World Theatre Day

World Theatre Day is a worldwide holiday dedicated to theater. This is a unique area of art that has taken years to form. Actors are so immersed in the images of their characters that the audience has the opportunity to feel the whole atmosphere of the performance, to feel a historical era or a fictional world, acting as a background of all that is happening on stage. The holiday is celebrated every year on March 27.

History

The history of World Theatre Day begins in 1961. The International Theater Institute (ITI) made a corresponding proposal for the creation of the holiday.

The emergence of theater is associated with ancient Greece. Historians claim that the first amphitheater (a large-scale open-air structure) was built in Greece around the 6th century BC. There were seats for the audience on the hillside, and an orchestra was placed in front of the towering stage, representing a kind of platform for the choir and actors. There was also a skena, an annex combining a checkroom for the actors and a kind of workroom where the sets were made and managed and so on.

For a long time, theater was a privilege for the upper classes. Theatrical art developed greatly during the Renaissance. Today theater is open to everyone. We can buy a ticket and enjoy gorgeous theatrical productions that will be remembered for a long time.

Interesting facts

• There is a play called Questioning, created by the Magic Garden theaters in Switzerland. There are no actors, scenery, or anything else in the play. People just come in, answer the tricky questions on the questionnaire, and leave!
• In Japanese kabuki theater, the actors in the ninja role often wear black costumes. This is a historically incorrect image. Black is clearly visible at night. The stealthy killers used colors that blended better with the darkness of the night – dark gray, or brown.
• A lot of dried used tea bags are used to reproduce the ground decoration. To onlookers, such a layout seems like real land.

How to celebrate

Get together with friends or family and attend theater performances that day. Find out more about the story of your favorite play. Learn the tricks of working as a set designer in the theater!

Spread the word on social media. Ask users how often they visit the theater.

When is World Theatre Day celebrated in 2024?

World Theatre Day is observed on March 27 each year.

Observations