Theatre

This is the symbol used to refer to theater, as it represents both genres: comedy and tragedy.

Theater is one of the performing arts. In theater, actors perform stories using various elements, such as costumes, sets, and music.

Origins

The origins of theater date back several centuries before Christ. Theater was a common form of expression across all civilizations of the world, generally used to perform rituals and worship the gods. But the form of theater as we know it today originated in ancient Greece.

Initially, theatrical performances depicting the lives of the gods were staged, with young people dancing and singing during the grape harvest season. Over time, this form of celebration became more popular and began to take place in town squares.

During the Roman Empire, stages as we know them today began to be built, along with the earliest forms of stage design and set decoration.

Over time, each culture developed its own form of theater. In Greek theater, tragedies and comedies were performed, but there are many other types of theater, such as opera, which originated in Italy, and Japanese theater.

Elements of a play

A play is a story that is performed by actors, and it has some basic elements:

Text or script

The text is the story told by the play. Generally, plays are written in a book called a ‘'script’'. They are written in the form of dialogue, because that is what the actors must say when they are performing. The script also includes instructions on how the actors should dress and what facial expressions they should use. However, there may not always be a script. In that case, the actors use their creativity to come up with a situation on the spot while they are performing. This is called “improvising.”

Director

The director is the person in charge of directing the play. He or she instructs the actors on how to perform the play and also decides on the set design and music. This role is very important, as the director brings together all the elements of the theater to ensure the play looks its best.

Actors

The actors are the ones who portray the characters in the story. To better play their roles, they wear costumes and makeup.

Set design

The set design refers to the scenery used in the play. It can be a landscape or a building, or simply elements of the setting where the actors are located. The set helps the audience better visualize the scene.

		Did you know?
	In celebration
World Theater Day is celebrated on March 27. This date was established in 1961 on the initiative of UNESCO, during a congress of the "International Theater Institute", to commemorate the opening of the "Theater of the Nations" festival in Paris.

Theater Portal — All articles on theater and the performing arts.

Source: This page has been adapted from the page « Teatro » on Vikidia in Spanish. (Authors list)