Theatre History

Long before European contact, Canada's indigenous peoples' rituals and dramatic storytelling were as theatrical as those of minstrels and churchmen.

Nov 22, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

British actress Sarah (Kemble) Siddons did more than any other individual to establish the profession as a "dignified calling for women".

Nov 13, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Helen Hayes' extraordinary professional career that included stage, radio, movie, and television work spanned eighty years.

Nov 8, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

The often-repeated statement that women were banned from the stages of English theatres until King Charles II changed the rules is not entirely accurate.

Nov 4, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Thomas Mitchell was one of those amazing actors during Hollywood's Golden Age who could take on any role and make audiences believe in his character.

Nov 3, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Thriving theatres and performers treated with suspicion survived during the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth I, but later went into decline under pressure.

Nov 1, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Notoriously superstitious, theatrical people adhere to many beliefs, the origins of which are often unknown.

Oct 19, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Theatre Pompey, Rome's first permanent theatre, was probably the largest ever built, and became the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated.

Oct 16, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Queen Victoria held great appreciation for the performance arts, and did not hesitate to comment on the presentations.

Oct 10, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Roman coliseum events, which had become brutal spectacles of human suffering, were banned by the Christian church that eventually initiated revival of performance drama.

Oct 6, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Dionysian festivals evolved into formalized theatre that was a source of pride during the Golden Age of Athens.

Sep 26, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Poets and playwrights of the early Roman theatre who translated and adapted Greek comedies are credited with their preservation.

Sep 16, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Before the importation of Greek drama, the cultures of other civilizations were apparent in the Romans' entertainments.

Sep 15, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Comedie Francaise, started by Moliere, was officially founded in 1680 by royal decree of King Louis XIV, and performs to this day.

Sep 5, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Queen Elizabeth fully supported the theatre but the London politicians did not, so traditional venues were utilized by acting companies.

Sep 3, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

English sisters followed in their father Edward's footsteps onto the theatrical stages of England.

Sep 1, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Greek comedy evolved from riotous wine festival celebrations, through wartimes and periods when strict censorship laws were enforced.

Aug 30, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Catherine "Kitty" Clive was a prime audience favorite during her forty years on the British stage.

Aug 27, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Excavation revealed artifacts and old structural sections during preliminary stage of theatre restoration that is supported by actor Liam Neeson.

Aug 25, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Smock Alley Theatre was the first playhouse built in Dublin (1662) after the Restoration.

Aug 25, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Theatrical endeavours were soon reactivated in England and Ireland, but not in Scotland following the restoration of Charles II in1660.

Aug 23, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

Adelaide Neilson rose from a life of poverty to become one of the most successful stage actresses in the Victorian era.

Aug 21, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

The return of England's Charles II from exile in Europe, and his Coronation in 1661, meant that theatrical performances could resume.

Aug 20, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

A monastery built in 1278 by Dominican monks was closed in 1538 by Henry VIII, used as site of two theatres, and permanently closed in 1642 by Puritans.

Aug 18, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie

In ancient Greece, drama developed out of the dithyramb which was an impassioned choral hymn and story originally performed to honor the wine and fertility god Dionysus.

Aug 17, 2009 - Kathleen Airdrie