisational Theater
The Earliest documentation of Improv theater came from this time and created the genre of Improv in theater. It is also now used for castmates to get to know each other better -
476
The Medieval Era
The Medieval Period saw religious plays and morality plays emerge with performances taking place in church settings or public squares. Hrosvitha was one of the most notable playwrights from the time. -
1450
The Renaissance Era
This period saw the revial of classical Greek and Roman drama. It gave us significant playwrights like Shakespeare and Marlow who explored humanism and complex characters -
William Shakespeare Starts Writing
Shakespeare's language is a cornerstone of modern acting and performance. His eloquent prose and poetry challenged actors to convey complex emotions and ideas, fostering a level of depth and complexity that remains relevant today. -
Macbeth Debuts
With the debuting of Macbeth came the beginning of the Macbeth curse. This was the belief that mentioning the name Macbeth would cause terrible things to happen to the person who mentioned it on stage. This started because of the tragic death of Lady Macbeth on the opening night of Macbeth. It is believed this happened because a coven of witches cursed the play after Shakespeare used real incantations. -
The Restoration Era
This era saw the reintroduction of professional theater to England after the Puritan eram with plays often featuring witty dialouge and romantic themes. This era gave us significant playwrights including John Dryden, William Wycherley, and George Etherege. -
The Black Crook
The Black Crook introduced Americans to the art of Ballet and was also the first created muscial, causing many more muscials to be created. -
The Modern Era
This era saw a focus on realism and naturalism, with playwrights like Ibsen and Strindberg exploring social issues and everyday life. -
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
This was Andrew Lloyd Webber's first play, leading to his future plays including iconic shows like Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Phantom of the Opera -
The Phantom of the Opera Debuts
Phantom of the Opera teaches us a lot about opera, from its societal role then and now to its variety of singing voices and some of the most famous real-life operas. -
Wicked Debuts
Wicked was used to touch on the topics of authoritarianism, racism, fascism, elitism, and form over function. -
Hamilton Debuts
Hamilton has had a profound impact on popular culturem inspiring discussions about history, identity, and the power of storytelling. It has also helped spark discussions about pushing boundaries and challenging norms in theater.