This chapter introduces the nature and scope of theatre by discussing it in three of the ways it can be perceived: as a place, a group of artists, and an activity.
You need to know the kinds of spaces and buildings which theatre requires and uses.
You should be familiar with the collaborative nature of theatre and how theatre artists have grouped themselves.
You need to be familiar with the ways in which theatre is work, the crafts it entails, and its relationship to play.
You need to understand why theatre is an art and how impersonation, as a unique quality of theatre, creates the paradox within performing and perceiving theatre.
You should be acquainted with what constitutes a performance and the two general modes of performance.
You should understand what distinguishes live from recorded performance and appreciate the relationship between performance and script.
