Ancient Greek Theatre

All over the world, different types of theatre have developed, 

In ancient Greece, plays were performed by all male amateur actors. Most Greek theatres were made so that sound could travel to all the seats in the area but the actors still had to over emphasise their gestures and speak in very loud voices so the the sound would transfer enough for the story to be heard and seen clearly throughout the theatre.

The building for theatre was called a theatron, normally openly constructed and on a sloping hill and contained three main areas; the audience, the skene, and the orchestra.
The skene is what we would consider to be a backstage area. It is a large building behind the orchestra. It began as a simple tent but soon became stone and this is where people could change their costumes or masks for different scenes in the play. This building sometimes even became part of the scenery or allowed for special effects in the more advanced theatres.
Greek theatre has greatly influenced modern day theatre and performance techniques. So much so that some of their theatres are still counted among the best in the world and are continuing to hold performances on a regular basis.

This is a short segment from the Discovery Channel's 'Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece.' About The Theatre Of Epidaurus.