Theatre is a term that is used to categorize the visual and performing arts – specifically, theatre. There is no clear-cut definition for what constitutes “theatrical art” since such an idea would encompass many different kinds of artistic expression.
Theatre is usually understood to mean drama (a theatrical production). But there can take many forms. Each artistic form has its own distinctive style and, of course, each of those forms has varying components.
In broad terms, there is any kind of art that makes use of movement to tell a story. There are two schools of thought about this.
The first school says that there is simply the telling of a story in an expressive medium.
The other school says that theatre is the art of the audience participating in the art of the story being told. This second school also says that the purpose of art is not to merely tell a story but to affect the audience in some way. This is done by engaging them or sending a subliminal message to make their experience unique.
So, what kind of art is Theatre?
Well, it is certainly an expressive art form. Every theatre performer knows that he is communicating a message to an audience. For instance, there are many dramatic performances where the actors and actresses speak directly to the audience as if they were there in real life. They are sharing their thoughts, feelings and emotions through their faces and bodies.
Most performances are planned, promoted, and produced by theater arts corporations who specialize in such events. They handle everything from hiring actors to running the show.
Is Theatre Considered a Fine Art?
When was the last time you attended a playschool? I don’t mean that in any way to be condescending, but it is important that we ask ourselves what kind of art is Theatre. It’s important because, if we ever discover the intent behind the creation of any piece of art we would know whether or not it would be considered a fine medium of art.
For instance, what kind of music does a concert singer sing during her performance? Is it classical or is it blues?
Now then, we would need to ask ourselves this question if we ever went to a play to see a play. Would we ever wonder what type of art is Theatre? Can you tell me a play that you have attended without even mentioning it? No, you cannot because each and every play, depending on it’s subject and genre, is an expression of the artist’s soul and it is there to entertain us, to enliven our souls, to make us think, to take our mind off the monotony of everyday life and to simply have a good time.
One needs only visit the campus of any theatre arts school to find a passionate group of actors who thrive in the spotlight.
So, once again I ask, what kind of art is Theatre? It’s something that I believe is misunderstood.
People would say it’s either being stupid or pretentious. Pretentious because most of the people who go to plays to see a play are highly cultured. They are also highly aware of how things are done in the real world.
These people are quite aware of what goes on around them at home and in the society as a whole. Whereas most Theatre is highly patronized by the people because it’s fun, it’s a chance for people to have some interaction and to get social with other people who enjoy the same things they do.
So, then why is Theatre so often misperceived by the public? I believe it’s because of the preconceived ideas of what a play is supposed to be about. Most people just associate Theatre with somebody who is highly pretentious and who is trying to flaunt their wealth in front of others.
This is why most theaters are not very good because they fail to depict a true depiction of art. But, I believe there is a misconception of art that most people have and that is that there are a lot of actors and actresses out there that are able to perform and portray almost anything.
Therefore, if we ever want to find an answer to “what kind of art is Theatre?” it would probably be a mistake to try and figure it out based on what kind of an actor or actress will be performing. This would lead us back to the original question: what is the play?