" Theatre or 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 evolution of drama as an art form, from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary theater.
Ancient Greek Drama: This topic involves learning about the origins of drama and theater in Ancient Greece, including the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Roman Theater: This topic involves studying the evolution of theater during Roman times, including the works of playwrights like Plautus and Terence.
Medieval Drama: This topic covers the development of drama during the Middle Ages, particularly the Mystery and Miracle Plays that were performed during religious festivals.
Renaissance Drama: This topic involves studying the theater of the Renaissance period, including the works of Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.
Restoration Drama: This topic covers the theater of the Restoration period in England, including the plays of John Dryden and William Congreve.
18th Century Drama: This topic involves studying the theater of the 18th century, particularly the works of Oliver Goldsmith, Richard Sheridan, and Samuel Foote.
19th Century Drama: This topic covers the theater of the 19th century, including the works of Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, and Anton Chekhov.
20th Century Drama: This topic involves studying the modern theater, including the works of Samuel Beckett, Tennessee Williams, and Harold Pinter.
Performance Theory: This topic involves studying the theoretical and philosophical aspects of drama and theater, particularly the works of theorists like Bertolt Brecht and Antonin Artaud.
Dramatic Structure: This topic covers the various elements of dramatic structure, including plot, character, dialogue, and setting.
Ancient Greek Drama: Drama of ancient Greece focused on tragedies, comedy, and satire. Tragedies mainly explored human suffering while comedies and satirists portrayed the customs and habits of society.
Roman Drama: Following the Greek dramas, Roman drama built on the themes and forms of Greek drama, but elevated it to epic proportions.
Medieval Drama: In medieval times, drama was integral to the church's liturgy, and religious themes dominated the dramas. Miracle plays and moralities were popular forms of drama.
Renaissance Drama: Renaissance drama was developed in the 16th century and saw a revival in classical themes and forms, and cultural changes proliferated with plays showcasing humanism.
Elizabethan Drama: Shakespearean plays, along with other playwrights of his era like Marlowe and Kyd, marked this period of drama. Dramas written by these playwrights addressed issues of power, politics, and romance.
Restoration Drama: The 17th-century marked the restoration of the monarchy to the English throne, and drama blossomed with witty comedies of manners and morality plays.
Romantic Drama: The late 18th and early 19th century marked the rise of Romanticism, characterized by individualism, emotion, and imagination. Romance and tragicomedies were popular emotive themes.
Modern Drama: The early 20th century saw the rise of modern drama. Styles like Symbolism, Expressionism, and Naturalism focused on social issues, realism and experimental theatre. Plays by Chekhov, Ibsen, Brecht,and Pinter addressed issues of politics, class, and society.
Contemporary Drama: The 21st century sees contemporary drama developing in new directions, challenging social norms, combining traditional and experimental forms, and reflecting the zeitgeist.
"Usually actors or actresses."
"The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance."
"Elements of art, such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as lighting are used to enhance the physicality, presence, and immediacy of the experience."
"The word 'theatre' is derived from the Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, 'a place for viewing')."
"...it borrows technical terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements" from ancient Greek theatre.
"Theatre artist Patrice Pavis defines theatricality, theatrical language, stage writing and the specificity of theatre as synonymous expressions that differentiate theatre from the other performing arts, literature and the arts in general."
"A theatre company is an organisation that produces theatrical performances, as distinct from a theatre troupe (or acting company), which is a group of theatrical performers working together."
"Modern theatre includes performances of plays and musical theatre. The art forms of ballet and opera are also theatre."
"...use many conventions such as acting, costumes, and staging."
"It is the oldest form of drama, though live theatre has now been joined by modern recorded forms."
"Theatricality, theatrical language, stage writing, and the specificity of theatre... differentiate theatre from the other performing arts, literature and the arts in general."
"To present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience."
"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."
"Modern Western theatre comes, in large measure, from the theatre of ancient Greece, from which it borrows technical terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements."
"Places, normally buildings, where performances regularly take place are also called 'theatres'."
"...live theatre has now been joined by modern recorded forms."
"They were influential in the development of musical theatre."