Introduction to Greek Theater 

Credit gained: 0.5 High School Credit

Prerequisites

none

Course description

This is an online course for intermediate speakers of Greek as a foreign language, awarding a 0.5 credit in Greek Language and the Arts. In this course, students will discover about the birth and origins of western theater in religious rituals, and will comprehend its prominent place in Athenian society of the time. Together we will unlock Aristotle’s definition of Tragedy and we will be able to imagine the collective theatrical experience of the Athenian audiences through a study of its unique architecture and performance conventions. Then, we will study the play of Antigone by Sophocles and take a closer look at its themes and basic literary schemes. We will learn in practice, by playing and performing excerpts from the play, about its beautiful language, rhythm and dramatic tensions. Finally, we will understand why this powerful play is still performed after 2,400 years and why in Ancient Athens, theater going was an essential part of a holistic moral, civic and spiritual education.

Course Start/End Date:

  • Fall 2024 Session: October 14, 2024 - December 20, 2024 

  • Winter 2025 Session: February 3, 2025 - April 11, 2025

  • Summer 2025 Session: Summer Session: June 23 - July 11

Course Duration: 10 weeks

Minimum Enrollment: 5 Students

Fellow/Online Instructor: Thanopoulou, Sophia

Cost: 450 Euros

Fellow/Online Instructor(s)

Thanopoulou, Sophia, Fellow

Ms. Thanopoulou received her degree in Theater Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master of Arts in Physical Theater from the universities of Surrey & Royal Holloway University of London.

She is a trained performer and dancer and has appeared in numerous venues, including the Athens Concert Hall, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, and the Opening Ceremony for the Athens Olympics 2004. She worked in a wide variety of capacities in theater production before discovering her love for teaching in 2004.

Ms. Thanopoulou holds a teaching license from the University of Athens and from the Teaching Council UK (QTS), where she first started teaching and built the programs for A Level and BTEC Drama & Performing Arts in 3 inner-city London schools. She started at ACS Athens in 2007 and, since then, she has developed the curriculum for Middle School and Academy Drama and the syllabi for IB Theater; she has directed over 20 full-scale student productions as well as many other performance projects; she is a leader of the school's team for the Panhellenic Forensics Tournaments, yielding many distinctions every year; the principal coach of the Duet Acting team and many other performance-related extracurriculars; she has shared her research, insights and innovative practices in numerous conferences in Greece and abroad (Educational Collaborative of International Schools, World Alliance for Arts in Education, National Kapodistrian University of Athens and more). She is a firm believer in the power of arts in education and does everything in her power to nurture her students' creative needs and celebrate their talents.

email: thanopoulous@acs.gr