ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. This book is both an anthology of and a guide to world theatre theory from Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. In the context of world theatres, the definition of theatre often ends up reinforcing a divide between ritual and theatre. In common place divisions, theatre is a text-based phenomenon, usually taking place in a custom-built playhouse under the supervision of a director. For some regions, there are multiple samples which display the range of theories available, and for others, like the Middle East, there are fewer anthologized pieces. Thisratio roughly corresponds to the number of available pieces of theory in each region. The heart of the book is an anthology of world theatre theory contained within a series of chapters devoted to the treatment of issues of aesthetics; politics and structure; colonization, interculturalism, and nationalism; identity; modernity; and gender.
