''For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation)

Theatre or theater (Greek "theatron", "θέατρον") is the branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed any one or more elements of the other performing arts. In addition to the standard narrative dialogue style, theatre takes such forms as opera, ballet, mime, kabuki, classical Indian dance, Chinese opera, mummers' plays, and pantomime.

Overview of theatre

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"Drama" (literally translated, Action, from a verbal root meaning "I do") is that branch of theatre in which speech, either from written text (plays), or improvised is paramount. "Musical theatre" is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance routines, and spoken dialogue. However, theatre is more than just what one sees on stage. Theatre involves an entire world behind the scenes that creates the costumes, sets and lighting to make the overall effect interesting. There is a particularly long tradition of political theatre, intended to educate audiences on contemporary issues and encourage social change. Various creeds, Catholicism for instance, have built upon the entertainment value of theatre and created (for example) passion plays, mystery plays and morality plays.

There is an enormous variety of philosophies, artistic processes, and theatrical approaches to creating plays and drama. Some are connected to political or spiritual ideologies, and some are based on purely "artistic" concerns. Some processes focus on a story, some on theatre as an event, some on theatre as a catalyst for social change. According to Aristotle's seminal theatrical critique Poetics, there are six elements necessary for theatre. They are Plot, Character, Idea, Language, Song, and Spectacle. The 17th-century Spanish writer Lope de Vega wrote that for theatre one needs "three boards, two actors, and one passion". Others notable for their contribution to theatrical philosophy are Konstantin Stanislavski, Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht, Orson Welles, Peter Brook, Jerzy Grotowski.

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BargainZoneUSA (BargainZone USA) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:26:43 -0000
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#09memories people wildin out at the movie theater while seeing obssessed #toofunny
kelcieex3 (kelcie little) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:26:04 -0000
#09memories people wildin out at the movie theater while seeing obssessed #toofunny
The Pantages is the most glorious theater I have ever seen :)
bradreinking (MISTA B) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:25:43 -0000
The Pantages is the most glorious theater I have ever seen :)
#2009memories being cold in the movie theater while watching whiteout b.o.a.t.s
chuckmaddness (anthony mccoy) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:25:36 -0000
#2009memories being cold in the movie theater while watching whiteout b.o.a.t.s
Happy Holidays from Impulse Theater!! - Family or friends in town from out of state this weekend? Don't forget... http://bit.ly/53Cwo0
impulsetheater (Impulse Theater) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:25:15 -0000
Happy Holidays from Impulse Theater!! - Family or friends in town from out of state this weekend? Don't forget... http://bit.ly/53Cwo0
Christmas Eve Services, TONIGHT @ 4 pm & 6 pm Liberty High School Theater http://bit.ly/74xs3l
flipside_chirp (Flipside Church) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:25:04 -0000
Christmas Eve Services, TONIGHT @ 4 pm & 6 pm Liberty High School Theater http://bit.ly/74xs3l

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