Greedy Scene - Theatre Etymology - Part 17

A greedy scene sounds like it means the scene is eating, or perhaps there is a lot of eating in the scene. However, a greedy scene actually means a scene in a play in which the lead actor or actress (or star) has the stage all to himself or herself.

There does not seem to be any recorded origin of the phrase. However, it is said to have come from 1909. It can be understood that when an actor has the stage to himself, he may seem greedy. Then, obviously, a scene takes place on stage. It seems like the phrase may have come from people say that an actor was greedy for a scene and it was shortened to greedy scene. Yet, this is only a theory.

The word greedy has many possible origins. One possibility is that it from the Old English word grǣdig, which is related to both the Old Norse word grāthugr and the Gothic word grēdags meaning hungry. It may also come from the Old High German word grātac. The word scene comes from the Latin word scēna meaning background (of the stage) which comes from the Greek word skēnḗ meaning booth (where actors dressed).

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