On the Job in the Theatre

On the Job in the Theatre — page 1 — Jobs in Theatre The lights go down and the crowd grows quiet Music fills the room The curtain rises A show begins A theatre is a place where people go to see shows But theatre also describes putting on a performance Theatre happens when people use words music or movement to tell stories Actors musicians and dancers work together to make it happen The artists work for audiences The people in the audiences respond to what they see hear and feel For ages we have enjoyed the experience of theatre 4

On the Job in the Theatre — page 2 — It’s amazing how the whole audience is breathing with you says actress Sandee Greene To Laugh and to Cry Some shows make us laugh Others are serious Throughout history people have liked all kinds of theatre Actors used to sing funny songs in the streets of Ancient Greece Some of the earliest dramas were acted out in Ancient Egypt Ancient theatre of Herodes Atticus in Athens Greece World Stages 15th Century B C Chinese theatre features acrobats and music 6th Century B C Theatre is an important part of life in Ancient Greece The shows are said to bring a kind of healing to people 2nd Century B C Hundreds of plays are written and performed in what is now India 1500s Companies of actors travel through Europe Public theatres spring up 5

On the Job in the Theatre — page 3 — You Know It STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering and Math These studies are important for staging events and building theatres All in the Staging Actors use dialogue to tell stories They make gestures A theatre needs sound and light machines to support the work of the actors The people in the back rows need to hear and see what is happening So the shows need workers who have skills with machinery too Stagecraft is both an art and a science Computers run the lights and other systems in today’s theatres But even the workers in Ancient Greece had to build special carts to raise actors up 6

On the Job in the Theatre — page 4 — What was the earliest theatre in America Native Americans celebrated hunts and other events with speeches and dances But the first instance of English theatre did not happen until 1665 That year the first play was performed in Virginia and the players were arrested Shows were not allowed in colonial America Most entertainment was looked down upon But a judge declared the performers not guilty after watching their play in court 7 Technical Difficulties Some shows feature just one performer But a show like a circus needs a giant space The acts fill the air as well as the stage A musical needs room for dancing In shows large and small the audience sees the work of many workers The props had to be found The music had to be planned People had to create the clothes makeup and scenery

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