drama, religious

Dramatic performance employed to tell a religious story either within a liturgical context (for example, Christian nativity and Easter plays) or as part of a festival celebration (for example, ancient Greek plays staged in honour of Dionysus).

The connection between ritual and drama is very close and many religions, with the notable exception of Islam, have a theatrical element. The early Christians originally banned plays because of their pagan connotations but by the Middle Ages religious plays were commonly performed both inside and outside churches. In Hindu religion, dramatic re-enactions of the lives of Krishna and Rama, using dance and music, have long been part of religious practice. The most famous tradition is the Kathakali, a form of dance drama, of southern India.