Theater, PAN-SAB
There's no business like show business! Nothing quite matches the immediacy and electricity of a live dramatic performance, a fact which may help explain why the art form has persevered from its ancient origins up through the present day. During the 20th century, live theater demonstrated an unexpected tenacity in the face of tough competition from film, television, video, the Internet, and other media.
Theater Encyclopedia Articles By Title
panorama
panorama, in the visual arts, continuous narrative scene or landscape painted to conform to a flat or curved background,......
Pantaloon
Pantaloon, stock character of the 16th-century Italian commedia dell’arte—a cunning and rapacious yet often deceived......
pantomimus
pantomimus, nonspeaking dancer in the Roman theatre who performed dramatic scenes, acting all the characters in......
parade
parade, a type of pageant (q.v.) whose main feature is a public...
Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse, theatre in Pasadena, California, that was one of the first community theatres in the United......
Pastor, Tony
Tony Pastor was an American impresario and comic singer, considered the father of vaudeville in the United States.......
patent theatre
patent theatre, any of several London theatres that, through government licensing, held a monopoly on legitimate......
Patinkin, Mandy
Mandy Patinkin is an American actor and singer known for his award-winning performances on stage, film, and television.......
Pedrolino
Pedrolino, stock character of the Italian commedia dell’arte, a simpleminded and honest servant, usually a young......
Pepusch, John Christopher
John Christopher Pepusch was a composer who was an important musical figure in England when George Frideric Handel......
Performance art
Performance art, a time-based art form that typically features a live presentation to an audience or to onlookers......
periaktos
periaktos, ancient theatrical device by which a scene or change of scene was indicated. It was described by Vitruvius......
Perret, Auguste
Auguste Perret was a French architect notable for his pioneering contributions to the vocabulary of reinforced-concrete......
perspective scenery
perspective scenery, in theatre, scenery and the scene design technique that represents three-dimensional space......
Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson is an American comedian, actor, and writer best known for his role on Saturday Night Live (SNL).......
Peters, Bernadette
Bernadette Peters is a prolific and award-winning American singer, actress, and author who has starred in Broadway......
Peters, Brock
Brock Peters was an American actor who employed his powerful bass voice and strong presence in portrayals of a......
Petit, Roland
Roland Petit was a French dancer and choreographer whose dramatic ballets combined fantasy with elements of contemporary......
Petrolini, Ettore
Ettore Petrolini was an Italian theatrical actor and author, creator of numerous caricature sketches, and inventor......
Petrushka
Petrushka, main character of Russian folk puppet shows (see puppetry), first noted in 17th-century accounts and......
Piaf, Edith
Edith Piaf was a French singer and actress whose passionate interpretation of the chanson, or French ballad, made......
Pinetti
Pinetti was a magician who founded the classical school of magic, characterized by elaborate tricks and the use......
Pinza, Ezio
Ezio Pinza was an Italian-born operatic bass and actor. Pinza studied civil engineering before turning, at his......
Piscator, Erwin
Erwin Piscator was a theatrical producer and director famed for his ingenious Expressionistic staging techniques.......
Pitoëff, Georges
Georges Pitoëff was a Russian-born director and producer, noted for his popularization in France of the works of......
Placide, Alexander
Alexander Placide was a French-born U.S. dancer, mime, acrobat, and impresario who produced in the U.S. such diverse......
Planetarium
Planetarium, theatre devoted to popular education and entertainment in astronomy and related fields, especially......
platea
platea, in medieval theatre, the neutral acting area of a stage. In medieval staging, a number of mansions, or......
podcast
podcast, audio program disseminated over the Internet that can be subscribed to in such a manner that future programs......
Poehler, Amy
Amy Poehler is an American comedian and actress who was a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 2001 to......
Poel, William
William Poel was an English actor, theatre manager, and producer who revolutionized modern Shakespearean production......
Poelzig, Hans
Hans Poelzig was a German architect who is remembered for his Grosses Schauspielhaus (1919), an auditorium in Berlin......
Popov, Oleg
Oleg Popov was a member of the Moscow Circus who was the most popular clown in the Soviet Union in the second half......
Porter, Cole
Cole Porter was an American composer and lyricist who brought a worldly élan to the American musical and who embodied......
Prince, Harold
Harold Prince was an American theatrical producer and director who was recognized as one of the most creative and......
proscenium
proscenium, in theatre, the frame or arch separating the stage from the auditorium, through which the action of......
Provincetown Players
Provincetown Players, theatrical organization that began performing in 1915 in Provincetown, Mass., U.S., founded......
Pryor, Richard
Richard Pryor was an American stand-up comedian and actor, who was one of the leading comics of the 1970s and ’80s.......
Publilius Syrus
Publilius Syrus was a Latin mime writer contemporary with Cicero, chiefly remembered for a collection of versified......
Punch
Punch, hooknosed, humpbacked character, the most popular of marionettes and glove puppets and the chief figure......
puppetry
puppetry, the making and manipulation of puppets for use in some kind of theatrical show. A puppet is a figure—human,......
Quarenghi, Giacomo Antonio Domenico
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Quarenghi was an Italian Neoclassical architect and painter, best known as the builder......
Queen Anne’s Men
Queen Anne’s Men, theatrical company in Jacobean England. Formed upon the accession of James I in 1603, it was......
quiz show
quiz show, broadcast show designed to test the memory, knowledge, agility, or luck of persons selected from a studio......
Rahman, A.R.
A.R. Rahman is an acclaimed Indian composer, singer-songwriter, and music producer whose artistry and extensive......
Rand, Sally
Sally Rand was an American actress and dancer who achieved fame as a fan dancer and bubble dancer. Helen Beck entered......
rasa
rasa, Indian concept of aesthetic flavour, an essential element of any work of visual, literary, or performing......
Rasch, Albertina
Albertina Rasch was an Austrian-born American dancer, choreographer, and teacher whose troupes became well known......
Raslila
Raslila, folk dance drama of northern India, mainly Uttar Pradesh, based on scenes from the life of Krishna. Solo......
reality TV
reality TV, television genre encompassing a wide variety of purportedly unscripted programming. Because the genre......
Red Bull Theatre
Red Bull Theatre, London public playhouse in Upper Street, Clerkenwell, built in about 1600–05 by Aaron Holland......
rederijkerskamer
rederijkerskamer, (Dutch: “chamber of rhetoric”), medieval Dutch dramatic society. Modelled after contemporary......
Rehman, Shabana
Shabana Rehman is a Pakistani-born Norwegian performer and comedian who courted controversy with her satirical......
Reidy, Affonso
Affonso Reidy was a Brazilian architect, a pioneer of the modern architectural movement in Brazil. Reidy graduated......
Reigns, Roman
Roman Reigns is an American professional wrestler, athlete, and actor. He is best known for holding multiple championships......
Rent
Rent, landmark Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical created by composer Jonathan Larson and recognized for raising......
repertory theatre
repertory theatre, system of play production in which a resident acting company keeps a repertory of plays that......
Revels, Master of the
Master of the Revels, English court official, who, from Tudor times up until the Licensing Act of 1737, supervised......
revolving stage
revolving stage, theatrical device for scene changes, or shifts, by which three or more settings are constructed......
revue
revue, light form of theatrical entertainment consisting of unrelated acts (songs, dances, skits, and monologues)......
Rhodes, Cody
Cody Rhodes is an American professional wrestler known for his extensive history in various professional wrestling......
Rice, Dan
Dan Rice was an American clown who was one of the most highly acclaimed clowns in the history of the circus. Rice......
Rice, Thomas Dartmouth
Thomas Dartmouth Rice was an American actor regarded as the father of the minstrel show. Rice was an itinerant......
Rice, Tim
Tim Rice is an English lyricist who coauthored some of the most successful stage and film musicals of the 20th......
Rich, John
John Rich was an English theatre manager and actor, the popularizer of English pantomime and founder of Covent......
Richardson, Tony
Tony Richardson was an English theatrical and motion-picture director whose experimental productions stimulated......
Rickles, Don
Don Rickles was an American comedian and actor known for a cheerfully belligerent brand of humor that relied heavily......
Ringling Brothers
Ringling Brothers, family of American circus proprietors who created the Ringling Brothers circus empire in the......
Ripley, Rhea
Rhea Ripley is an Australian professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE; 2017– ) known for her......
Ritz Brothers
Ritz Brothers, American comedy team of three brothers, celebrated for their parodies and energetic slapstick humour.......
Rivera, Chita
Chita Rivera was an American dancer, singer, and actress best known for her energetic performances in such Broadway......
Rivera, Sylvia
Sylvia Rivera was an American civil rights activist who advocated for gay rights and was particularly influential......
Rivers, Joan
Joan Rivers was an American entertainer who launched her career in show business in the 1960s as a raspy-voiced......
Robbins, Jerome
Jerome Robbins was one of the most popular and imaginative American choreographers of the 20th century. Robbins......
Robert-Houdin, Jean-Eugène
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin was a French magician who is considered to be the father of modern conjuring. He was......
Robeson, Paul
Paul Robeson was a celebrated American singer, actor, and activist who was one of the preeminent figures of American......
Robey, Sir George
Sir George Robey was an English music-hall comedian known for many years as “the prime minister of mirth.” Robey......
Robinson, Bill
Bill Robinson was an American dancer of Broadway and Hollywood, best known for his dancing roles with Shirley Temple......
Rock, Chris
Chris Rock is an American comedian, actor, and director who broke into show business in the late 1980s with his......
Rodgers, Richard
Richard Rodgers was one of the dominant composers of American musical comedy, known especially for his works in......
Rogan, Joe
Joe Rogan is an American comedian, actor, television host, podcaster, and announcer for the competitive mixed martial......
Rogers, Ginger
Ginger Rogers was an American stage and film dancer and actress who was noted primarily as the partner of Fred......
roller coaster
roller coaster, elevated railway with steep inclines and descents that carries a train of passengers through sharp......
Romano, Ray
Ray Romano is an American comedian and actor perhaps best known as the bumbling well-intentioned father in the......
Romberg, Sigmund
Sigmund Romberg was a Hungarian-born American composer whose works include several successful operettas. Romberg......
Rooney, Mickey
Mickey Rooney was an American motion-picture, stage, and musical star noted for his energy, charisma, and versatility.......
Rose Theatre
Rose Theatre, London playhouse built by Philip Henslowe and in active use from 1587 until about 1605. Henslowe......
Rose, Billy
Billy Rose was an American theatrical impresario and composer of more than 50 song hits. Rose became an expert......
Rossi, Aldo
Aldo Rossi was an Italian architect and theoretician who advocated the use of a limited range of building types......
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), state-subsidized school of acting in Bloomsbury, London. The oldest school......
Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre, a partly subsidized complex of British theatre companies that was formed in 1962. It was......
Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), English theatrical company based in Stratford-upon-Avon that has a long history......
RuPaul
RuPaul is an American entertainer who carved out an idiosyncratic place in popular culture as perhaps the most......
Russell, Lillian
Lillian Russell was an American singer and actress in light comedies who represented the feminine ideal of her......
Russell, Nipsey
Nipsey Russell was an American actor and comedian known for the clever impromptu verses that he created for his......
Rutebeuf
Rutebeuf was a French poet and jongleur whose pungent commentaries on the orders of society are considered the......
régisseur
régisseur, (French: “manager”), theatrical director or stage manager, especially in France, Russia, Germany, and......
Rājasthānī puppet
Rājasthānī puppet, string marionette found in the state of Rājasthān in northwestern India. It is controlled by......
Sabbatini, Nicola
Nicola Sabbatini was an Italian architect and engineer who pioneered in theatrical perspective techniques. He worked......