Theatre is one of the most famous and sought-after sources of entertainment. It is a wonderful form of art that depicts the beauty and essence of life. It brings a large number of people together, and they can watch the actors perform live. Theatres are like movies, but only there is a deeper connection between the audience and the actors.
Introduction of World Theatre Day
World Theatre Day is celebrated globally on 27th March. It is a day dedicated to the celebration of theatre, which includes various forms of fine art. This day is celebrated by the International Theatre Institute or other international theatre communities. It aims to raise awareness about the art of theatre, their significance and how they play a major role in the field of entertainment.
History of World Theatre Day
The oldest origin of theatres and drama was found in Athens, in Greece. During these ancient times, hymns called Dithyrambs were sung dedicated to the God Dionysus. The people would sing these hymns in processions, and the participants would dress up in different costumes and masks. Later, some members of the processions would assume certain roles, but they were not real actors like we know today.
The development came much later, at around 534 to 533 B.C. during this time, the terrible ruler Pisistratus arranged a series of festivals for the general public, which had competitions for poetry, music, singing, or dancing. The winner of this competition was a person known as Thespis. He surprised the audience by narrating his poetry in such a manner as if he was one of the poem's characters. In this process, he became the first-ever actor in the world. Since then, theatre and its vibrant traditions have flourished all over the world.
The idea of International Theatre Day was initiated in the year 1962. The first message for World Theatre Day was written by a poet and playwright from France, known as Jean Cocteau. International Theatre Institute held the first meeting in Helsinki in Finland, and the second one was held in Vienna.
World Theatre Day 2023 Date
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When is World Theatre Day 2023?
World Theatre Day for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Monday, 27 March.
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World Theatre Day dates for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sun | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
| 2023 | Mon | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
| 2024 | Wed | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
| 2025 | Thu | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
| 2026 | Fri | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
| 2027 | Sat | 27 Mar | World Theatre Day |
World Theatre Day Quotes
Theatre is a sacred space for actors. You are responsible; you are in the driving seat.– Greta Scacchi
I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. ― Oscar Wilde
Actors are all about entrances, but writers are all about exits.- Vincent H O'Neil
With theatre, you have to be ready for anything. – Willem Dafoe
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts. –William Shakespeare
Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to. – Willem Dafoe
I believe that in a great city, or even in a small city or a village, a great theatre is the outward and visible sign of an inward and probable culture. – Laurence Olivier
A theatre is certainly a place for learning about the brevity of human glory: oh all those wonderful glittering absolutely vanished pantomime. –Iris Murdoch
Theatre is the art form of the present: it exists only in the present, and then it's gone. -Simon McBurney
Theatre is a series of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster. – Tom Stoppard
Theatre is a sacred space for actors. You are responsible; you are in the driving-seat. -Greta Scacchi
Everything happens every night for this audience, and it's a very special occasion to come to the theatre. -Roger Rees
I'm really very sorry for you all, but it's an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances. -W.S. Gilbert
Acting is a sport. On stage you must be ready to move like a tennis player on his toes. Your concentration must be keen, your reflexes sharp; your body and mind are in top gear, the chase is on. Acting is energy. In the theatre people pay to see energy. -Clive Swift
All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed. - Seán O'Casey
World Theatre Day Wishes
My grandparents often tell me how popular theatre used to be in their days.
A theatre is definitely the place where if you work, you will be able to get better in your acting skills.
The theatre is a place where people can go to exercise all of their emotions during the course of the show.
A theatre can be defined as the reflection of a society at a particular time.
Back in the days, the theatre was as popular as the Starbucks of this generation.
A role in a television soap or in a movie will make you rich but a theatre will make you more skilled.
The makeup, the tears, the laughter, the acting of the actors in a theatre are all important to give the audience a wonderful experience.
Here’s to showing appreciation and love to all the artists and actors of the theatre.
The plays in the theatre often say out loud the emotions and feelings that we feel but cannot say.
A good strategy to boost up the ticket sale at the theatres is by lowering the price of the tickets.
If you are an amateur actor, it is always advisable that you go for the theatre rather than going for the television because a theatre is where you will be able to enhance your skills.
We can see the magic of acting in theatres and not in movies which are made taking a lot of shots.
I would like to wish all the best to all the theatre artists across the world.
Unlike in a movie, a performance in a theatre is not a one time wonder,and for you to shine in a theatre, you have to deliver your best every time.
A theatre is the live business while the movies and soaps are the recorded and manipulated versions of the acting business.
A theatre has power and magic enough to hold the attention of hundreds of people in the audience, transform them and make them experience something so enthralling that they will remember all throughout their lives.
Theatres are a very important part of the world of art and entertainment.
World Theatre Day Messages
The popularity of theatres are going down the line because of the mind-blowing shows the television and the internet has to offer.
When my grandparents were young, the theatre was their Inox and PVR movie halls and they used to bunk college to go to theatres.
The sorrow,plight, happiness and helplessness expressed by the actors in theatres are a reflection of what we go through in our lives.
There have been times when the theatre has been compared to a train, and like anyone can jump into any carriage of the train, anyone can dive into the fun of a theatre.
I like the fact that every performance in the theatre is live and not recorded as it brings a different kind of happiness to the audience and makes them feel more alive.
If you want to get better in acting, a theatre is the place you should be at.
Theatres are more nerve wracking than shooting for movies because at theatres,you can see the expression of the audience and get an idea if they are liking your performance or not.
In my opinion, if you want to be a good actor, you should first go for acting in theatres and then move to soaps and movies.
The difference between performing in theatres and shooting for movies is that in theatres you get only one chance to show the audience what you have got but in movies you get to take as many shots as you want.
The theatre is a live show and so it affects people more than what movies and television affects them.
Theatres are losing popularity but even now, the theatres continue to challenge the actors and awe the audience.
According to me, the theatre is the greatest form of art that exists in this world.
If you want to judge a performance in a theatre, judge it on the basis of it’s capability to change your thinking process.
In theatres you are being judged continuously while you are performing and that is a really frightening experience.
The theatre makes the audience cry and it makes the audience laugh, it can enrage the entire audience and it can also make the whole audience sympathise, such is the power of the theatre.
A great theatrical performance has the power to change the mindset of the audience.
It is surprising how people remember theatre performances better than real life incidents.
Let us all wish the actors of the theatre all the best and thank them for entertaining us
The theatre is my favourite place to go on dates because it gives me an idea of how tough or how emotional my date is.
In theatres, you will find the vibe that neither the television nor the movies can exude.
I have known actors who are so confident in acting for movies but go weak in the knees to perform at theatres because theatre is really not easy.
Significance of World Theatre Day
According to the International Theatre Institute, World Theatre Day has three main motives:
- Promotion of theatre and all its forms, everywhere in the world.
- Raise awareness about theatre among the general public.
- Starting of several theatre communities and organizations to that the work can be done to a greater extent.
Theatre is a form of cultural and social phenomenon that acts as a mirror to the society. It enables us to study all the existing crises in the society and helps us to find solutions. We are subjected to different points of view for a certain topic, changing our perception of life and gaining knowledge. This performing art helps us in a deep understanding of culture and society.
The International Theatre Institute urges theatres to be introduced to schools as well. This would help the children to explore and understand their emotions, expand their imagination and modify and develop their voice or explore the characteristics of several characters. This might help them get influenced or inspired by a certain character, which would bring positive changes in their life and personality. Their bodies and emotions will be engaged in a productive way, and this would help them to be confident and find joy within themselves.
How Is World Theatre Day Celebrated?
World Theatre Day is celebrated by the International Theatre Institute, which organizes a meeting in which a famous theatre performer is asked to give a speech. The speech was translated into fifty languages and was printed in several newspapers. Everyone is open to participating on this day, schools, universities, dance schools or theatre schools. The International Theatre Institute encourages every participant to coordinate the celebration with the local Theatre Organization or Community. The International Theatre Institute has eighty-five branches all across the world. They encourage schools and other educational institutions to celebrate World Theatre Day and acknowledge the importance of theatres.
Celebration of World Theatre Day
At the beginning of the celebration, the theme or the message of the celebration for that particular year is translated into several languages. Since there are a lot of linguistic communities existing in the world, translation of the messages would help most people to understand and analyze the theme. The translations are sent to the General Secretariat of the International Theatre Institution, who then upload it to the official website, which is then visible to everyone.
A video consisting of a prominent author reading the message for World Theatre Day based on the current theme is uploaded on YouTube. Since the Internet and YouTube are easily accessible to most people, everyone can participate in this event virtually from every part of the world. Also, this creates awareness, and more people would be more interested in theatres and drama.
Sometimes when the author is not available to deliver their speech, the International Theatre Institution asks its members to select a personality who is an eminent figure in the world of theatres. This certain personality delivers the speech instead of the author. Many theatre actors and famous personalities also attend the celebration.
In some counties, the message for the World Theatre Day celebration is sometimes read before the actual celebration starts. It can also be read during the interval in the lobby of the venue of the theatre. Pamphlets containing the author's biography are also distributed along with the tickets or at the entrance of the venue.
The message, along with the author's biography, is sent to several newspapers and magazines to be printed. The General Secretariat of the International Theatre Institute manages this entire process. The events of the celebration are also printed in several languages in the form of books and posters. Television, radio and other means of mass media are used to broadcast the events of the celebration.
The message is depicted by a special event, like performances, dinner, gala ball, fundraising or donating funds for charity and conferences.
When is World Theatre Day Celebrated?
World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on 27th March. It will be held on 27th March in 2022.
Theme of World Theatre Day
The theme for World Theatre Day for the year 2021 was "Theatre and how it is a culture of peace".
Some Interesting Facts About Theatre
- The word theatre is derived from a Greek word, which means "to see."
- The word Thespian comes from an ancient Greek performer, who is believed to be the first actor ever in the world.
- A dull light is always left lit at the theatres, and it is never left dark. This light is also referred to as the Ghost Light.
- The first woman got to act in a Shakespearean play, forty-four years after William Shakespeare passed away.
- The theatre production of the play The Mousetrap is the longest-running theatre production of all time. This murder mystery play was started in the year of 1952 and had been running continuously without a break, even to this day.
Theatre is a great source of entertainment and keeps the viewers hooked to their seats throughout the performances. The visuals of a theatre are stunning, and it pleases the eyes of the audience. The actors perform live, and their emotions touch the viewers' souls and feel connected to them. Although movies are taking over theatres, they would forever be the most classical source of entertainment. So, on World Theatre Day, we can try and take the initiative to spread awareness about the importance of theatres and give it the respect that it deserves.
