''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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Seeing Lion King at Lyceum Theatre tonight! #LionKing #HakunaMatata
EatDrinkBrandy (Brandy) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:59 -0000
Seeing Lion King at Lyceum Theatre tonight! #LionKing #HakunaMatata
is looking forward to going to NYC in January and seeing David Mamet's "Race". Love love love the Barrymore Theatre!
Beaconhillwine (BeaconHillWine) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:59 -0000
is looking forward to going to NYC in January and seeing David Mamet's "Race". Love love love the Barrymore Theatre!
What movie to watch tonight? Maybe I'll take Dylan to the theatre or check out the local library...getting restless...
toucan_girl (Jaime Smith) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:57 -0000
What movie to watch tonight? Maybe I'll take Dylan to the theatre or check out the local library...getting restless...
Stag theatre 25-year lease agreed: A 25-year lease is signed to secure the future of an arts venue in Sevenoaks.. http://bit.ly/6M2BL8
knutcracker (Brian Simms) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:51 -0000
Stag theatre 25-year lease agreed: A 25-year lease is signed to secure the future of an arts venue in Sevenoaks.. http://bit.ly/6M2BL8
-Ambassador Honchos Named Most Powerful In UK Theatre http://www.artsjournal.com/artsjournal1/2009/12/ambassador_honc.shtml
ArtsJournalNews (ArtsJournal) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:50 -0000
-Ambassador Honchos Named Most Powerful In UK Theatre http://www.artsjournal.com/artsjournal1/2009/12/ambassador_honc.shtml
Off to the theatre tonight to see Calendar Girls with the family. Not my choice but could be funny-ish. Anyone seen it?
LALesser (Laura Lesser) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:24 -0000
Off to the theatre tonight to see Calendar Girls with the family. Not my choice but could be funny-ish. Anyone seen it?

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