Theater Drama History

Theater — live performance of dramatic works before an audience — is humanity's oldest organized art form. Ancient Greek tragedy (Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, 5th century BCE) established the forms of drama — tragedy, comedy, theatrical conventions (chorus, masks, catharsis) — that persist to this day. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (1599, London) housed the greatest dramatic works ever written in 1,500-seat performances for all social classes. Broadway (New York, established around 1750) and the West End (London) are the premier commercial theater destinations. The Tony Awards (Broadway, 1947) and Olivier Awards (West End, 1976) recognize theatrical excellence. Musicals — combining drama, music, and dance — include some of the 20th century's most popular cultural works: West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2015 — the most culturally significant Broadway production in decades), The Lion King, and Rent.