A Short Introduction to the Ancient Greek Theater Revised Edition Graham Ley Contemporary productions on stage and film, and the development of theater studies, continue to draw new audiences to ancient Greek drama. With observations on all aspects of performance, this volume provides a clear, concise account of what is known about the original conditions of such productions in the age of Pericles. Reexamining the surviving plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, Graham Ley discusses the organization of the dramatic festivals, the work of the playwright, custom and properties, the power and range of the chorus, the use of theatrical space in the performance of tragedy and comedy. This new edition also includes notes on ancient mime and puppetry and how to read Greek playtexts as scripts, as well as an updated bibliography. An ideal companion to The Complete Greek Tragedies, also published by the University of Chicago Press, Ley’s work is an illuminating introduction to one of the great periods of world drama. Graham Ley is professor of drama and theory at the University of Exeter. He has directed ancient and modern plays, has been a dramaturg for professional productions, and is the author of many specialist essays and books, including most recently The theatricality of Greek Tragedy also published by the University of Chicago Press.