Theatre or theater[a] 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. 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 specific place of the
performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived from the
Ancient Greek θÎÎ±Ï„Ï Î¿Î½ (théatron, "a place for viewing"),
itself from θεάομαι (theáomai, "to see", "to watch", "to
observe").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. 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.[b]Modern theatre includes performances of plays and musical
theatre. The art forms of ballet and opera are also theatre and use
many conventions such as acting, costumes and staging. They were
influential to the development of musical theatre; see those articles
for more information.
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. 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 specific place of the
performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived from the
Ancient Greek θÎÎ±Ï„Ï Î¿Î½ (théatron, "a place for viewing"),
itself from θεάομαι (theáomai, "to see", "to watch", "to
observe").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. 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.[b]Modern theatre includes performances of plays and musical
theatre. The art forms of ballet and opera are also theatre and use
many conventions such as acting, costumes and staging. They were
influential to the development of musical theatre; see those articles
for more information.
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