Can-can: origins, style, music, and cultural impact Can-can The can-can is a high-energy chorus dance that emerged in 19th-century Paris, noted for high kicks, skirts and petticoats, its association with Offenbach's music, and broad cultura…
Carousel (musical) A 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical based on Ferenc Molnár's Liliom, noted for its songs, Agnes de Mille choreography, exploration of redemption, and lasting cultural infl…
Cast — meanings in manufacturing, society, medicine, and the arts Cast Cast: an umbrella term covering molded objects and processes, cast iron, social caste systems, casting in performing arts, orthopedic casts, archaeological casts, and cultural uses…
Cats (musical) A dance-driven musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T. S. Eliot’s poems, known for the song “Memory”, long West End and Broadway runs, and a distinctive visual and theatrical st…
Character actor — the supporting specialist in stage and screen Character actor A character actor is a performer who specializes in distinctive supporting roles across theatre, film, television and other performing arts, valued for depth, versatility and memor…
Characters in Romeo and Juliet An organized guide to the principal and minor characters in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, explaining roles, relationships, dramatic functions, and how adaptations treat them.
Charades: the word-guessing parlor game Charades Charades is a silent acting party game in which one player mimes a word or phrase while others guess. It has parlor roots and many modern variations used for entertainment and educ…
Chicago (musical) Chicago is a satirical American musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, it critiques celebrity, crime, and the justic…
Chicago Theatre (Chicago, Illinois) Chicago Theatre Historic 1921 movie palace and performance venue in Chicago, Illinois, known for its ornate architecture and vertical 'Chicago' marquee. Hosts concerts, plays, comedy, magic shows…
Christine Baranski: stage, screen, and television performer Christine Baranski Overview of Christine Baranski, an American actress, singer and producer born May 2, 1952 in Buffalo, New York, known for stage musicals and high-profile television roles.
Cinderella (Rodgers and Hammerstein musical) Cinderella (musical) A family musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, written for television in 1957 and based on Perrault's fairy tale. Known for songs like "In My Own Little Corner" and…
Circus: History, Structure, Acts, and Modern Forms Circus Comprehensive overview of the circus: what it is, typical acts and roles, historical development, modern variations and concerns, and its cultural importance and training tradition…
Claque — organized applause, booing and theatrical influence Claque A claque is an arranged group paid or organized to applaud or boo performers, especially in 19th‑century opera. The practice influenced audiences, ethics, and modern analogues in s…
Clown: history, roles, appearance, and contemporary practice Clown A clown is a performer who uses costume, makeup, physical comedy and theatrical skills to entertain. This article covers appearance, types, history, training, common roles and cult…
Comédie-Française — France’s historic state theatre company Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française is a state-supported theatre company in Paris with a continuous resident troupe, historic links to Molière, and a repertoire spanning classical and modern Fre…
Comedy: forms, history, and cultural role Comedy Overview of comedy as a genre: origins, major forms and techniques, historical development, social functions, and considerations for performance and study across media.
Commedia dell'arte: Italian improvised theatre tradition Commedia dell'arte Commedia dell'arte is a 16th‑century Italian form of improvised theatre featuring masked stock characters, itinerant troupes, scripted scenarios, comic routines and lasting influen…
Coriolanus: Shakespeare’s Roman Tragedy of Pride, Politics, and War Coriolanus An overview of Shakespeare's Roman tragedy Coriolanus: its sources, characters, themes, structure, performance history, and continuing cultural significance.
Costume drama A costume drama is a stage, film, or television production that emphasizes period clothing and production design to evoke a historical era, often in literary adaptations or biograp…
Crazy Horse (cabaret): Parisian revue known for stylized nude choreography Crazy Horse (cabaret) Le Crazy Horse is a Paris cabaret founded in 1951, noted for its artistic nude-dancer revues, distinctive lighting and choreography, and a small international franchise including a…
Cymbeline: Shakespeare’s late romance of kings, identity and reconciliation Cymbeline An overview of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline: its plot, principal characters, sources, themes, performance history and its place among the playwright’s late romances.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker): music, choreography, and history Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy A concise encyclopedia article on the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker: its music (celesta), choreography, original performers, and cultural signif…
David Hyde Pierce: actor, comedian and stage performer David Hyde Pierce Encyclopedic profile of David Hyde Pierce, the American actor best known as Dr. Niles Crane on Frasier, with career overview, stage work, awards and personal background.
David Kelly (Irish actor): career, roles and legacy David Kelly (actor) David Kelly (1929–2012) was an Irish character actor whose five-decade career ranged across theatre, radio, television and film; famed for Rashers Tierney, Mr. O'Reilly, Cousin Edn…
David Mamet: American playwright, screenwriter and director David Mamet David Mamet (born 1947) is an American playwright, screenwriter and director known for terse, rhythmic dialogue. His work includes Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed-the-Plow, and several…
Death of a Salesman — Arthur Miller's 1949 American tragedy Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller's 1949 play about Willy Loman, an aging salesman whose delusions and family tensions expose the costs of the American Dream. A landmark of modern American theatre.
Der Barbier von Bagdad — comic opera by Peter Cornelius Der Barbier von Bagdad A mid-19th century German comic opera by Peter Cornelius, based on One Thousand and One Nights; premiered in Weimar in 1858 and remains the composer's best-known stage work.
Derby Playhouse — history of the Derby theatre company and venue Derby Playhouse Derby Playhouse was a prominent regional producing theatre in Derby, England (opened 1975). The company closed in 2008; the building reopened in 2009 as Derby Theatre, run by the U…
Derby Theatre — city theatre and university producing house Derby Theatre Derby Theatre is a professional and learning theatre in Derby, England. Opened in 1975 as Derby Playhouse, it reopened under the University of Derby in 2009 and houses a 531-seat a…
Derek Martinus: British television and theatre director (1931–2014) Derek Martinus Overview of Derek Martinus (born Derek Buitenhuis), his career in British television and theatre, notable works including Z‑Cars, Doctor Who and The Paper Lads, and his legacy.
Deus ex machina: origin, function, criticism, and modern examples Deus ex machina Deus ex machina — literally “god from the machine” — is a storytelling device originating in ancient Greek theatre, used to resolve plots suddenly; this article explains its origin…
Dido, Queen of Carthage Dido Queen of Carthage Overview of Christopher Marlowe’s Elizabethan tragedy Dido, Queen of Carthage: sources, themes, dramatic features, historical context and legacy in early modern literature.
Dolby Theatre (Hollywood) Dolby Theatre A major performance venue in Hollywood, California, known for hosting the annual Academy Awards since 2002 and for its large auditorium, stage technology, and public events.
Dom Juan (Molière): Dom Juan ou Le Festin de pierre Dom Juan Dom Juan is Molière's 1660 play about the legendary libertine whose cynical rejection of repentance brings supernatural retribution; it blends comedy, social critique and tragic co…
Don Carlos (play) — Schiller's historical tragedy Don Carlos (play) Don Carlos is a five-act historical tragedy by Friedrich Schiller (written 1783–1787). It dramatizes power, conscience and forbidden love in 16th-century Spain and inspired notable…
Drag queen: performance, culture, and social meaning Drag queen An overview of drag queens: who performs drag, common styles and venues, historical roots, cultural impact, and distinctions from gender identity and related forms of performance.
Dreamgirls (musical and film) Dreamgirls A Broadway musical created by Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger, inspired by 1960s girl groups. Tells the rise of a fictional trio and inspired a 2006 film adaptation that renewed its pop…
Edmund Kean: British Shakespearean Stage Actor (1787–1833) Edmund Kean Edmund Kean (1787–1833) was a celebrated British stage actor whose intense, natural style transformed early 19th‑century performances of Shakespeare and other tragic roles.
Educating Rita Willy Russell’s two-hander play about class, education and personal transformation; premiered 1980 and later adapted for film, known for sharp dialogue and a single-set structure.
Edward Herrmann: Actor, Narrator, and Stage Performer Edward Herrmann Edward Herrmann (1943–2014) was an American actor and narrator known for stage, film and television work, a distinctive baritone voice, Tony and Emmy wins, and roles such as Richar…
Edward II (play) — Christopher Marlowe's history tragedy Edward II (play) A late 16th-century history play long attributed to Christopher Marlowe, treating the downfall of King Edward II, his relationship with Piers Gaveston, and themes of power, favorit…
Emil Keres: Hungarian actor and theatre director (1925–2016) Emil Keres Overview of Emil Keres, a prominent Hungarian stage actor and theatre director, his career from 1950, film appearances including Twenty Hours (1965), awards such as the Kossuth Pri…
English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is a major London opera company performing at the London Coliseum in English. It emphasizes accessibility, varied repertoire, touring and education alo…
English Renaissance drama: theatres, playwrights, and performance (c.1558–1642) English Renaissance drama A concise overview of English Renaissance drama: its forms, theatres, leading playwrights, performance conditions, historical development through Elizabethan, Jacobean and Caroline…
Estates Theatre (Stavovské divadlo), Prague Estates Theatre Late-18th-century theatre in Prague's Old Town. Renowned for the 1787 premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni, it is now part of the National Theatre complex and stages opera, ballet and…
Ethel Merman: Broadway star and iconic American musical performer Ethel Merman Ethel Merman was an American stage actress and singer known for her powerful belting voice and for originating leading roles in mid-20th-century Broadway musicals. This article out…
Eve Ensler: Playwright, Feminist Activist and Creator of The Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler Eve Ensler, American playwright and feminist activist, created The Vagina Monologues and built international theatre, writing and grassroots campaigns to spotlight and combat gende…
Evita (musical) Evita is a sung-through musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) about Eva Perón, notable for 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina', premiering in the West End (1978) an…
