Greek chorus - Definition and Overview

In tragic plays of Ancient Greece, the chorus was, originally, made of 12 singing and dancing members. The leader of the chorus interacted with the characters in the play, and spoke for the general population (the play's public opinion). The whole chorus tried to stay in rhythm with each other so they could be viewed as one entity rather than separate entities. After a while, the members of the chorus increased to 15, and the number of actors increased to three. The chorus usually communicated in song form. But sometimes the message was spoken. It was the author's job to choreograph the chorus. The chorus offered background and summary information that helped the audience follow the performance, commented on main themes, and showed how an ideal audience might react to the drama as it was presented.