theater

theater, building, structure, or space in which dramatic performances take place. In its broadest sense theater can be defined as including everything connected with dramatic art?the play itself, the stage with its scenery and lighting, makeup, costumes, acting, and actors.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome and the Early Christian Era
• Medieval Theaters
• Renaissance Theaters
• Theaters in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
• Twentieth-Century Theaters
• Related Articles
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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