The Greek chorus continued to play an important role in classical Greek drama, especially in tragedy. Ranging in number from 50 in the time of Thespis to 15 in later classical Greek drama, the chorus consisted of Athenian citizens and were not professional actors. They function, scholars have suggested variously, to offer a sense of rich spectacle to the drama; to provide time for scene changes and give the principle actors a break; to offer important background and summary information that facilitates an audience’s ability to follow the live performance; to offer commentary about and underline main themes animating the action; and to model an ideal audiences response to the unfolding drama. Nietzsche suggests that it was the rhythmic dance and chants of the chorus, positioned always to mediate the physical space separating audience and actor, that evoked the visionary experience that was the very essence of tragedy.

The chorus generally had the following roles in plays

(1) to explain the action,

(2) to interpret the action in relation to the law of the state and the law of the Olympian gods,

(3) to foreshadow the future,

(4) to serve as an actor in the play,

(5) to sing and/or dance, and

(6) to give the author’s views. In some ways, the chorus is like the narrator of a modern film or like the background music accompanying the action of the film. In addition, it is like text on the film screen that provides background information or identifies the time and place of the action.

Originally Greek theatre only had the chorus without any main characters or “stars”.

This developed into the chorus playing an intergral role along side the main actors. They comment on the action, inform the audience of action off stage, Judge the actions of the main characters and sometimes tell of their downfall.

A chorus can act as a commentary of what the author is thinking, or what the audience could be thinking. It could act like a way to push the plot forward. It also can give the setting of the scene.