Posted by katiep on Saturday, May 13, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

As soon as I stepped foot into the theatre at Segesta, I could not help but be completely amazed by the beautiful view and condition of the ancient theatre. As I sat down on the stone seats my mind was crowded with thoughts: “How did anyone pay attention to a play with this view?” “How did they sit on these rocks without their butts getting sore?” “How is this still standing in such good condition?” As Vittoria talked to us about the Elymian theatre, I learned that in the past there was a scene, about three stories high, located in the front of the theatre and thus blocking the mountains in the distance. I thought of what a shame it was for audiences at the time to not be witness to the spectacular view of the Sicilian countryside that the theatre provides, but at least that way they could focus on the performance instead of becoming distracted by the beauty of the landscape. Vittoria also told us that actors would wear masks with fixed expressions painted onto them so audiences could better read the emotions of the characters in the play. Today, actors do not wear masks, however, they apply heavy stage make-up in order to make their features more visible to audience members. I guess we can thank the Elymians and the Greeks for giving us the idea of emphasizing our faces on stage!

While in Segesta, I couldn’t help but think of Wolf Trap, a concert venue back in my home state of Virginia. This venue is outdoors and audiences can sit inside underneath the cover of the building or outside on the lawn. Like the theatre in Segesta, Wolf Trap is a space that does not take away from the beauty of the surrounding landscape and I can only imagine that Elymians’ enjoyed going to the theatre for the     spectacular performances as well as the outdoors, much like audience members at Wolf Trap today.

We have come a long way since the Elymians: our venues are much bigger and we wear heavy make-up instead of masks but, despite these advances, audiences today still appreciate the intersection of nature and entertainment that the Elymians seem to honor in their stunning theatre in Segesta.