534 B.C. Thespis wins the first public contest for tragic poets in Greece, and the term thespian derives from his name. He also introduces masks, which become a staple of Greek and Roman theater. Euripides, considered the first choreographer, incorporates dance into his plays. 250 B.C. The Hellenistic or Colonial period marks an era when comedy is preferred over tragedy. Old Comedy, buffoonery and farce that often attacks individuals and portrays the foibles of a social class, evolves into New Comedy, a more polished and refined humor that centers on the shortcomings of the middle class.
Comic drama moves from politics and philosophy to everyday life.
800 Theater is all but extinct in both the western and eastern Roman Empires during the Dark Ages because Christians oppose the entertainment. The church introduces dramatic performances to Easter services, acting out the story of the Resurrection. Ironically, the institution that discouraged theater is responsible for its rebirth. 1495 Everyman , the best surviving example of a morality play, is written. The morality play touches on large contemporary issues with moral overtones and describes the lives of everyday people facing temptation.