Theatre is said to have originated in Athens, Greece. Ancient Greek theatre, in turn, has had a major influence on modern-day theatre. Greek theatre first began in the 6th century B.C.E. It was influenced by Greek mythology and Greek culture, and often performed as a part of religious festivals and it often included song and dance. (“How Greek Theatre Has Influenced Modern Theatre”). Ancient Greek theatre has influenced modern-day theatre in the way the theatres are built, as well as the stories and how they are told and the categories they can be put in.
One influence that ancient Greek theatre had on modern-day theatre is the performance spaces themselves. The amphitheaters of ancient Greece had circular seating that rose as it moved away from the stage area and had three specific areas the skene (stage), the orchestra, and the audience (Thorburn). Similarly, our modern-day theatres typically have a semicircular seating arrangement that rises as it goes backward around the stage with some theatres having orchestral pits in front of the stage.
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Theatre spread all across the world; it was and is still currently used as a form of entertainment. Greek playwrights in theatre first had a great impact on Roman theatre and inspired and influenced writers such as Seneca and Plautus. Additionally, William Shakespeare, one of the best-known playwrights, was heavily influenced by Sophocles, with multiple works of his, such as Macbeth, and Julius Ceasar, being based off of Greek tragedies. (“How Greek Theatre Has Influenced Modern