Drama

Puppet shows have been performed since ancient times- the remainsof puppets have been found in the tombs of Ancient India, Egypt and greece. Puppets were oftenused to act out legends or religious stories. Different types of puppets are operated in different ways.

Japanese Theater is well known for two main kinds of drama- Noh and kabuki. Noh is a serious dance- drama, performed on a traditional stage without much scenery. It began in the 1300s and was first acted by priests from Buddist temples. Today it is performed by ordinary actors. Kabuki began in the early 1600s. It is much livelier than Noh, with songs,dance , funny scenes, energetic fights and splendid scenery.

Elizabethen Theater, in 1976, during the reign of Queen Elizebeth 1, a huge wooden theater wa built in London, England. It was built as a circle so that people could sit most of the way around the stage. The theater was succesful that others like it were built nearby. One of these theaters, called the Globe, put on the plays of the great English playwright Willam Shakespeare. He wore 37plays about everything from murder and war, to love and journey.

Indoor stages is the first permanent indoor theaters were built in Italy in the late 1500s. For the first time, complicated scenery could be used and changed between secenes. Early indoor theaters had a frame around the stage. The frame made a scenery look as if it was a picture frame. There are still picture- frame today, but new theater often have stages that can be changed to suit each play.