The history of Greek theatre commenced with religious ceremonies, primarily involving a chorus of worshippers chanting and performing unrehearsed dances around a god's altar. The initial step towards drama occurred when a single member of this chorus separated to speak lines, to which the chorus responded. This practice evolved into the formal structure of drama, with tragedy emerging directly from religious observance and remaining intrinsically linked to the worship of gods, especially Dionysus, in whose honour tragedies were performed. Thespis is widely recognised as the earliest recorded actor and the "Inventor of Tragedy" around 532 BC, leading to the institutionalisation of theatre as part of festivals like the City Dionysia around 508 BC. The 5th century BC is considered the Golden Age of Greek drama, witnessing the contributions of prominent playwrights such as Aeschylus, who introduced a second actor and reduced the chorus size, and Sophocles, who added a third actor and further refined the chorus's role. During this era, genres such as tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays flourished, with performances featuring male actors wearing exaggerated, stylised masks to portray various characters, emotions, and types. Theatre architecture also developed significantly, from simple hillsides to grand structures with stone seats (theatron), a circular dancing area for the chorus (orchestra), and a stage building (skene). While the vitality of tragedy somewhat waned in the Hellenistic period, giving way to New Comedy, the foundational elements established by ancient Greek drama profoundly influenced the subsequent evolution of Western literature and theatre.