The word theater means a “place for seeing,” but theater is more than just a building where plays are performed. It‟s the whole idea behind what happens there. Theater is where playwrights write scripts, directors supervise rehearsals, set designers and technical crew work behind-the-scenes, and the actors perform on stage. All of these people have an important role in the theater, but it is not true theater until an audience is there to experience it.Exactly when theater began is a mystery. Prehistoric hunters acted out stories about their hunting expeditions. Ancient Egyptians performed sacred songs and danced for their gods in religious ceremonies, but the idea of theater as dramatic entertainment came later. Use the time line above to learn about some of the important periods and events in theater history.

The first recorded form of European theater began in Ancient Greece around 600 B.C. with a religious festival to honor Dionysus (Di-on-i-sus), the god of wine and fertility. It has been said that a poet named Thespis(Thes-pis) won a dramatic play competition at the festival. Because he is considered to be the first actor, people sometimes refer to actors asthespians. Thespis also introduced the use of masks in Greek theater. Masks were designed to show the age and emotion. Women were not allowed to perform, so men wore female masks and played their parts. In Greek theater, the tragedy is the most admired type of play.

In 300 B.C., Romans were inspired by Greek art, culture and theater and wrote Latin versions of Greek plays. Comedy plays were more popular than tragedies. In the Roman theatre, slaves served as actors. Unlike Greek theater, women were permitted to appear on stage but they did not play important roles. The Roman theatre competed for the audiences that attended chariot races, gladiator contests and public executions. This brought about the need for impressive public theaters. For the next two centuries,

Romans built about 125 structures. Eventually, plays included stage violence and crude humor. Christians disapproved and closed down all of the theaters.

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The basic aim of this book is to provide a basic knowledge in Theatrical Forms.

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All the concepts are explained in a simple, clear and complete manner to achieve progressive learning.

This book is divided into five chapters. Each chapter is well supported with the necessary illustration practical examples. .