Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface. PART I: FOUNDATIONS. 1. The Nature of Theatre. 2. The Audience and Criticism. 3. The Play. PART II: VARIETIES OF THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. 4. Festival Theatre: Greek, Roman, and Medieval Theatre Experiences. 5. Creating a Professional Theatre: Elizabethan England, Italian Commedia dell'Arte, and Seventeenth-Century France. 6. Theatre in the 1800s. 7. Modernism in the Twentieth Century: 1900-1960. 8. Decentralization and Subsidization: New Directions. 9. Contemporary Theatre and Its Diversity. 10. Musical Theatre. 11. Asian and African Theatre. PART III: THEATRICAL PRODUCTION. 12. Theatrical Space and Production Design. 13. Playwriting and Dramaturgy. 14. Directing and Producing. 15. Acting. 16. Scene Design. 17. Costume Design and Makeup. 18. Lighting and Sound Design. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.

Noted as one of the most comprehensive, authoritative surveys of the theatre in academia, THE ESSENTIAL THEATRE, 11th Edition, engages your students and gets them excited about theatre. Drawing from the expertise of the authors as dedicated teachers, published scholars, and practicing artists, this text is ideal for an introductory theatre course. It's vibrant and numerous representations of current and classic performances encourage students to become active theatergoers and fans. The Eleventh Edition includes an all-new chapter devoted to musical theatre, while the thoroughly revised chapter on acting covers the diversity of contemporary approaches. The text also includes numerous new photos, new "Then and Now" boxes, and expanded use of dates to provide context for artists' major works. In addition, a companion anthology, PLAYS FOR THE THEATRE, 11th Edition, contains scripts that serve as a foundation for discussion of the various types of theatrical experience explored in the text.