This chapter discusses the major pre-twentieth-century theatre traditions of the East and West.
You should be familiar with the origins of theatre in prehistory and the beginning of recorded drama in the Abydos Passion Play.
You need to know kinds of drama written in each phase of the Western tradition.
You should know the kinds of stages and theatrical qualities, such as the use of choruses, singing, chanting, and scenery, for the Greek, Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance traditions.
You should be familiar with the philosophical and/or social context that characterized each phase of the Western tradition.
You need to be familiar with the fundamental principles to which most Asian drama adheres.
You should know the kinds of texts and their relation to performance for each type of theatre of the East.
You need to know the kinds of theatrical qualities that distinguish each type of theatre of the East.
