Theater is an art form with a long and fascinating history. The theater experience has been created many thousands of times over the centuries and continues to be created every day throughout the world. In order to understand it, one must understand its history, its elements, and how it is created.

Art forms can be categorized as literary, visual, and performing; theater is one of the performing arts. All art is selective, and this selectivity is a way of distinguishing one art form from another. Art forms may also be distinguished in terms of time and space: the visual arts exist primarily in space; music exists in time; and theater (along with dance and opera) exists in both time and space.

Important characteristics of the performing arts include the need for interpreters and the need for an audience. The major elements of theater are the performers, director, audience, theater space, design aspects, and script. Because these elements must be coordinated, theater is a collaborative art.