The emergence of the independent prologue and chorus in Jesuit school theatre c.1550 - c.1700, derived from a comparative analysis of Benedictine, Augustinian and Jesuit school theatre, lay youth confraternity theatre and the oratorio vespertina of the Congregation of the Oratory

An examination of the developments in Benedictine, Augustinian and Jesuit school theatre during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries reveals the Jesuits as leaders in both dramatic and musical innovations. The emergence of seventeenth-century Jesuit theatre innovations in eighteenth-century Benedictine and Augustinian school theatrical productions validates this conclusion and reveals a conduit of influence not previously articulated.

While previous comparisons of Jesuit theatre main title dramas and Oratorian oratorios do not reveal a relationship, a comparative examination of the musical prologues and choruses performed within Jesuit theatrical productions and the musical works performed in the services of the Congregation of the Oratory over the period c.1550-c.1660 shows a parallel progression of development; the development of the oratorio in the oratories of the Congregation is a further demonstration of Jesuit influence during this time period.

The friendship of Ignatius Loyola and Filippo Neri matured into a close relationship between the musical activities of the Society of Jesus and the Congregation of the Oratory during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The simultaneous development of the Jesuit school theatre independent prologue and chorus and the Congregation of the Oratory oratorio is one of the results of this relationship. The sacred musical works in Jesuit school theatrical productions and the services of the Congregation follow the same pathway of development and exhibit equivalent characteristics. A formal declaration restricting performance language in the Oratorian services caused the two repertoires to diverge c.1620-c.1630. A comparison of independent Jesuit theatre prologues and choruses and the oratorios performed during the services of the Congregation of the Oratory c.1640-c.1660 reveals that these two bodies of work are distinguishable from each other only by the language of the text.