Theatre, also spelled theater, is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. It is the oldest form of drama, though live theatre has now been joined by modern recorded forms. Here are some key points about theatre:
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Definition: Theatre is a live, collaborative performance with actors who perform in front of an audience.
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History: Modern Western theatre comes, in large measure, from the theatre of ancient Greece.
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Building: A theatre is a building or space in which a performance may be given before an audience. The word is from the Greek theatron, “a place of seeing.” A theatre usually has a stage area where the performance itself takes place.
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Types: Theatre encompasses not only live improvised and scripted work, but also dramatic forms such as film, television, and other electronic media.
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Importance: Theatre is about the examination and resolution of fundamental human issues, and is built on understanding and presenting interactions between people. Theatre work provides a vehicle for students to reflect on important aspects of life, in the process developing their sensitivity to and deepening their understandings of others’ points of view.
In summary, theatre is a form of performing art that involves live performers presenting an experience to an audience through a combination of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. It has a rich history and encompasses various forms of dramatic work, including film and television. Theatre is important for examining and resolving fundamental human issues and developing students sensitivity to others' points of view.
