Roman theatres derive from and are part of the overall evolution of earlier Greek theatres . Much of the architectural influence on the Romans came from the Greeks, and theatre structural design was no different from other buildings. However, Roman theatres have specific differences, such as generally being built upon their own foundations instead of earthen works or a hillside and being completely enclosed on all sides.
23-613: The Xfinity Center (originally the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts and commonly Great Woods ) is an outdoor amphitheatre located in Mansfield, Massachusetts . The venue opened during the summer of 1986 with a capacity of 12,000. It was expanded after 2000 to 19,900; 7,000 reserved seats, 7,000 lawn seats and 5,900 general admission seats. The season for the venue is typically from mid May until late September. In 2010, it
46-424: A central arena surrounded by perimeter seating tiers. The seating tiers were pierced by entrance-ways controlling access to the arena floor, and isolating it from the audience. Temporary wooden structures functioning as amphitheaters would have been erected for the funeral games held in honour of deceased Roman magnates by their heirs, featuring fights to the death by gladiators , usually armed prisoners of war, at
69-719: A particular rock formation naturally amplifies or echoes sound, making it ideal for musical and theatrical performances. An amphitheatre can be naturally occurring formations which would be ideal for this purpose, even if no theatre has been constructed there. Notable natural amphitheatres include the Drakensberg Amphitheatre in South Africa , Slane Castle in Ireland , the Supernatural Amphitheatre in Australia , and
92-466: A tier of seats, were made available to the audience. Some Roman theatres, constructed of wood, were torn down after the festival for which they were erected concluded. This practice was due to a moratorium on permanent theatre structures that lasted until 55 BC when the Theatre of Pompey was built with the addition of a temple to avoid the law. Some Roman theatres show signs of never having been completed in
115-455: Is seen through the use of the proscenium . The Roman theatre also had a podium , which sometimes supported the columns of the scaenae frons . The theatre itself was divided into the stage ( orchestra ) and the seating section ( cavea ). The cavea was sometimes constructed on a small hill or slope in which stacked seating could be easily made in the tradition of the Greek theatres. The center of
138-723: The Red Rocks and the Gorge Amphitheatres in the western United States . There is evidence that the Anasazi people used natural amphitheatres for the public performance of music in Pre-Columbian times including a large constructed performance space in Chaco Canyon , New Mexico . Roman theatre (structure) Roman theatres were built in all areas of the Empire , from Spain to
161-522: The cavea was hollowed out of a hill or slope, while the outer radian seats required structural support and solid retaining walls. This was not always the case as Romans tended to build their theatres regardless of the availability of hillsides. All theatres built within the city of Rome were completely man-made without the use of earthworks. The cavea was not roofed, rather, awnings ( velarium ) could be pulled overhead to provide shelter from rain or sunlight. Vomitoria , passages situated below or behind
184-404: The (by now demolished) Gibson Amphitheatre and Chicago International Amphitheatre . In other languages (like German ) an amphitheatre can only be a circular performance space. A performance space where the audience is not all around the stage can not be called an amphitheatre—by definition of the word. A natural amphitheatre is a performance space located in a spot where a steep mountain or
207-592: The 5th century and of staged animal hunts in the 6th, most amphitheatres fell into disrepair. Their materials were mined or recycled. Some were razed, and others were converted into fortifications. A few continued as convenient open meeting places; in some of these, churches were sited. In modern english usage of the word, an amphitheatre is not only a circular, but can also be a semicircular or curved performance space, particularly one located outdoors. Contemporary amphitheatres often include standing structures, called bandshells , sometimes curved or bowl-shaped, both behind
230-802: The Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts; with a performance by Yo-Yo Ma and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra . It was one of the busiest venues in New England, hosting nearly 80 concerts per season. Over the years, additional amphitheaters were added to the region. The Xfinity Theatre in Hartford and the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston brought competition to the area, bringing the venue to an average of 36 events per season. In 1998,
253-558: The Middle East. Because of the Romans' ability to influence local architecture, we see numerous theatres around the world with uniquely Roman attributes. Similarities exist between the theatres and amphitheaters of ancient Rome. They were constructed out of the same material, Roman concrete , and provided a place for the public to go and see numerous events. However, they are two entirely different structures, with specific layouts that lend to
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#1732858517628276-497: The New England region was in desperate need of an outdoors venue (at the time, the main outdoor venues were Tanglewood , Cape Cod Melody Tent , and the South Shore Music Circus). The performing arts center plan was changed to an amphitheater. The site was moved to Mansfield to create a regional venue, being within 40 miles (64 km) of Providence , Boston, Worcester and Cape Cod . The venue opened June 13, 1986, as
299-493: The area of the Roman Empire . Their typical shape, functions and name distinguish them from Roman theatres , which are more or less semicircular in shape; from the circuses (similar to hippodromes ) whose much longer circuits were designed mainly for horse or chariot racing events; and from the smaller stadia , which were primarily designed for athletics and footraces. Roman amphitheatres were circular or oval in plan, with
322-505: The central performance area, like a modern open-air stadium . In contrast, both ancient Greek and ancient Roman theatres were built in a semicircle , with tiered seating rising on one side of the performance area. Modern english parlance uses "amphitheatre" for any structure with sloping seating, including theatre-style stages with spectator seating on only one side, theatres in the round , and stadia . They can be indoor or outdoor. About 230 Roman amphitheatres have been found across
345-411: The different events they held. Amphitheatres did not need superior acoustics, unlike those provided by the structure of a Roman theatre. While amphitheatres would feature races and gladiatorial events , theatres hosted events such as plays, pantomimes, choral events, orations, and commerce. Their design, with its semicircular form, enhances the natural acoustics, unlike Roman amphitheatres constructed in
368-640: The funeral pyre or tomb of the deceased. These games are described in Roman histories as munera , gifts, entertainments or duties to honour deceased individuals, Rome's gods and the Roman community. Some Roman writers interpret the earliest attempts to provide permanent amphitheaters and seating for the lower classes as populist political graft, rightly blocked by the Senate as morally objectionable; too-frequent, excessively "luxurious" munera would corrode traditional Roman morals. The provision of permanent seating
391-458: The owner of venue, Don Law Company, was sold to SFX Entertainment and naming rights were sold to Tweeter Home Entertainment a year later, with the venue now becoming the "Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts". When the electronics retailer faced bankruptcy in 2007, multi-media organization Comcast bought naming rights, with the venue becoming the Comcast Center in 2008. The company renamed
414-419: The round . These buildings were semi-circular and possessed certain inherent architectural structures, with minor differences depending on the region in which they were constructed. The scaenae frons was a high back wall of the stage floor, supported by columns. The proscaenium was a wall that supported the front edge of the stage with ornately decorated niches off to the sides. The Hellenistic influence
437-613: The stage and behind the audience, creating an area which echoes or amplifies sound, making the amphitheatre ideal for musical or theatrical performances. Small-scale amphitheatres can serve to host outdoor local community performances. Notable modern amphitheatres include the Shoreline Amphitheatre , the Hollywood Bowl and the Aula Magna at Stockholm University. The term "amphitheatre" is also used for some indoor venues, such as
460-701: The venue "Xfinity Center" in 2014, to correspond with its current product branding. Amphitheatre An amphitheatre ( U.S. English : amphitheater ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ἀμφιθέατρον ( amphitheatron ), from ἀμφί ( amphi ), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and θέατρον ( théātron ), meaning "place for viewing". Ancient Greek theatres were typically built on hillsides and semi-circular in design. The first amphitheatre may have been built at Pompeii around 70 BC. Ancient Roman amphitheatres were oval or circular in plan, with seating tiers that surrounded
483-562: Was named Top Grossing Amphitheater by Billboard . It mainly hosts concerts; other events, such as graduation ceremonies, including that of Mansfield High School , occasionally take place. The venue was proposed by Don Law, John E. Drew and Sherman Wolf in 1985. Originally, the suggested site was in Brookline, Massachusetts . At that time, the venue was planned to be a performing arts center, consisting of concert hall , auditorium and black box theater . After conducting research, Law concluded
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#1732858517628506-639: Was no standard size; the largest could accommodate 40,000–60,000 spectators. The most elaborate featured multi-storeyed, arcaded façades and were decorated with marble , stucco and statuary. The best-known and largest Roman amphitheatre is the Colosseum in Rome , also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre ( Amphitheatrum Flavium ), after the Flavian dynasty who had it built. After the ending of gladiatorial games in
529-594: Was thought a particularly objectionable luxury. The earliest permanent, stone and timber Roman amphitheatre with perimeter seating was built in the Campus Martius in 29 BCE. Most were built under Imperial rule, from the Augustan period (27 BCE–14 CE) onwards. Imperial amphitheatres were built throughout the Roman Empire, especial in provincial capitals and major colonies, as an essential aspect of Romanitas . There
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