Writers/performers of stories can learn valuable positive and negative lessons about storytelling techniques and aesthetic literary elements from general storytelling history. Individual writers and performers of stories can gain special insights from the history of solo artistic storytelling, which dates back to ancient performances of poetry, oral storytelling, and singing of tales. Some examples of early one-person storytelling performers were the following: rhapsodists, reciters of epic poems in ancient Greece; scops, who composed and sang songs of heroes in Anglo-Saxon England; and jongleurs, who were itinerant minstrels in medieval France.

Every ancient civilization used dramatic storytelling in some way: in religious ceremonies, funeral rites, and various rites of passage. Some of the books of the Bible, such as the Song of Songs and the Book of Job, were written in dramatic storytelling form. The earliest records of storytelling performances were made in Egypt. One stone tablet was carved 4,000 years ago, depicting the story of a three-day pageant of tales. In this production Ikhernofret arranged and played the leading role. The pageant was made up of actual battles, boat processions, and elaborate ceremonies. Carvings and murals on ancient temple and tomb walls were produced to show highly theatrical pictures of these dramatic presentations of tales.

Greek dramatic storytelling structures and ideas have had tremendous influence throughout history to the present time. In 300 BC, Aristotle identified the significant elements of a tragic tale as plot, character, thought, diction, music, and spectacle. His classifications have been used in analyzing, writing, and producing drama stories to the present day. Common, contemporary, Greek theatre terms, such as orchestra, scenery, and proscenium, have also been used to the present.

Theatrical storytelling contests emerged to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility. In 534 Thespis won the first such dramatic competition. The term thespian (actor) came from his name. (Brockett 1996:60) Patrons defrayed the expenses of staging the competitive dramatic stories, and no expense was spared. A director trained the chorus, whose function was to provide objective commentary on the dramatic scenes. A public commissioner supervised the production. First, second, and third monetary prizes were awarded to the playwright/poets for their trilogies. Musicians accompanied the chorus. Music was a fundamental part of Greek education and of the plays. An altar stood in the middle of the orchestra. The Greek world-view included the supernatural and the dramatic stories were a part of religious worship.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides wrote great Greek tragedies, which are still performed today. Aeschylus introduced dialogue between two characters. Sophocles included a third character in the exchange. He also created dramatic action that led to a definite plot and more realistic, life-like characters. Euripides developed the human-interest element. (Carlson 1990:54-59)

The tragedies revealed conflicts between the will of the gods (often larger-than-life personifications of men characterized by amoral actions) and the ambitions of men. The gods of fate were always more powerful than men, although tragic heroes were portrayed with dignity and courage. (Brockett 1996:74) Usually heroes were confronted with difficult moral choices, struggled with hostile forces, and in the end were defeated (usually in death). Greek tragedies were dramatically complex. They dealt with significant ethical problems, which the protagonists struggled to solve for the good of the aristocratic society out of the protagonists' strong senses of social responsibility. The tragic, dramatic stories were designed to purge the spectator’s soul through the emotions of fear and pity. They were also designed to help the spectators accept the challenges in their own lives by seeing the characters in the plays experience far worse difficulties. Leading characters commonly met their demise due to tragic flaws, which were excesses of otherwise good virtues.

Tragic stories on stage declined after 400 BC, but Greek dramatic, comedic stories were alive. These comedies were presented with more natural vocal delivery and energetic movement. However, they were dominantly bawdy, obscene, and farcical. Aristophanes developed Old Comedy, which was satirical of political and social issues. New Comedy, which followed, emphasized domestic, situational, private, and personal intrigues. (Carlson 1990:64)

Elements of Greek dramatic stories continue to provide instructive models for effective dramatic stories presented today. Greek tragedies recounted tales, which traced the cycle of death to life. They encouraged an acceptance of the difficult and even tragic events of life. Violence was not portrayed on stage. Rather, it happened off stage and was reported by messengers. The protagonists were larger-than-life characters who struggled with universal issues. Their tragic flaws were often subtle excesses of good virtues. Greek dramatic stories incorporated elements of music and poetry. Classification of dramatic storytelling elements facilitated analysis and interpretation of the tales.

The development of Greek dramatic storytelling from tragedies, to political comedy, to domestic or situational comedy is instructive. A gradual downward spiral developed, to be repeated later in dramatic storytelling history. This was marked by the decline of the religious and philosophical nature of the dramatic tales to that which became increasingly coarse and more entertainment-oriented.

Roman dramatic storytellers copied and imitated the work of the Greeks. Although Roman versions in Latin later influenced Shakespeare and other playwrights, Roman imitations of Greek drama were inferior. More popular than dramatic tales in Rome became the spectacles of chariot races, gladiator battles, and fights with wild animals. Romans, in general, did not seem interested in performances of stories that provoked thoughtful reaction. They seemed more interested in dramatic spectacles that would entertain, arouse passions, and thrill. As the empire wound down (destroyed from within), Roman life, in general, became more decadent. Romans became increasingly involved with sensuality and violence. During much of the history of the Roman Empire, audiences were entertained by violent, bloody, and obscene spectacles. Eroticism became more excessive and dominated the arts. Exaggerated sexuality began to even adorn architecture, as in Pompeii. Creativity decreased in the arts. Music even became more bombastic. (Schaeffer 1984:26)

On the more positive side, the written word was constructed carefully for the ear for skillful, articulate public oratory. Then, fortunately, Constantine, a Christian Roman emperor, put a stop to bloody spectacles in the Roman coliseums. As the Church came to power in Rome, much of the decadent Roman entertainment was stopped. Drama was used in the Church to teach Biblical stories and lessons.