Understanding the historical context of theatre is important in both theatre-making and theatre research. Prior to the 2018 curriculum review, UP Diliman theatre arts program had only one theatre history subject. Most of the time, the historical context of theatre from mid-1800s to the contemporary period was neglected. This course is the first of two parts. It is the history of the theatre in the West from the Pre-modern to Modern Period (Renaissance to the mid-1800s). The goal of the course is to examine the broad social, political, religious and cultural contexts from pre-modern period to mid-1800s in which the theatre and performance take place.