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At first in dithyrambous, there were no actors. Thespis was the poet who imported the first hypocrit, Aeschylos the second and Sophocles the third one. Besides these actors, who were playing the leading parts, there were also some other persons on the orchestra (=stage), playing "dumb" roles (the "followers").
At the begginning the actors were being chosen by the poets. In the 5th century they were being chosen by the State.
The hypocrits were always men, even if they were playing female roles. In order to have a female appearance, they were playing wearing the "prosternida" before the chest and the "progastrida" before the belly. In order to look taller and more impressive they were wearing "cothornous" (wooden shoes with tall heels). These shoes were the same for both legs (no right and left). They were dressed in long robes with vertical stripes.
The most essential part of their disguise was the mask. These masks were made ad hoc and they had big holes for the mouth and the eyes. The mask was absolutely necessary as it was necessary in the dionyssiac religion.
Up to the point when Sophocles imported his innovations in drama, the chorus consisted from 12 members. Sophocles added three more. The 15 members of the chorus were entering the orchestra in rows ( usually face=3, depth=5 ), which means that although in old dithyrambous the chorus was making a circle, in ancient theater the chorus was making squares.
The chorus was entering from the two "parodos". His appearance was depending on the play. For the tragedy the chorus was very solemn and it was called "emmelia". In comedies it was funny and it was called "codrax", when in satyric drama it was scoptic and it was called "sicinnis".
The chorus,who was considered to be the mouthpiece of society (in its humble form) and morality, was suffering along with the heroes.
Chorus from the play "Agamemnon"
Chorus from Aristphene's "Birds"
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