Theatres & Theatre Companies

Theatre and theatre companies provide the public with entertainment through the production of plays, shows, and musicals.

Theatrical companies and enterprises vary enormously in sophistication and purpose. People who are involved in theatre companies will likewise vary from professionals to hobbyists and spontaneous novices. Theatre can be performed with no money at all or on a grand scale with multi-million dollar budgets. Theatre companies may be categorised as professional theatre, community theatre, dinner or cabaret theatre, fringe theatre and regional theatre groups.

In much the same manner, theatres themselves vary considerably in size and style. A theatre or playhouse, is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts or ballet may be produced. While a theatre is not required for a theatrical performance, a theatre serves to define the performance and audience spaces. Street theatre is a form of fringe theatre which is defined by its lack of formal theatre space.

Most modern theatre companies rehearse one piece of theatre at a time, perform that piece for a set season, retire the piece, and begin rehearsing a new show. Repertory companies rehearse multiple shows at one time and are able to perform these various pieces upon request and often perform works for years before retiring them. Most dance companies operate on this repertory system. Some theatre companies will specialise in particular styles of play or even in particular playwrights, Shakespearean companies and Gilbert and Sullivan repertory companies are examples of this.