Plays & Drama Codexery

Amateur theatre

Unpaid performers create community theatre for enjoyment, not profit.

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The term "amateur" can also refer to someone lacking the skill of a professional or engaging in an activity as a pastime rather than a profession.[1] Performers in amateur theatre receive no payment and participate solely for personal pleasure, as defined by the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary.[2] Unlike professional theatre, amateur performers typically receive no compensation and are not union members.[3]

Quick Facts

Field
Performing arts

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

A 2002 survey by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association found affiliated groups had an annual turnover of £34 million from 25,760 performances.[4] Following 1988 in the UK, compulsory Equity union membership was abolished, enabling professional actors to join amateur productions.[5] A 2012 report by The Independent stated that over 2,500 amateur theatre groups existed in the UK, staging roughly 30,000 performances annually.[6] In the US, amateur theatre is commonly called community theatre; the American Association of Community Theatre had 923 member organizations in 2009.[7]

Western Australia's leading organization for amateur or community drama is the Independent Theatre Association.[8]

What the cited sources add

Jane Scott wrote in The Guardian in 2011 that the boundaries between amateur dramatics groups and professionals have blurred.[9] Scott noted that amateur companies often perform more traditional plays because rights are cheaper for them.[9] Scott also reported that the term "semi-professional" is increasingly used within the amateur community.[9] The Erewash Musical Youth Group, founded in 2009, is described as a vibrant part of the local musical theatre scene for young people aged 11-18.[10]

The Ballymoney Drama Festival programme lists productions by groups including the Slemish Players and Holywood Players.[11]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Answers.com - Amateur", Answers.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Actors' Equity - Responsibilities" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Commons, "House of Commons - Culture, Media and Sport - Minutes of Evidence", publications.parliament.uk (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Susan Elkin, "Don't underestimate amateur theatre as a source of training", The Stage, 16 June 2014; Jane Scott, "Am-dram is a serious business", The Guardian, 11 May 2011; Susan Elkin, "Don't underestimate amateur theatre as a source of training", The Stage, 16 June 2014 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Holly Williams, "Class act: The amateur-dramatics societies that could give the pros a run for their money", The Independent, 11 November 2012 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Member Organization search of the website of the American Association of Community Theatre" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Amateur theatre" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Independent Theatre Association" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Jane Scott, "Am-dram is a serious business", The Guardian, 11 May 2011. facts only, no text reused. theguardian.com
  10. "Erewash Musical Youth Group Musical Theatre for Under 18s". facts only, no text reused. erewashmusicalsociety.co.uk
  11. "Ballymoney Drama Festival Programme", ballymoneydramafest. facts only, no text reused. ballymoneydramafestival.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Amateur theatre (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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